Reuters
Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka [Source: Reuters]
World number two Aryna Sabalenka said she is playing without pain following a lower back injury in Rome but will not hesitate to pull out of Saturday’s final with Iga Swiatek if the issue flares up and threatens her French Open participation.
Sabalenka sustained the injury during her fourth-round clash with Elina Svitolina, where the Belarusian needed a long medical timeout and saved three match points to prevail as the contest spilled into the early hours of Tuesday.
The Australian Open champion skipped practice and spent her rest day undergoing treatment before easing past former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-4 in the next round and Danielle Collins 7-5 6-2 in the semi-finals.
Sabalenka, who is bidding to avenge a three-sets defeat by world number one Swiatek in a gripping Madrid final earlier this month, paid tribute to the physiotherapists in Rome.
The French Open begins on May 26.
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