Serena Williams doubtful for rest of 2010
Serena Williams has withdrawn from the Generali Ladies Linz in Austria, and may miss the remainder of the 2010 season.
The Australian Open and Wimbledon champion announced last week that she had received clearance from her doctor to play in Linz, but has now been forced to pull out of the tournament.
In a statement published on the WTA website, Serena has said: “I have been training for many weeks to get back to playing tennis as quickly as possible since my foot surgery in mid-July. Yesterday I learned that I had tried too hard and did too much too soon. After practicing yesterday morning I felt discomfort in my foot and tests by my doctor revealed that I had unfortunately re-strained it, as a result of overtraining. I am likely out for the year now.
“I was really looking forward to beginning my comeback in Linz, followed by the year-end WTA Championships in Doha. I feel completely heartbroken and devastated, but knowing I will never be given more than I can handle I plan on coming back stronger and better,” Serena said.
This latest injury blow means that the race to become the season-ending world No. 1 is almost certain to be won by Caroline Wozniacki, who overtook Serena at the top of the rankings when she reached the quarter-finals of the China Open in Beijing.
Wozniacki, who has so far won five WTA titles for the season and is due to play in the final of the China Open in Beijing today, has ascended to the World No. 1 ranking largely in Serena’s absence, with the American last seen on court defeating Vera Zvonareva in the Wimbledon final.
If Serena does miss the WTA Tour Championships at the end of October, she will shed the 1500 ranking points she gained by winning the title last year (when she defeated sister Venus in the final), a situation that will further extend Wozniacki’s lead over the 29-year-old in the rankings.
It will also mean the Tour Championships will take place without either of last year’s finalists in the draw – Venus having already announced her 2010 season is over as a result of a knee injury.
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