Victoria Azarenka Withdraws from 2017 US Open Due to 'Ongoing Family Situation'

Victoria Azarenka announced on Monday that she would not participate in this year's U.S. Open tournament.

"I am sadly unable to compete in this year's US Open due to my ongoing family situation that I am working through," she said in a statement, which was shared by WTA Insider: 

"While I will dearly miss being in New York and playing in one of my favorite tournaments where I have enjoyed some of the best moments in my career, I am already looking forward to being back next year."

Last week, Azarenka wrote that she may not be able to play in the U.S. Open because she didn't want to leave her eight-month-old son, Leo, back in California as she and her ex-husband, Billy McKeague, worked out custody following their separation in July.  

And as TMZ reported, the judge ruled that Azarenka cannot take Leo out of the state until the custody case—which reportedly will be a lengthy one—is resolved.

Azarenka has played just twice since the 2016 French Open after going 26-3 in 2016 with three singles titles.

"I am incredibly grateful for all of the support I have received from women and men around the world who recognize the importance of supporting working moms and our right to be with our children," she wrote last week. "I look forward to hopefully having positive developments soon so that this difficult situation can be resolved and I can get back to competing. No parent should have to decide between their child or their career."

According to Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times, Misa Eguchi will replace Azarenka in the U.S. Open draw.