Serena Williams withdraws from French Open
Tennis
By
Waweru Titus
| Sep 30, 2020
Former world number one Serena Williams has withdrawn from the 2020 French open ahead of her second-round match on Wednesday, according to organisers.
Williams, who was chasing a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title in Paris, was scheduled to face Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova on Court Philippe Chatrier later on Wednesday.
="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/tennis/2001301635/serena-williams-inside-the-life-of-tennis-star-family-and-net-worth">The tennis megastar has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles<, the most by any player in the Open Era, and the second-most of all time behind Australia's Margaret Court (24).
Williams, who picked up an Achilles problem during her US Open semi-final defeat by Victoria Azarenka earlier this month, said she needs to fully recover before returning to action.
"I think I need four to six weeks of sitting and doing nothing. I have been struggling to walk so that's a telltale sign that I should try to recover,” Williams told journalists.
"Achilles is an injury you don't want to play with - I think it was one of the worst, don't want to get to that point, I want it to get better."
The four-time Olympic gold medalist beat fellow American Kristie Ahn 7-6 (7-2) 6-0 in the first round ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/tennis/article/2001387914/how-venus-williams-suffered-her-second-successive-first-round-loss-in-a-grand-slam">at Roland Garros< on Monday but was struggling physically.
"In the second set, I felt I needed to walk with a limp. I had to focus on walking straight so I wasn't limping. I tried and always give 100%, I take solace in that.
"I'm not sure I will play another tournament this year. It is not an acute injury, it is a nagging injury. I ran into bad timing and bad luck really,” Williams added.
She won the French Open in 2002, 2013 and 2015 and is currently ranked ninth in the world.
="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/gossip-rumours/2001237044/serena-williams-factbox">Williams holds the most Grand Slam titles< in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles combined among active players.
When one of us wins, we both win. You can't stop sisters. ="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YouCantStopUs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YouCantStopUs< ="https://t.co/eLhlIE2qpf">pic.twitter.com/eLhlIE2qpf< — Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) ="https://twitter.com/serenawilliams/status/1300177331995242496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2020<