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Elina Svitolina could miss Wimbledon through injury

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina serves the ball to Romania's Simona Halep during their tennis match at the Roland Garros 2017 French Open in Paris
Image: Elina Svitolina may not compete at Wimbledon

World No 5 Elina Svitolina revealed she could miss Wimbledon with a heel injury, after slumping to a second-round defeat to qualifier Camila Giorgi at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham on Thursday.

The 22-year-old Ukrainian, who slid to a 6-4 4-6 6-2 loss to a player ranked outside the top 100 at the Wimbledon warm-up event, afterwards suggested she would consider pulling out of the third Grand Slam tournament of the year, which starts on July 3.

"There is a question about it. I will talk with my physios," Svitolina said. "The season is very long and I must look at the bigger picture."

ROME, ITALY - MAY 21:  Elina Svitolina of Ukraine with the winners trophy after her victory in the women's final against Simona Halep
Image: Svitolina produced a stunning comeback against Simona Halep to win the Italian Open in May

Struggling to recover from injury, Svitolina said her fitness levels made the match against Giorgi a difficult one.

"The heel feels painful and is very sensitive. I am disappointed I am out of the tournament but I am not disappointed with my performance, because I could not show even 50 percent," she added.

"Also the court was slippery which is bad for the foot."

English grass coursts contrasts greatly with the clay on which Svitolina won the Italian Open before reaching the French Open quarter-finals, where she missed a match point against eventual runner-up Simona Halep.

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BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 22:  Camila Giorgi of Italy celebrates defeating Elina Svitlona of Ukraine during day four of the Aegon Classic
Image: Camila Giorgi celebrates defeating Svitolina during day four of the Aegon Classic

Meanwhile, Giorgi adapted to the slick surface well to hit some raging forehand drives and find good angles as she played close to the standard that two years ago took her to 30 in the world.

"I am not surprised about the way Giorgi played because she always played great on grass," Svitolina said.

Giorgi now has the chance to enhance that reputation with a quarter-final win if she can see off another surprise survivor Ashleigh Barty, a 21-year-old Australian making her first appearance in the main draw.

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