World No. 6 Mirra Andreeva has pulled out of next week’s Berlin Tennis Open, citing a change of schedule.
“My team and I have decided to take more time to rest, recover and better prepare for grass,” Andreeva said in a tournament social media post. “I’ll miss the time in Berlin. Hope to be back next year!”
World No. 11 Belinda Bencic also withdrew from Berlin with a right ankle injury that she suffered ahead of her opening match at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club this past week.
Andreeva’s decision comes five days after she won her first career Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, defeating qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2. The win marked her sixth-career WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz title, and third of this season following Adelaide and Linz.
World No. 22 Elise Mertens and Roland Garros semifinalist Diana Shnaider now move into the main draw. Austria’s Sinja Kraus and New Zealand’s Lulu Sun now move into the qualifying draw in Berlin.
Andreeva is scheduled to begin her grass-court season the week after at the Bad Homburg Open, the WTA 500 tune-up event for Wimbledon. She’s one of four top 10 players in the field, joining Iga Swiatek, Elina Svitolina and Karolina Muchova.
Bencic is next scheduled to compete at Wimbledon, where she reached the semifinals at year ago.
The Vanda Pharmaceuticals Berlin Tennis Open will be held from June 15-21, and will now feature eight top 10 players in the PIF WTA Rankings as well as the legendary Serena Williams, who will play doubles. Berlin will have a 28-player singles and 16-team doubles draw.
