BREAKING: “I will miss seeing the fans” Serena Williams to skip the 2022 Australian Open
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Serena Williams
Surprising news has come since the 104 names of the entry list of the players participating in the 2022 Australian Open has been released. A record 7-time champion Serena Williams is not present on the list and that has shocked the tennis fraternity who were expecting the 23-time Grand Slam champion to play at the Australian Open where she won her 23rd and so far the last Slam.
Serena is currently ranked World No. 41 given her long absence from the tour ever since she injured her leg in the first round of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships and has ranking has slipped to the 41st spot after having started as the year as the World No. 11. By March, she was into the Top-10 ranked World No. 7 but poor results and absences have seen her slip down to 41.
Serena had made the semi-finals of the 2021 Australian Open and given her minute chances of playing at the 2021 US Open as well had left fans hoping to see the former World No. 1 back in action at the Rod Laver Arena but her absence from the entry list has now left fans in disbelief on when will she ever return to the court.
“While this is never an easy decision to make, I am not where I need to be physically to compete. Melbourne is one of my favourite cities to visit and I look forward to playing at the AO every year. I will miss seeing the fans, but am excited to return and compete at my highest level,” said Williams who has decided to skip the tournament on the advice of her medical team.
This will be Serena Williams’ 3rd absence from the Slam since 2011
The 40-year old will be missing one of her most successful Slams for the 3rd time in the past 10 years after having skipped the tournament in 2011 after having suffered a hematoma and a pulmonary embolism and did not return till the grass season began in 2011 season.
She missed the 2018 Australian Open as she was not fully prepared and fit to play as she was returning to the Tour from a maternity break having won the 2017 Australian Open while being 20-weeks pregnant. She made the quarter-finals in 2019, a shocking 3rd round exit in 2020 and a semi-final appearance in 2021 before missing the 2022 edition once again.
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Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)