Venus and Serena Williams leave the…
Serena Williams has withdrawn from the US Open, which is set to take place in Flushing Meadows starting next week, citing incomplete healing of her torn hamstring prior to the year’s last major.
The six-time US Open singles champion claimed that she followed medical advice when making her decision. “After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the US Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring,” Williams said in an Instagram post.
Since suffering a right leg injury in the first set of her Wimbledon first-round match in late June, Williams has not participated in competitions. Due to a leg ailment, sister Venus has also withdrew. The Williams sisters are not competing in the competition for the first time since 2003. These two are the third player, after Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, to withdraw from the US Open due to injury.
Only Margaret Court of Australia has won as many major singles championships as Serena, who turns 40 next month, with 23. The men’s record of 20 is shared by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Federer. Williams last won a major tournament in 2017 when she defeated her sister Venus in the final of the Australian Open. Her most recent US Open victory was in 2014.
She advanced to the Australian Open semifinals this season before falling to eventual winner Osaka in February. Elena Rybakina defeated Williams in the fourth round of the French Open. In her first Wimbledon encounter, Williams was ahead 3-1 and serving when her right leg twisted unnaturally and her left shoe looked to lose its grip while she was hitting a forehand. She kept trying, but eventually she had to give up on the game.
