Serena to miss FO and Wimbledon

[simi]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Serena Williams could miss the French Open and Wimbledon while she takes several months off to recover from a chronic left knee injury.

"What I can tell you today, based on what I am being told by my doctors, is that I should be in a position to be playing again by the end of this summer," Williams said in a statement released Wednesday by her publicist.

The French Open starts May 29, and Wimbledon begins June 26. The year's final Grand Slam tournament, the U.S. Open, starts Aug. 28.

Williams has played in just four matches over the last 7 1/2 months. Her only tournament this year was the Australian Open, where she lost in the third round.

Once ranked No. 1 and the winner of seven Grand Slam titles, Williams is now 106th in the WTA Tour rankings.

"I know that there has been a lot of public speculation about me and my playing career," Williams said. "I want everyone, and in particular all of my fans who have meant so much to me throughout my career, to know that I will be back on the tennis court and that I fully intend to be competing on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in the coming months.

"These past months have been very frustrating for me personally, as I have had to take this time off to fully mend from a chronic knee injury."

The 24-year-old said that she's "more excited than ever to resume my playing career as soon as my body is ready."

Williams was sidelined by injuries for nine months after defending her Wimbledon in July 2003.

- - (end of press release) - -

She will probably either have to get a WC for the Open or play the qualies.

 

[J-man]

sucks for her. now we can foucs on venus

 

[8PAQ]

Great news! More time for ATP tennis on TV!

 

[Mr.Federer]

Not surprising at all....

 

[sureshs]

She denied the report in the UK press about taking the rest of the year off. Sounds like she will still do that, but keep everyone guessing a few months at a time.

 

[Dan007]

Great news! More time for ATP tennis on TV!

Hip Hip Horray!

 

[Bones08]

That's good Rena. You will come back strong and very fit, bac kto your old self. And you'll win your 1st tournament back just like Miami 2004. Great news, can't wait to see you back!

 

[kooyah]

Since she's been "injured" (I know, humor me...) for so long, what kind of injury-protected ranking is she going to be eligible for if she decides to come back.

 

[mileslong]

all that modeling and starring in movies really must take a toll on your legs...

 

[tennisadict]

all that modeling and starring in movies really must take a toll on your legs...

haaaa for overweight modeling or what.... i`m glad that she is out so she can eat more

 

[psp2]

That's good Rena. You will come back strong and very fit, bac kto your old self. And you'll win your 1st tournament back just like Miami 2004. Great news, can't wait to see you back!

not! it seems very clear that she's lost her focus and the drive to win.

 

[Bones08]

ummm, no...she's very smart as you can see by that time her 6 months will be up and she'll get an injury protected ranking.

 

[Moose Malloy]

By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

I want to repeat a couple of important things that I have heard from two of her friends over the past couple of months:

1. She's refuses to have her left knee operated again because she's scared to. She believes that the doctors botched her Augusts 2003 knee surgery, which is why she has played so inconsistently since then. She thinks that maybe she should have never had the surgery in the first place and doesn't want to risk another one, although she's been told to.

2. She's not sure when she wants to come back and isn't motivated to at this time. Even if you concede her a chronic injury (which I do), there's no reason in the world why she has been unable to play more than once in the past eight months other than the fact that she has let herself get terribly out of shape.

She hasn't given any indication to anyone involved in tennis that she seriously committed to returning, which is why the WTA has all but wiped their hands clear of her. Even if you are the most ardent Serena fan, there is no way you can be convinced that she's strident about returning this summer when every time you see a picture of her, she's at some party carrying an extra 30 pounds.

Enough said.

http://www.tennisreporters.net/serena_050306.html

 

[ACE of Hearts]

Serena is doned.Thats my opinion.I thought she would have had around 15 GS when motivated.She has wasted her career for nothing.

 

[sureshs]

Serena is doned.Thats my opinion.I thought she would have had around 15 GS when motivated.She has wasted her career for nothing.

But if her knee surgery was really botched, what can she do?

 

[ACE of Hearts]

I hope thats sarcasm.It has to do more with the fact that she has gotten fat!When u have knee surgery or whatever, u need to do give it full strenght, she instead chosed to get fat.

 

[sureshs]

It was a genuine question! I have heard of a table-tennis player whose career was ruined by surgery. You hear of such things all the time.

The getting fat part is a separate issue, I think. You could even say it may have been caused by stress and depression following a botched surgery. When I hear of pros who cannot walk due to injury (like Federer last year due to his ankle), I wonder how it feels. You have someone who has made a career out of being fit, and then has to watch helplessly while an obese 60 year old walks by faster than him.

 

[Rabbit]

Or could it be that she's trying to get a protected ranking so she can also keep getting those endorsement checks from Nike and Wilson? Hey, get paid not to go to work.

 

[arosen]

she issues a release saying she is taking time off, till autumn. At this point even WTA couldnt give a damn. She is out. If she keeps partying, she will outbelly Oprah and will never be able to win anything ever again.

 

[Freedom]

What is an injury protected ranking? Does that mean that her rank stops dropping after 6 monthes, until a year goes by and her rank disappears?

 

[K. Wilson Moose]

May the good Lord be with her
Down every road she roam
And may sunshine and happiness
surround her when she's far from home
And may she grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As she'd have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart she'll always stay
Forever Fat, Forever Fat
Forever Fat, Forever Fat aaaa At

 

[Bones08]

When she comes back, she will have the rank that she had after the Aussie Open. She won't fall down that much anyway because she didn't play the 05 French, and she only got to Wimby round 3. She played Toronto in the summer, and pulle dout after she won her 1st round match. So basically, she has all to gain during the summer and fall(remember,she stopped after the open), and she has a chance in 07 to gain in Austraila,France,and Wimby, that's not including the events in between that. Serena is smart whe nyou think about it, she'll be just fine.

