Williams is Finished for 2010

Written by: Staff on 7th October 2010

Williams is Finished for 2010

Serena Williams (USA) |

Another day and another big-name female player announced she is done for 2010. But this time it’s one of the biggest names of all and there are serious ramifications for the upcoming Fed Cup final after Venus Williams has declared ongoing left knee problems that have hampered her for much of the year means she is out of action until January at the earliest.

Since mid-May the current world no.3, who turned 30 years of age four days before the start of Wimbledon in June, has only contested the three majors events. She was hopeful of lending her force to the United States cause as they take on Italy in San Diego the Fed Cup final and earlier completing an impressive three years of Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships in Doha where she won the title in 2008 and was beaten finalist against younger sister Serena a year ago.

However Williams followed the path set earlier in the week by first Agnieszka Radwanska and then Svetlana Kuznetsova by being the purveyor of sad but not hugely unexpected news when she issued a statement saying she was very disappointed to announce she will be unable to play in either event.

“I have been getting treatment and therapy on my knee and have been making progress, but unfortunately must continue to keep weight off my knee for the short term and won’t be ready to return to competition in 2010,” said Williams who has not played since losing the U.S.Open semi-final to eventual champion Kim Clijsters in early September after reaching the quarter finals at Wimbledon and round of 16 at the French Open.

“I am looking forward to returning to full health in time for the start of 2011 season and hopefully having the opportunity to play in both the Fed Cup and WTA Championships next year.”

In total the seven-time major champion has amassed a 38-7 record from nine tournaments played in 2010 with back-to-back early year titles in Dubai and Acapulco. Alongside Serena she added another three titles in doubles this season, amassing prize money for the year of $2,614,782 which takes her actual career prize fund to $27,681,772. Only sister Serena has earned more by actually winning tennis tournaments.

Effectively Williams will have played only one tournament in the last six months of 2010, the US Open where she beat French Open champion Francesca Schiavone and the 16th seeded Israeli Shahar Peer before losing to Clijsters.

After losing the Wimbledon quarter finals on June 29 to Bulgaria’s 82nd ranked Tsvetana Pironkova, Williams was inactive until opening her New York campaign on August 30 because she sprained her left kneecap practicing before the Western and Southern Financial Group Open in Cincinnati and subsequently also missed the Rogers Cup in Montreal that month, too.

The United States Captain Mary Joe Fernandez, determined for the nation to win the Fed Cup for the first time since 2000, is still confident Serena Williams will spearhead the American team even though she has not set foot on a competitive tennis court since playing Clijsters in the Brussels exhibition match in the week after winning Wimbledon and just a couple of days after lacerating her foot in Munich.

Topics: Agnieszka Radwanska, Doha, Early September, Fed Cup, French Open, Full Health, Kim Clijsters, Knee Problems, Left Knee, Purveyor, Quarter Finals, Ramifications, Sister Serena, Sony Ericsson Wta Tour, Sony Ericsson Wta Tour Championships, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Tour Championships, Venus Williams, Wta Championships, Wta Tour Championships