Karolina Pliskova has officially withdrawn from the Australian Open and announced that she will miss at least the first two months of the 2025 season, with hopes of returning during the Sunshine Double. The former world No. 1 recently underwent surgery to repair damage to her left ankle after a challenging season.
In late August, Pliskova secured a hard-fought victory over Mayar Sherif in a three-set match but subsequently withdrew from her second-round encounter against Jasmine Paolini. The decision for surgery came after a series of injuries, including a wrist issue that sidelined her from the 2022 Australian Open.
“I can’t run yet, and we’re quite far from tennis. I don’t want to rush anything,” Pliskova told Czech media. Reflecting on her past experiences, she added, “I already made a mistake with my hand—I played in pain for a month and a half, and I still didn’t win anything. It doesn’t make sense. So I’ll take the protected ranking and come back in March for Indian Wells and Miami, maybe. Of course, if another snag doesn’t appear.”
The 2019 Australian Open semifinalist emphasized that her goal is not just to return but to compete at a high level. Since reaching the Wimbledon final in 2021, the 32-year-old has struggled with consistency, largely due to injuries. However, she remains optimistic about her future.
“I don’t want to end up sidelined by injury or just surviving on the court. I just want to get back to normal and play some more,” she stated.
In 2024, Pliskova faced challenges with consistency, finishing the season with a 20-16 record. Despite this, she achieved notable results, including winning the WTA 250 tournament in Cluj-Napoca and reaching the final in Nottingham.
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