Serena Williams had taken a medical time out during her US Open semi-final against Azarenka on Thursday for treatment on her achilles.
Serena Williams. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)
23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has withdrawn her name from the upcoming edition of the Italian Open after suffering an injury to her achiles tendon.
It was the same injury that had bothered her in the lost US Open semi-final against Victoria Azarenka earlier this week at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
“Serena Williams has withdrawn from the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, which gets underway behind closed doors at the Foro Italico on Monday, due to an Achilles injury,” said the Italian Open.
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“I regretfully must withdraw from the Internazionali BNL d’Italia due to an Achilles strain. I’m so humbled by the continuous support from my fans in Rome and I look forward to making my return soon,” Williams is quoted as saying in the tournament’s statement.
Williams had taken a medical timeout during her US Open last four match against Azarenka to treat her achiles before eventually losing the match 6-1, 3-6, 3-6.
In what was a pulsating last-four encounter, Azarenka went past the six-time US Open champion 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 after one hour and 55 minutes to reach her third final.
Meanwhile, World number 8 Naomi Osaka rallied to beat unseeded Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 and lift the US Open 2020 title of the women’s singles competition on Saturday.
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