Serena’s dream on the brink
Paris, June 5: Serena Williams admits her dream of an eighth Wimbledon title could either be saved or shattered in a Paris doctor’s office this week.
The 36- year- old American stunned the French Open on Tuesday by withdrawing from her eagerly- anticipated Last16 grudge match with bitter rival Maria Sharapova just minutes before the two icons of the women’s game were due to clash on Court Philippe Chatrier.
A pectoral muscle injury had slammed the brakes on the ruthless Serena’s serving arm so she decided not to take up the opportunity to extend her 14- year, 18- match win streak over the Russian.
“So I’m going to get an MRI tomorrow ( Tuesday). I’m going to stay here and see some of the doctors, see as many specialists as I can,” said the 23- time Grand Slam title winner.
“And I won’t know that ( her Wimbledon status) until I get those results.”
In Paris, Williams was playing her first Grand Slam since winning the 2017 Australian Open when she was two months pregnant and first since she gave birth to daughter Olympia in September.
However, in the end, her Paris schedule caught up with her. Since Tuesday last week, she had played six matches in six days, with her singles duties alternating with doubles alongside her sister
Venus. That compared to just four matches — in Indian Wells and Miami this year — since her 2017 Australian Open win.
“I have made every sacrifice that I could. So it’s extremely disappointing,” she added.
“But also, I made a promise to myself and to my coach and to my team that if I’m not at least 60% or 50%, then I probably shouldn’t play.
“The fact that I physically can’t serve at all is a good indication that maybe I should just go back to the drawing board and stay positive and try to get better and not get to a point where it could be a lot worse,” she added.
SHARAPOVA MESSAGE
With Wimbledon not starting until July 2, Serena has a degree of time on her side in which to get healthy.
A rematch with Sharapova at the All England Club could have even greater significance as it was there in 2004 that the Russian, then a slender 17- year- old, stunned Serena to lift the title.
It also lit the fuse on a relationship which has generally been close to explosive ever since.
Monday’s scheduled match was due to take place just two days after Serena had blasted Sharapova’s autobiography for being “100 per cent hearsay” when it came to references about the aftermath of that 2004 Wimbledon final.
“I think Serena hated me for being the skinny kid who beat her, against all odds, at Wimbledon,” Sharapova wrote in ‘ Unstoppable’.
“Not long after I heard Serena told a friend, who then told me, ‘ I’ll never lose to that little bitch again’.”
Sharapova, the champion in Paris in 2012 and 2014, goes on to play a first quarterfinal at the Slams since losing to Serena at the same stage at the 2016 Australian Open.
It was in Melbourne that Sharapova tested positive for meldonium after which she served a 15month doping ban.
“I was looking forward to my match against Serena and am disappointed that she had to withdraw,” said Sharapova in a statement.
“I wish her a speedy recovery and hope she returns to the tour soon.”
It was not the greatest day for women’s tennis yesterday.
As well as Serena’s withdrawal, the match featuring third seed Garbine Muguruza, the 2016 champion, and Lesia Tsurenko lasted just two games.
Tsurenko retired at 0- 2 down due to a leg injury.