Clara Tauson, visibly hampered by back issues, endured a turbulent match as she exited the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo. The Dane fell to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in a three-set battle: 6-1, 6-7, 3-6.

Tauson started strong, showcasing a high level of play, but struggled to maintain her momentum. In the decisive third set, back pain significantly limited her movement, clearly affecting her performance.

This marks the second time in a week that physical issues have derailed Tauson’s progress. Just days earlier in Wuhan, she was forced to withdraw against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini due to hip problems.

Initially, Tauson appeared to have recovered from those hip concerns. She moved fluidly across the court and displayed sharp form, particularly with her forehand and volleys.

Meanwhile, Tomljanovic struggled with unforced errors early on, allowing Tauson to race to a 5-1 lead and comfortably close out the first set.

At the start of the second set, it seemed the Dane would continue in the same dominant fashion. However, after an early break, Tomljanovic found her rhythm and turned the match around.

Tomljanovic brought more consistency to her game as the second set progressed, while Tauson began to lose her rhythm and committed a growing number of unforced errors. The Australian quickly built a 4-1 lead.

Although Tauson managed to break back and level the score, the set ultimately went to a tiebreak, where Tomljanovic held her nerve to force a deciding third set.

The final set proved erratic, with both players struggling to hold serve.

Down 2-3, Tauson appeared to be in significant discomfort and was forced to take a medical timeout for treatment on her back. Her movement became visibly limited, pushing her to go for riskier, more aggressive shots—which unfortunately led to even more unforced errors.

Leading 5-3, Tomljanovic capitalized on her second match point to seal the win, leaving a visibly frustrated Tauson unable to continue her campaign in Ningbo.