Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki and world number four Elina Svitolina both withdrew from the Hong Kong Open with injuries on Thursday, leaving the WTA event devastated after a spate of pre-tournament pullouts and early big name exits.
A tearful third seed Wozniacki appeared on centre court just after her second-round match against Lizette Cabrera had been due to start to announce she had injured her elbow in practice.
"I want to apologise to everyone who came out today to watch this match," said an emotional Wozniacki, who won the title on the same court 12 months ago.
"I did everything I could possibly to get ready for today," she told the crowd. "But unfortunately I hurt my elbow during practice and there's just no way I could perform my best out here today.
"Unfortunately I have to withdraw from the tournament," she added choking back tears.
Top seed Svitolina earlier withdrew from her last-16 match against Nicole Gibbs citing a right groin strain sustained during a mammoth, 3hr 21min quarter-final defeat in Beijing last week to the eventual champion there, Caroline Garcia.
"I picked up the injury a little bit in Beijing," she said. "It's the groin. All the time when I go for wide shots or stretch I feel it.
Ukraine's Svitolina and Denmark's Wozniacki both have one eye on this month's lucrative WTA Finals in Singapore where the top eight will battle it out for a massive $7 million prize fund.
"I will probably do some scans now to see how it is, because you know I have Singapore," admitted Svitolina. "It's a tough decision because I really wanted to play here."

Source: Khaleej Times