LONDON: The 2017 finalist Marin Cilic announced his withdrawal from Wimbledon as he continues his recovery from a right knee injury he suffered at the beginning of the season.
At The Championships in 2017, the Croatian made it to the final. At the grasscourt major, Cilic has a 31-13 record.
"I'm sad to be missing the grass season and especially Wimbledon; this is a highlight of the season for every tennis player, but I know how important it is not to rush the recovery process," Cilic wrote on Instagram.
"Things have generally been going well the last few weeks with my post-surgery training so I'm staying positive and focused on my long-term recovery. I hope that I'll be competing very soon. I miss being on Tour, the tournaments and the fans, and I can't wait to get back to all of that, to feel the thrill of stepping on court and competing. Until then, I'll keep training and sharpening my motivation. Thanks for your continued support as always!" he added.
When Cilic got onto the court to warm up for his next match, he felt pain in his right knee and withdrew from the competition. Cilic had defeated Roberto Carballes Baena in Pune in his opening encounter of the season Maharashtra Open.
Since then, the Croatian has not competed in a game. In the most recent Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Cilic is ranked 100th.