The 2024 Morocco Open was shaping up to be a really good event, with plenty of big names playing, but almost all of them withdrew before the start of it.
Five players withdrew before the start of the WTA 250 event, including some players who got a wild card entry not too long ago. Chiefly among them are Paula Badosa and Simona Halep.
Both of them got wild card entries into the event not too long ago and have now withdrawn from it. For the Romanian player, it's probably tied to the withdrawal she made at the WTA 125K tournament in Paris a few days ago.
The cause of it was knee pain, which she admitted to after the match. She's had a number of physical issues during this comeback, which are probably tied to her not having played in a very long time.
Another player who has had a lot of physical issues lately is Badosa, who has also had a string of withdrawals in recent months. The Spaniard was supposed to play in Rabat as well, but she, too, withdrew from the event before the draw was made.
That was unfortunate for the tournament organizers because those are two players who were ranked world no. 1 and no. 2 in the world and would have enhanced the event's profile. Their withdrawal certainly hurts, especially because they got wild cards into the event.
Bianca Andreescu was another player who was supposed to return to the event, but she, too, won't be playing, which is unfortunate for her comeback hopes.
The two other players who withdrew are Jaqueline Christian and Greet Minnen, leaving the draw more wide open for other players, who will now try to capitalize on so many withdrawals, only one week before the French Open begins in Paris.