Serena out of Australian Open

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Serena Williams will not defend her title at the forthcoming Australian Open:


Former world number one Serena Williams has withdrawn from this month's Australian Open.

The 36-year-old American last week played her first match since giving birth in September.

Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam winner and the reigning Australia Open champion, said: "Although I am super close, I'm not where I want to be."

On Thursday, Britain's Andy Murray pulled out of the tournament, which starts on 15 January.

Williams said: "My coach and team always said 'only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way'.

"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."

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said: "I've been in constant contact with Serena and her team and know this is why she has pushed it and pushed it until the 11th hour to make her final decision."

Williams lost an exhibition contest against Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi on 30 December 2017, her first match since winning the Australian Open final.

She said after that match: "When I come back, I definitely want to be competing for championships."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/42574645
 
Admitting she could play but pulling out because probably couldn't win the tournament? Tomic would get so much stick for this. :(
 
Very sad she won't be playing but if she played 5 months after giving birth I would have been stunned!
For the first time since starting her professional career she will have no ranking and the only points left to her ranking are from her Aus Open title. She will have a protected ranking when she returns + i'm sure anywhere would give her a WC as she's one of the greatest. But she could draw anyone in the 1R when she returns so we could see some seriously juicy matches when she returns.

Can't wait :D
 
Also means the Aus Open draw is wide open. Only three/four former Aus Open champs (Venus, Kerber, Sharapova and possibly Azarenka) and then Schiavone, Stosur, Muguruza, Ostapenko and Sloane as former slam champ. Kuznetsova is out and Kvitova seems unlikely with injury.

Wide open for Pliskova, Halep, Svitolina, Konta, Wozniacki and Garcia and more to possibly win their first slam!
 
Aussie Darcy said:
Also means the Aus Open draw is wide open. Only three/four former Aus Open champs (Venus, Kerber, Sharapova and possibly Azarenka) and then Schiavone, Stosur, Muguruza, Ostapenko and Sloane as former slam champ. Kuznetsova is out and Kvitova seems unlikely with injury.

Wide open for Pliskova, Halep, Svitolina, Konta, Wozniacki and Garcia and more to possibly win their first slam!
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I'm watching for Roberta Vinci to get one before she retires.
 
saw her at abu dhabi and thougt "how will she compete at serious copetition in a major"....

she can´t move and i think there is way to much wheight on her body because of her baby.

so its no surprise she withdraws.

next one coud be djokovic and nadal....yes i know that both were on the ao court.
 
I'm not much of a Serena fan necessarily but that's too bad that she will miss it. At least when she's in a draw, you know she means business and can get the job done. Most of the top ten WTA players are hopeless. Put the names of the current top ten in a hat, put a blindfold on and draw a name and you have as much chance as anybody else at figuring out who will win the next slam. Just a bunch of mental lightweights in that group of top ten women. I don't remember it ever being so bad. The WTA needs strong and consistent contenders at the top IMO, women who can draw spectators to the game.
 
Hitman said:
Awesome chance to see a new slam winner
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what like we haven't seen new slam winners in the last 2 year's?
We've seen stephen's, ostapenko, Kerber and muguruza all become slam winners.
Plus its not certain that it would be a new slam winner. Any of the above can win again as well as other former slam champions
 
Hitman said:
Awesome chance to see a new slam winner
Click to expand...

eugenie-bouchard-of-canada-poses-at-the-canadian-club-racquet-club-at-picture-id505587668
 
Obviously, Serena pulled out when she heard that Azarenka has been given a WC.

Azarenka granted Australian Open wildcard
  • By ESPD | Dec 12, 2017
r228344_1296x518_5-2.jpg

Michael Steele/Getty Images
Victoria Azarenka in action during the 2017 Wimbledon tournament.

Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka has been granted a wildcard for next year's Australian Open in Melbourne.

The two-time women's singles champion in Melbourne is now ranked No. 210 in the world having played only two official tournaments in the past 19 months.

"It's been a tough year and being able to come back to the [Australian Open] will be a really positive way to start 2018."

http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/ar...zarenka-granted-wildcard-2018-australian-open
 
Man of steel said:
what like we haven't seen new slam winners in the last 2 year's?
We've seen stephen's, ostapenko, Kerber and muguruza all become slam winners.
Plus its not certain that it would be a new slam winner. Any of the above can win again as well as other former slam champions
Click to expand...
Serena has won 23 slams and doesn't need any more. Let the other players have a chance. Don't be greedy.:cool:
 
TMF said:
Federer, Nadal and Nole have enough slams. I'm ok if the other players win from now on.
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I'm not. When they are tired of winning they will retire. What's the point of playing and thinking you don't need to win? It's like going to college thinking you have nothing more to learn.
 
