Serena Williams won’t be tying Margeret Court record of 24 Slam wins at this year’s edition of the French Open after pulling out before her match with Tsvetana Pironkova. She decided to withdraw after a short warm-up Wendesday morning and upon further discussion with her team made the decision not to play.
Williams originally injured her achilles in New York at the US Open and told the press in Paris it was bothering her a bit during her first-round match vs Kristie Ahn. She mentioned the fact that she felt she needed to walk with a limp despite the fact after playing a tight first set she basically steamrolled her opponent.
Williams played Pironkova at the US Open and was able to beat her in three tight sets, and knew the match was going to be tough to get through. She said she would be out 4-6 weeks, basically ending her season. She told the media she would go home and that she needed two weeks of literally doing nothing.
After that, she said she would start slowly with light training and take it from there with the next season rapidly approaching. No word yet on the Australian Open–if it goes as planned–and what the measures will be and if quarantine will be demanded by the country and government.
Williams most recently made the semifinals of the US Open, losing to Victoria Azarenka in three tight sets. She will go another year without winning a Major and once again will look to down under to see if she can win match the record.
Williams hasn’t lost this early in a Grand Slam since 2014 when she also lost in the second round.
Main Photo from Getty.
