Back trouble puts Halep in race against time for finals

Simona Halep’s season could be over after the world No 1 revealed she has suffered a herniated disc.

Halep sustained the problem in Wuhan last week and withdrew after losing the first set of her opening clash with Ons Jabeur in Beijing on Sunday.

Writing on Twitter, Halep said: “Hi everyone, wanted to give you a quick update. I had an MRI on my back and found out I have a disk hernia. I will discuss with doctors in the next few days but hope to be back soon and will keep you updated. Thanks for all your support.”

With the WTA Finals in Singapore, for which the Romanian has already qualified, beginning on 21 October, Halep is in a race against time to be fit for the season-ending event.

US Open champion Naomi Osaka has qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time. She is the third woman to book her place at the season-ending event later this month, joining Halep and Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber.

The remaining five players will be confirmed over the last three weeks of the regular season.

Osaka established herself as a contender for the big titles by winning in Indian Wells in March and then produced a stunning run in New York, culminating in a dramatic victory over Serena Williams to win her maiden slam title.

Osaka’s achievement, of being the first Japanese player to win a slam singles title, was overshadowed by the row between Williams and umpire Carlos Ramos, and speaking at the China Open, the 20-year-old said: “There’s a lot of stuff I want to say about how I felt. For me, I don’t know, the memory of the US Open is a little bit bittersweet.

“The day after, I really didn’t want to think about it because it wasn’t necessarily the happiest memory for me. I just sort of wanted to move on.” Meanwhile, Kyle Edmund and Marton Fucsovics are out of the China Open doubles after a straight-sets 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) first-round defeat to Rohan Bopanna and Edouard Roger-vasselin.