DUBAI: Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki withdrew from the Dubai Championships on Monday due to a viral illness before her first round match against Switzerland’s Stefanie Voegele.
Wozniacki, who won the 2011 title in Dubai, also missed last week’s Qatar Open because of the issue which she first felt around the Christmas period and the problem lingered with her through the Australian Open.
She failed to retain her Melbourne crown after losing to Maria Sharapova in the third round of this year’s tournament and is yet to return to the court.
“It sucks. I’ve gotten ready to play these two weeks (Doha and Dubai) where I usually play well,” the Dane said.
“If I can’t even play at a reasonable level, there’s no reason for me to go out there and just play one set — I want to go out there and I want to win,” she added.
Wozniacki has been replaced by losing Slovenian qualifier Polona Hercog.
Doha champion Elize Mertens was eliminated after a three-hour struggle, losing to China’s 107th-ranked Zhu Lin 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.
The Belgian received treatment at the two and a half hour mark for hip and leg problems as she felt the effects of last week’s victory.
Lin, who’s best Grand Slam performance came in losing at the third round of last year’s US Open plays world No. 23 Lesia Tsurenko next.
Caroline Wozniacki out of Dubai Tennis Championships with virus
Caroline Wozniacki out of Dubai Tennis Championships with virus
- Second week running the former World No. 1 has had to pull out of a tournament.
- She said: "If I can’t even play at a reasonable level, there’s no reason for me to go out there."
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.
The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports.
“We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns.
The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
