Injured Serena skips Hopman tie
Print Edition
Serena Williams withdrew from her opening match at the Hopman Cup yesterday because of inflammation in her left knee, an early setback in her preparations for an Australian Open title defense.
The top-ranked Williams practiced ahead of her scheduled season-opener against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the international mixed-team competition at Perth Arena, but withdrew from the match and was replaced by Vicky Duval.
Duval lost 4-6, 1-6 to Svitolina and Alexandr Dolgopolov beat Jack Sock 6-4, 6-2 to clinch the best-of-three Group A match for Ukraine before the US pair won the mixed doubles 6-2, 6-3.
Williams said she expected to be able to join Sock in the US team to play the Australia Gold team today.
Hopman Cup tournament director Paul Kilderry said Williams reported feeling pain in her knee on Sunday.
“She wanted to give herself every chance to play, she warmed up this morning but common sense prevailed and she just thought today she can’t do it,” he said.
After winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles in 2015, Williams just missed completing a season grand slam when she lost to Roberta Vinci in the US Open semifinals.
For the 20-year-old Duval, who returned to tennis in August after overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma, filling in for Williams was a great opportunity.
“I was kind of nervous because I was filling in big shoes. But I had a really fun time today,” Duval said. “I have a whole new outlook on life. I’m just really grateful to be back and do what I love.”
Andy Murray had a 6-2, 6-2 win over Kenny De Schepper to give Britain a 1-0 lead over France in the night match but Caroline Garcia leveled the tie with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over Heather Watson ahead of the mixed doubles decider.
At the Brisbane International, 2015 finalist Grigor Dimitrov needed six match points before beating fifth-seeded Gilles Simon 6-3, 7-6 (10) to move into the second round.
Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka returned from a layoff with foot and leg injuries with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina in her first competitive match since September, setting up a second-round match against No. 2-ranked Simona Halep.
In other women’s singles, No. 6-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro advanced to a second-round match with local favorite Sam Stosur, the former US Open champion who recovered from early service breaks in each set to beat Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Also advancing were No. 7 Belinda Bencic, who beat Sara Errani 6-1, 6-2, and Vinci, who overcame former No. 1-ranked Jelena Jankovic 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
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