World No. 5 Simona Halep pulls out of Aegon Classic with Achilles injury

Simona Halep has withdrawn from the Aegon Classic in Birmingham next week because of a left

Simona Halep returns a shot during the 2016 French Open.(Reuters Photo)

Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Simona Halep withdrew from the WTA Birmingham tournament with an Achilles injury on Sunday, just two weeks away from the season’s third Grand Slam event at the All England Club.

The 24-year-old Romanian -- a French Open finalist in 2014, the same year she reached the last four at Wimbledon -- said she had enough time to regain fitness.

“It’s nothing serious but it’s a bit sore,” said Halep, presently ranked number five in the world.

“I have almost two weeks to recover before Wimbledon so I will take a few days’ rest and then some treatment and then start to play again.”

Halep, who went out in the last 16 at the French Open, had been due to play experienced Czech Lucie Safarova, herself a French Open finalist in 2015, in the first round in Birmingham.