Hurt Serena withdraws
Print Edition
SERENA Williams withdrew before her semifinal at the BNP Paribas Open on Friday night with a sprained right knee, 14 years after her sister Venus did the same thing and triggered an angry reaction from fans that drove Serena to boycott the tournament.
The world’s top-ranked player was to play third-seeded Simona Halep in the second semifinal. Williams addressed the crowd on-court after Jelena Jankovic defeated Sabine Lisicki 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to reach the final.
“A couple days ago at practice I really injured my knee,” Williams told fans at Indian Wells. “Today I was struggling just to even walk.”
After Williams’ brief comments in which she didn’t clarify she had withdrawn, fans applauded with only a few boos. As she walked off, the announcer said she wouldn’t be playing and he apologized. Williams stopped to sign some autographs on her way out.
She played four matches since being warmly welcomed back a week ago on Friday, winning three in straight sets. Williams told reporters she first noticed the injury when she was serving on the practice court and felt a “super sharp” pain in her knee. She said she got an injection for the first time in her career, but it didn’t help.
“I have a tremendous amount of inflammation in my knee and it’s going to go away. Unfortunately I just need a couple of days,” she said.
Williams was back for the first time since ending her boycott that began after she won the title in 2001 as a 19-year-old and was heavily booed. She was supposed to play Venus in the semis, and Venus withdrew 20 minutes before with a knee injury, angering the crowd. Serena went on to beat Kim Clijsters in the final, but fans booed her throughout the match and she vowed never to return to the desert.
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