clayqueen said:
I'm not. When they are tired of winning they will retire. What's the point of playing and thinking you don't need to win? It's like going to college thinking you have nothing more to learn.
Click to expand...
Then you are greedy.
Athletes play because it's their career and love for the game. If the only reason you play because you have a shot at winning slam then 99% of the players on the tour should retire because they are not going to win any slam.
 
cc0509 said:
I'm not much of a Serena fan necessarily but that's too bad that she will miss it. At least when she's in a draw, you know she means business and can get the job done. Most of the top ten WTA players are hopeless. Put the names of the current top ten in a hat, put a blindfold on and draw a name and you have as much chance as anybody else at figuring out who will win the next slam. Just a bunch of mental lightweights in that group of top ten women. I don't remember it ever being so bad. The WTA needs strong and consistent contenders at the top IMO, women who can draw spectators to the game.
Click to expand...

The WTA is in a transitional phase but the signs are good that some new faces are getting ready step forward. The year end championship last year was pretty good stuff. Williams bullying her way to domination was a major factor in the decline of the women's game she was too powerful for the rest, how she got that power divides opinion.

There is a variety of player having some success from the ballbashers like Williams senior to the petit shotmaker Halep. Muguruza has done some big things, has she the desire to really dominate, Kerber looked injured last year but she has started well this time, Ostapenko could be very good in the future, Woizniacki looks better than she ever has. The one who might be the best all round package is the young Ukranian Svitolina, physically she looks so strong though in a natural way (unlike Williams), really quick and determined, can defend and attack but has now added a big first serve. She could be a big star by the end of this year, looks very good as well.

If Williams retires it would be a blessing, if she loses that timber and get's back to playing weight she won't have it easy. She will always have the monster serve and power but she is getting on and hasn't the lithe frame of her sister, so mobility might be an issue.
 
TMF said:
I disagree. 23 is way more than enough. I much rather see new players win at least one slam to reach glory.
Click to expand...

She doesn't even hold the record for the women right? Federer holds the record for the men and he has in some sense won even more than enough than Serena. We'd much rather see new players win at least one Slam to reach glory - Federer has had his lot.
 
Soianka said:
Venus is rarely playing good tennis at the beginning of the year, but it would be great if she could win this one.
Click to expand...

Well, she made the final of the AO last year and only got stopped by Little Sis who won't be there to stop her this time around. Over to you Big Sis! :cool:
 
TMF said:
I disagree. 23 is way more than enough. I much rather see new players win at least one slam to reach glory.
Click to expand...
You are being completely illogical. How do you know what is enough? Sampras thought his 14 GS would hold for the foreseeable future, he is now trailing Federer and Nadal. Many thought Borg's 6 RG and 5 Wimbledon titles were unassailable, Rafa now has 10 RG titles and Federer has 8 Wimbledon titles and Sampras has 7.
 
-NN- said:
She doesn't even hold the record for the women right? Federer holds the record for the men and he has in some sense won even more than enough than Serena. We'd much rather see new players win at least one Slam to reach glory - Federer has had his lot.
Click to expand...
Agree Federer had more than enough, same with Serena to a lesser extent when compare to their respective sport.

On the bold part, bravo.
tumblr_o7mwvnqXSe1ultjoto1_500.gif
 
TennisLBC said:
This is becoming surreal now. Again, when will Federer stop trying to win Slams?
Click to expand...
Why don't you ask Federer. Whether if he say yes or no doesn't mean that players like Serena, Nadal and Nole have won more than enough slams.
 
clayqueen said:
You are being completely illogical. How do you know what is enough? Sampras thought his 14 GS would hold for the foreseeable future, he is now trailing Federer and Nadal. Many thought Borg's 6 RG and 5 Wimbledon titles were unassailable, Rafa now has 10 RG titles and Federer has 8 Wimbledon titles and Sampras has 7.
Click to expand...
You missed the point. Just because a player doesn't hold the slam record doesn't mean it's not enough to satisfy his/her career. Sampras won 14 when 99.9% of the professional tennis players never won a single one. Any player who wins more than 10 slams has a dream career. According to you, a billionaire is not happy because he's not as rich as Bill Gate, or Kobe Bryant is not happy because he won only 5 NBA titles(Jordan won 6).
 
TMF said:
You missed the point. Just because a player doesn't hold the slam record doesn't mean it's not enough to satisfy his/her career. Sampras won 14 when 99.9% of the professional tennis players never won a single one. Any player who wins more than 10 slams has a dream career. According to you, a billionaire is not happy because he's not as rich as Bill Gate, or Kobe Bryant is not happy because he won only 5 NBA titles(Jordan won 6).
Click to expand...
It's up to the individual to decide when they have won enough; no one else.
 
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