Coco Gauff promoted to Luxembourg main draw as Kerber, Sharapova withdraw

Kockelscheuer (Luxembourg), October 11: Teenager Coco Gauff has been promoted to the Luxembourg Open main draw after Angelique Kerber and Maria Sharapova pulled out with injuries.

Kerber is suffering with a leg injury while Sharapova has a shoulder problem, depriving next week's WTA event of two of its biggest names.

But the news means Gauff enters the competition proper, without needing to qualify, along with regular doubles partner Caty McNally.

Gauff, just 15, burst onto the scene at Wimbledon as she reached the fourth round, before impressing again at the US Open, her home grand slam, by winning two matches.

Unfortunately, we have to announce that @AngeliqueKerber (leg injury) and @MariaSharapova (shoulder injury) both had to withdraw. McNally and @CocoGauff move into the main draw.

— BGL BNP PARIBAS OPEN (@WTAluxembourg) October 10, 2019

In her first appearance since Flushing Meadows, playing as a lucky loser, Gauff has reached the quarter-finals of Linz Open and will break into the world's top 100 next week.

She plays top seed Kiki Bertens on Friday for a place in the last four.