FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 6, 2024 Tunisia's Ons Jabeur reacts during her third round match against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo
(Reuters) - Tunisia's Ons Jabeur has been forced to end her 2024 season prematurely due to a niggling shoulder injury, the three-times Grand Slam runner-up said.
The 30-year-old has slipped to 22nd in the world rankings this year amid fitness struggles and pulled out of Cincinnati, Washington and the U.S. Open with the shoulder problem after missing the Paris Olympics due to concerns over her knee.
"This year has been extremely hard for me and as athletes, we know that recovery is part of the journey," Jabeur said on social media.
"Due to my ongoing shoulder injury, my medical team and I have made the difficult decision to step off the tennis circuit for the rest of the season."
The former world number two said she will dedicate her time to charitable projects while recovering and return to action in Australia early next year.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
