TENNIS: Mboko withdraws from Canadian Open due to knee injury

TORONTO — Reigning women’s singles champion Victoria Mboko has withdrawn from the Canadian Open because of a knee injury, the world No. 10 confirmed on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old Canadian has not played a competitive match since slipping awkwardly during her round-of-16 match against Karolina Pliskova at the Queen’s Club Championships in June.

Scans on Mboko’s left knee revealed an injury to her medial collateral ligament, forcing her to pull out of her doubles quarterfinal alongside 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams. The injury also ruled her out for the remainder of the grass-court season, including Wimbledon.

Mboko said missing the Canadian Open, a key U.S. Open tune-up event, was especially difficult because of the opportunity to compete in front of her home fans in Toronto.

“Not being able to play at home this summer in front of the people I love and with the support of the Toronto crowd is deeply disappointing as it has been something I’ve been looking so much forward to,” Mboko said.

The Canadian Open is scheduled to run from Aug. 2 to Aug. 13 in Toronto. -Reporting by Nicole Fernandes in Toronto; editing by Clare Fallon/Reuters