Serena Williams withdraws from Australian Open with foot injury
Former top seed Serena Williams has announced she will not enter the 2011 Australian Open due to the persistent foot injury she sustained in July.
Williams, who was pushed down from the number one spot on the ATP Rankings by Danish player Caroline Wozniacki in October, has not competed since injuring her foot after winning her fourth Wimbledon title in July.
The 29-year-old was celebrating her victory at a Munich restaurant when she stepped on a piece of glass, causing an unexpectedly long absence from the court.
Having undergone a second surgery, Williams recently returned to training only to suffer a set-back in her rehabilitation.
"As I recently learned, pushing myself back into my intense training too early only caused further injury," the player said in a statement announcing her withdrawal from the first Grand Slam of 2011 and its warm-up event Hopman Cup. "It
is imperative for my health that I continue to work with my doctors to ensure my foot heals."
The defending champion, who won her first Australian title in 2003 and has since claimed another four, added that she regretted having to pull out of the Grand Slam she has won the most times.
"The decision, though heavy on my heart, is the right one. I am praying for a healthy recovery and I promise my Aussie fans and my fans around the world that I will be back better than ever as soon as I can be."
Craig Tiley, director of the Australian Open, said the American will be missed at the tournament.
"I know how disappointing it will be for Serena that she's unable to come back and defend her title at Australian Open 2011. We all know how much she enjoys playing here, and how much she loves her Aussie fans."
Tags: