Tennis Update: Australian Open – The disappointing withdrawal of the American hope
Ambitious to become the fourth woman in the dynamic pick of women tennis players to attain three Grand Slam title mark, Venus Williams was in a favourable position to loop over the third round match-up before proceeding to the forth-coming contests at the 2010 Australian Open.
The Seven time major champion, Venus Williams kept her hopes high at the first Grand Slam of the year, as she took on the 30 seed German Andrea Petkovic in the third round of the tournament held at the Rod Laver Arena on Friday, January 21, 2011.
The season 2010 did not go all well for the 2003 finalist with her knee injury getting the better of her on various occasions. The tall American had to sit out of the tournament all through the later half of the season having had to miss the WTA championships in Doha. It would have indeed been a dream to win and proceed in the Australian Open into the fourth round and also the well wishes of her family with her sister and the 13 grand slam title holder, Serena Williams already withdrew from the tournament due to her injury.
Her devoted fans had a long wait for one last winning arrow from the ageing American's armour and she kept the hopes alive after a tough match win against Sandra Zahlavova, to give way to the elder Williams a move into the next round.
It was the first meeting between Williams and the world number 23 Andrea Petkovic and the American clearly considered the favourite to win. She had her share of struggles with the unseeded and lower ranked players due to the presence of surprise from them in the match, yet Petkovic wasn’t likely to pose any major threat to the former world number one if the match went all the way.
In the women’s last match of the fifth day, the former finalist met her tricky opponent Andrea Petkovic with her first encounter to the German but showed signs of exertion and lack of fitness committing a couple of unforced errors right from the start.
Williams failed to cope-up as Petkovic flew start the opening set with 1-0 lead. With the American unable to meet the second serve too, she strangely stopped play for her extreme pain. Immediately the medical time out was called where after a discussion with the physiotherapist she called it quits.
Williams had called for medical help in her previous match also and she did not look good in the middle, in this round either. Petkovic, with the match conceded moves into the pre-quarterfinals where she shall face the beautiful blond Russian sensation, Maria Sharapova.
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