the Australian Open suffered from a serious hit when the five-time champion, Serena Williams, withdrew from the tournament due to some ongoing foot problems.
The fact is that Williams, 29, has just played in six tournaments throughout 2010 due to a left knee injury she suffered earlier in the season. Then she encountered some serious problems on her right foot which required certain amounts of surgery.
In a statement, Williams said, “As I recently learned, pushing myself back into my intense training too early only caused me further injury and damage… While I desperately want to be back on the court and competing in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, it is imperative for my health that I continue to work with my doctors to ensure my foot heals properly.”
The tournament director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley, has been communicating frequently with Williams since she had her second operation on her foot done.
When asked about the situation, Tiley said, “I know how disappointing it will be for Serena that she’s unable to come back and defend her title at Australian Open 2011. We all know how much she enjoys playing here, and how much she loves her Aussie fans… Serena is a great champion and we will miss her in January. We send her our very best wishes for a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming her back to Australia soon.”