Ana retired from the China Open with a back injury while trailing Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 3-2 in the quarter-finals.The 23-year-old had struggled with the ailment throughout her time in Asia, and required treatment on it during the Tokyo tournament.
Ana had a wealth of chances in the opening set. She cracked a dozen forehand winners but could only convert one of eight break point chances. Radwanska, who was the champion in Tokyo last week, was more clinical and consistent. She returned very well and took the opening set 6-3.
The second set promised much, as Ana held and then broke to lead 2-0. However, she began moving gingerly, dropped three straight games and after receiving treatment to her lower back, determined that she was unable to continue.
"I've been struggling with my back since actually the beginning of last week in Tokyo. I've been doing lots of treatments on it, but it hasn't been really getting much better.
"So I was fighting with it basically throughout the whole week. I went yesterday to do MRI here, so still the doctors are looking at the results. I'm talking to physios and just making sure about the next steps to see what's wrong and what's going on.
"I really felt I was playing some of the best tennis I been playing in years, and it's very exciting. I was striking the ball really well, and that's why it's very disappointing to finish this way, because I really felt I was on a roll and things were starting to fall into place.
"But it's a good incentive. It's important to see results in the matches."
Ana's next scheduled tournament is the BGL BNP Paribas Luxembourg Open, which begins on 17 October.
