Serena withdraws from Australian Open
Saturday, 10 January 2004
Former world number one Serena Williams has pulled out of the Australian Open
because of injury. The American has been forced to withdraw because of
complications with a knee problem that was operated on in August. The world
number three, the winner of six grand slam titles, won the Australian Open
for the first time last year but has not played a competitive match since
July when she won her second Wimbledon title.

Announcing her withdrawal, Williams's statement read: "After conferring with
my trainers and coaches, we really don't think that I've had sufficient time
to prepare and train for it. My knee feels great, but my rehabilitation took
a little longer than I expected. I'm on the courts daily, and look forward to
coming back in championship form."

The 22-year-old had already withdrawn from the Hopman Cup and the Sydney
international but said she had still hoped to make it back for the season's
first grand slam, starting in Melbourne on January 19.

However, her sister Venus is still expected to play after making her comeback
at an exhibition tournament in Hong Kong. Venus, a former world number one
but now ranked 11, had also been out of action since Wimbledon with an
abdominal tear but made a successful comeback by beating world number nine
Chanda Rubin.

Serena's withdrawal is massive blow to organisers of the Australian Open, who
have already lost some of their biggest drawcards and are in danger of losing
more. Four-times champion Monica Seles has not entered the event and two-time
winner Jennifer Capriati, who has been troubled by a back injury, remains in
doubt. There are also concerns about world number two Kim Clijsters after she
injured her ankle in the Hopman Cup last week while Jelena Dokic is unlikely
to play due to "personal reasons".

Filed by James Boylan