Iga Sibiontech (Poland), ranked first in the world, withdrew its participation in the ‘Hana Bank Korea Open’ one day before the opening of the competition.
Sibion Tech told the tournament organizing committee, “My physical condition has not yet returned to normal after the US Open. Inevitably, I could not go to Seoul. Please understand that we have no choice but to change our schedule. “I definitely want to visit Seoul next year and play a great game in front of Korean fans,” he said.
Prior to this, defending champion Jessica Pegula (USA) also withdrew from the tournament due to an injury to her ribs during a fierce battle until the US Open final. Pegula reportedly still feels pain when serving. 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) withdrew from the competition due to a back injury, US Open semifinalist Emma Navarro (USA) changed her schedule, and 2014 Korea Open winner Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) with a leg injury.
Emma Radukanu (Great Britain), who was originally on the waiting list for the finals where the organizers had considered a wild card, joined the finals. Radukanu, the 2021 US Open champion, arrived in the country on the 12th and began to adapt to the time difference, aiming to win this tournament.
