The aura of Iga: On Swiatek’s 2022-style run to the WTA Finals title, and the year-end No. 1 ranking

Karolina Muchova held onto the eighth and final spot in the WTA Finals by just over 400 ranking points, but all of her hard work and commendable showings around the world this year still won't allow her to play in the tour's season-ending championships.

On Tuesday, the Czech announced that she's unable to compete in Cancun due to a wrist injury that hasn't fully recovered.

"I am heartbroken to announce that I will miss my first WTA Finals in Cancun," wrote the 27-year-old on Instagram. "Together with the team and doctors we tried everything till the last moments to resolve my wrist injury. Unfortunately, the time needed for the recovery is longer than we would've hoped for and therefore I had to make this unpleasant decision."

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A post shared by Karolína Muchová (@karolinamuchova)

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Muchova's season can still only be viewed as a great success. Prior to 2023 she had never gone beyond the third round of Roland Garros or the fourth round at the US Open. She finished runner-up in Paris this year, and made the final four at Flushing Meadows. In both cases, she lost to the tournament's eventual champion: clay-court titan Iga Swiatek, and the searing-hot Coco Gauff, respectively.

Beyond the majors, Muchova posted strong results at the WTA 1000 Dubai (quarterfinals), WTA 1000 Indian Wells (quarterfinals) and the WTA 1000 Cincinnati (runner-up). She did not play after the US Open due to her wrist injury. Muchova wore a sleeve during her 6-4, 7-5 semifinal loss to Gauff.

"I have a little trouble with my arm, so I just tried to do everything I could improve it and to not feel that much pain," she said afterward. "So I tried the sleeve. I had some tapes under it. I thought it will work better with the sleeve than just with—and that it can help, as well. Yeah. That's why I wear it."

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Maria Sakkari, who finished ninth in the WTA's season-ending championship race, will take Muchova's place in Cancun. The 28-year-old Greek went 2-4 at Grand Slam tournaments this season, but won her first career WTA 1000 title in Guadalajara (where she finished runner-up in 2022).

This will be Sakkari's third consecutive appearance in the WTA Finals. Last year, in Fort Worth, she went 3-0 in round-robin matches before a semifinal loss to eventual champion Caroline Garcia.

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