British No 2 Jodie Burrage will miss the “next few months” of the season after undergoing wrist surgery.
Burrage revealed the news on Instagram, posting a picture from her hospital bed with her left arm in a sling.
The 24-year-old suffered the injury prior to a first-round qualifying loss in San Diego a fortnight ago and took the difficult decision to go under the knife.
“Little update: I don’t know where to start,” wrote Burrage. “My first practice in San Diego, I hit one backhand and felt something pop in my left wrist. After advice from multiple doctors and surgeons, surgery was the best option.
“Making the decision to get my 4th surgery was brutal…accepting it will take time.
“But smiling here because everything went well yesterday (and I was high on drugs), and the recovery process can start.
“It won’t be easy but I’ve got people around me who I know will help get me through it. Thank you to everyone who continues to support me and hopefully see you in a few months.”
It is rough timing for Burrage, who had been held back by repeated ankle problems before breaking into the top 100 for the first time last year.
Burrage is currently ranked 86th, only one place below her career high, but will now tumble down the standings and is likely to miss the grass-court season, where last year she reached the final of the WTA Tour event in Nottingham.
How to watch play on Sky Sports Tennis
Sky Sports has confirmed a new home for tennis in the UK and Ireland, with Sky Sports Tennis on Sky and NOW, making tennis content available all day, every day for fans.
Sky Sports will broadcast more live tennis than anywhere else, bringing over 4,000 matches from more than 80 tournaments a year on the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as full coverage of the US Open, all exclusively live.
Non-Sky subscribers can stream live matches with a NOW Sports Day and Month Membership, via Sky Sports Tennis, Sky Sports Arena, and Sky Sports Mix channels.
For further access, fans will also be able to follow their favourite players and gain deeper insights from both Tours via Sky Sports News, the Sky Sports app, on SkySports.com and via Sky Sports social channels.