Iga Swiatek withdraws from Madrid Open with arm injury

World number one Iga Swiatek has announced her withdrawal from the upcoming Madrid Open due to an arm injury.

The 20-year-old rose to the top of the WTA rankings following Ashleigh Barty's shock retirement and already has four singles titles to her name in 2022.

Swiatek's fourth consecutive triumph on the WTA tour came at the Stuttgart Open earlier this month, and the Polish star was considered one of the favourites to win her first-ever Madrid Open title.

However, Swiatek has revealed that she will take a break to treat a fatigued arm, writing on Twitter: "After an intense few weeks and winning four titles in a row, it's time to take care of my arm that has been fatigued since the Miami Open and I haven't had the chance to handle it properly.

"I need a break from playing so intensively in order to treat my arm well and that's why, unfortunately, I have to withdraw from the Madrid Open. My body needs rest. I'm going to take some time to prepare for Rome and Paris. Hopefully I will play in Madrid many times in the future."

Swiatek will aim to return in time for the Italian Open next month before seeking her second French Open title after beating Sofia Kenin in the 2020 final.