New York: Serena Williams has pulled out of the US Open because she is still recovering from surgery on her right foot, the American world number one said on Friday.
Williams, who won her 13th grand slam at Wimbledon earlier this year, cut her foot on broken glass at a restaurant in July and has not played since.
“It is with much frustration and deep sadness that I am having to pull out of the US Open,” Williams said on the tournament’s website. “My doctors have advised against my playing so that my foot can heal.”
A three-time winner at Flushing Meadows, Williams absence will be a blow to U.S. title hopes with her sister Venus, the world number five, the only other American ranked in the top 40.
With Belgian Justine Henin announcing on Wednesday she would not be fit to play in the US Open and defending champion Kim Clijsters losing in Montreal after an injury scare, the year’s final grand slam is shaping up as a wide open affair.
“There are still so many other big names out there who can do well,” said Clijsters, who promised to be in Flushing Meadows to defend her crown despite a nagging hip injury that will require an MRI next week. “Serena and Justine are two big names but there are plenty more out there.
“I don’t look at the draw in that kind of way, I just focus on my matches and obviously now I am trying to be in the best shape possible to compete.”
A fan favourite and television ratings grabber, Williams is sure to be missed especially after her explosive and controversial exit from last year’s event.
Called for a foot fault in her semi-final against Clijsters, Williams exploded in an ugly outburst threatening a line judge during a confrontation that ultimately cost her the match.
“It doesn’t change much,” said Russian Vera Zvonareva, who lost to Williams in the Wimbledon final in early July.
“Serena is a great player and is great to watch but there are so many great players.
“It’s still going to be very tough for everyone.”
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.