 

[tommytom11]

Or could it be that she's trying to get a protected ranking so she can also keep getting those endorsement checks from Nike and Wilson? Hey, get paid not to go to work.

now you're talking. this is exactly whats going on. money is the only motivation. i say good riddence. it is finally fun to watch the wta for a change. nike is probably relieved not having to make any more of those aunt jemimah outfits too.

 

[Rabbit]

May the good Lord be with her
Down every road she roam
And may sunshine and happiness
surround her when she's far from home
And may she grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As she'd have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart she'll always stay
Forever Fat, Forever Fat
Forever Fat, Forever Fat aaaa At

LMFAO.....I'm going to have to call this a Dedan's it's so good.

she issues a release saying she is taking time off, till autumn. At this point even WTA couldnt give a damn. She is out. If she keeps partying, she will outbelly Oprah and will never be able to win anything ever again.

Dude, you haven't seen Oprah lately. Serena already has more junk in her trunk and probably more jelly in the belly. Oprah's a lean cuisine fighting machine these days. Ya dig?

I do agree that the WTA will hardly miss her.

 

[Warriorroger]

haaaa for overweight modeling or what.... i`m glad that she is out so she can eat more

Right, if she keeps on going she can audition for ''Little Britain'' as Bubbles younger sister.

 

[arosen]

Dude, you haven't seen Oprah lately. Serena already has more junk in her trunk and probably more jelly in the belly. Oprah's a lean cuisine fighting machine these days. Ya dig?

I do agree that the WTA will hardly miss her.

My bad, last time I saw Oprah she was on South Park, shooting people out of her coochie.

 

[chess9]

It's no secret, I guess, that I am a big Serena fan, and object to many of these comments that are just mean spirited nonsense.

Anyway, yes, if you have knee problems, gaining weight will all but guarantee that you will be miserable. If Serena thinks her first surgery was botched, I hope that is based upon a professional opinion. With her money she can afford the best orthos in the world, so there is no reason why she shouldn't have had the corrective surgery long ago. I'm no ortho but I know literally dozens of guys who've had knee surgery and continued in their sport.

In sum, I think Serena is actually suffering from tennis avoid-itis. She's running from the game not to it. If she were serious about returning, she'd be getting fit, not fat. Right now, she's fat. (I hate saying that in a public forum, but for an athlete fat is the kiss of death.)

Serena could leave a huge legacy in tennis if she pushed away from the table and started serious training. From the photos I've seen of her, she is not remotely close to being in shape. I'd guess 20-30 lbs overweight. Very very sad.

The press release is sheer baloney, by the way. It's nothing more than a carefully crafted piece of bull you know what.

-Robert

 

[simi]

It's no secret, I guess, that I am a big Serena fan...

In sum, I think Serena is actually suffering from tennis avoid-itis. She's running from the game not to it....

Serena could leave a huge legacy in tennis if she pushed away from the table and started serious training. From the photos I've seen of her, she is not remotely close to being in shape. I'd guess 20-30 lbs overweight. Very very sad.

Robert, do you think she wants to play again? Since the AO, has she started trimming down, maintained, or even gained a little? Do you know if she practices?

I appreciate your honesty about your fanaticism of her. Me, I'm neutral, don't really care one way or the other. Don't care for her arrogence much. I feel sad (for her) because she could have gone down in history as the best ever to play the game, instead, she will most likely go down in history as the greatest waste of talent to ever play the game. The history books will last hundreds, even thousands of years, her new found wealth will only last a few generations, if that.

Interesting take about her avoiding the WTA. Any guesses why? Certainly couldn't be because she feels she isn't competitive anymore.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

If Serena Williams thinks she has a career in hollywood or anything else, she is nuts!Like u said, how long will her fortune last.She has alot of endorsements, but how do u think they feel about her crap.

 

[Warriorroger]

Respect her fans, but why would she considered the greatest of all time, have you ever looked at her game properly: tactically, strategically, aesthetically she isn't in the all time top ten (IMO). Demeonar of a champion: grace in winning and defeat she isn't in the top 100.

She was Mike Tyson with a racket. She will never win a slam again.

 

[sandiegotennisboy]

coulda woulda shoulda

coulda woulda shoulda. i USED to be a fan but she has got too many excuses and all for a crappy career in showbiz or fashion. i cant defend people anymore when they have no passion for the game.

just please retire and exit the game with some self respect. her excuses are getting so old. bottom line is she is fat, she needs to get in shape, and she needs a coach to build her game back up to match today's game...none of which she has addressed. she rather be in USweekly or TRL or BET than be in history books. just go away and never come back. im so sick of your $h1t.

 

[Rabbit]

Well first off, she's had a remarkable career. You should look at her numbers before making such an ignorant statement.

Sadly, Serena doesn't understand that her Hollywood career, her fashion career, and any other endeavors she has outside of tennis are all predicated on her tennis celebrity. Once that is gone, she'll be another ex-athlete. The big difference is she'll be one who didn't try and didn't care about her legacy and all her Hollywood-type friends will gravitate away from her.

 

[sandiegotennisboy]

Well first off, she's had a remarkable career. You should look at her numbers before making such an ignorant statement.

Sadly, Serena doesn't understand that her Hollywood career, her fashion career, and any other endeavors she has outside of tennis are all predicated on her tennis celebrity. Once that is gone, she'll be another ex-athlete. The big difference is she'll be one who didn't try and didn't care about her legacy and all her Hollywood-type friends will gravitate away from her.

so you dis me for dissing her and then you repeat exactly pretty much what i say. your dumb.

and dont you mean they will gravitate towards her. when you get that big, you start having planets circle around you.