Serena Williams confirmed she wouldn’t attempt to defend the title she won there last year, 2017 Australian Open champion said she wasn’t completely sure she could win it. So far, she withdraws the tournament, and her fans are totally unhappy.
The American tennis legend has already back to the court, she played in an exhibition tournament last weekend in Abu Dhabi and indicated after her loss to French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko that she might not travel to Melbourne. For Serena, it was one of the hardest decision she ever made, the athlete didn’t miss any tournament over six years.
After competing in Abu Dhabi the tennis player realized that although she is close, it is not the right time. According to Serena, she goes to tournaments when she prepared to go all the way. Obviously, Australian Open is not that case.
‘I can compete — but I don’t want to just compete, I want to do far better than that and to do so, I will need a little more time,’
Serena Williams added.
There will be no Serena Williams in Australian Open 2018
On Thursday, a 23-time Grand Slam winner and the reigning Australian Open champion confirmed she will miss the current Grand Slam. The athlete added that the memory of last year’s Open is one that she will carry with her, and her little daughter Olympia. Both they are looking forward to coming back again to Melbourne.
It is the first time since 2011 that Williams has missed the tournament, and this year, several world stars will also miss the Grand Slam, among them is Kei Nishikori (#4) who withdrew because of a wrist injury. There are also doubts over the fitness of Spanish Rafael Nadal (#1) and Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka, who won the title in 2014.
Serb Novak Djokovic, a six-time Australian Open champion, may also miss out with an elbow injury – another blow for the tournament, say the experts. Despite the absence of Serena Williams, her sister Venus Williams will definitely be aiming to win her eighth major singles title at the age of 37.
