Zverev and Serena end bids at Indian Wells

Serena Williams’s irst tournament since the

Australian Open came to an abrupt end this week as the ailing 23-time Grand Slam champion retired from her third-round World Tennis Association (WTA) match against Garbine Muguruza at Indian Wells. Muguruza was leading 6-3, 1-0 when Williams called it a day in the battle of former world

No 1s because of a viral illness. “Before the match, I did not feel great, and then it just got worse with every second; extreme dizziness and extreme fatigue,” Williams said in comments released via tournament organisers. In the men’s singles, ailing world No

3 Alexander Zverev crashed out of the tournament after his loss to fellow German Janlennard Struff. Struff, ranked 55th in the world, notched his irst victory over Zverev in ive tries, breaking him once in the irst set and three times in the second for a 6-3, 6-1 victory. “I’ve been sick for a week,” said the 21-year-old Zverev, who lost the Acapulco inal to Australian Nick Kyrgios the week before Indian Wells began. “That hasn’t changed, unfortunately.” Zverev, the owner of three Masters 1000 titles who has never made it to the quarter-inals at Indian Wells, said he would now focus on recuperating and preparing for the Miami Masters.