By Janina Nuno Rios

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka received a walkover into the U.S. Open semi-finals after Marketa Vondrousova was forced to withdraw from their last eight showdown due to injury, organisers said on Tuesday.

Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, had impressed in New York with upset victories over seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and ninth seed Elena Rybakina, but her run came to a painful end after she pulled up in practice earlier on Tuesday.

ESPN showed footage of the 26-year-old bending over in pain after hitting a forehand, before leaving the practice court in tears.

It was not immediately clear what the injury was.

It marked another cruel blow for the Czech, who has endured long stretches away from the tour due to shoulder problems, missin

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