MELBOURNE, Feb 17 (Reuters) - American Sofia Kenin, whose title defence at the Australian Open was halted in the second round, said on Wednesday she had her appendix removed earlier this week.
Kenin lost 6-3 6-2 to Estonian veteran Kaia Kanepi last Thursday.
The 22-year-old said she had been suffering acute abdominal pain and visited the tournament doctor on Monday, a day after being knocked out of a low-profile tournament in Melbourne by unranked Australian teen Olivia Gadecki.
"I was evaluated by the tournament physician and referred to the hospital for further evaluation," Kenin wrote on Twitter https://twitter.com/SofiaKenin/status/1361898175917817857. "Acute appendicitis was diagnosed following the completion of my CT scan.
"I had to have surgery and had my appendix removed on Monday at Epworth Hospital Richmond."