New Zealand’s top ranked women’s tennis player Lulu Sun has been forced to withdraw from the ASB Classic due to a wrist injury.
"Since Guangzhou of last year, I have been struggling with a wrist injury following a neck injury," she posted on Instagram on Friday night.
"Not being able to have a proper pre-season and being injured left me no choice but to sadly withdraw."
The 24-year-old has not played competitively since reaching the final of China’s Guangzhou Open in October.
Last September, Sun had described the ASB Classic – set to start Monday – as her favourite tournament of the year.
“This means everything to me. I get to play in front of a home crowd and fans. It is going to be energising and it’s going to be fun.”
Her sights are now set on the Australian Open in Melbourne which gets underway on January 12.
Sun had qualified directly under her world ranking, 90th, allowing for a second Kiwi to compete as a wild card.
The tournament’s field will be headed by world No. 14 and 15 Ukrainian Elina Svitolina and American Emma Navarro.
Seven-time grand slam winner Venus Williams will make her seventh appearance at the ASB Classic after returning from a 16-month hiatus at the US Open in August 2025.
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