Serena Williams Expects to be Ready to Play Australian Open

Written by: Staff on 5th January 2012

Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia

Serena Williams Expects to be Ready to Play Australian Open

Serena Williams of USA looks on after playing a shot during her first round match against Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa at the Brisbane International tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 02 January 2012. Williams defeated Scheepers 6-2, 6-3. EPA/DAVE HUNT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

For somebody who maintains she isn’t that keen on actually playing tennis anymore, Serena Williams is making a determined effort to be fit to contest the Australian Open that starts in ten days time.

The five times champion of Melbourne Park is in an optimistic frame of mind after pulling out of the Brisbane International after suffering what appeared to be an agonizing ankle injury playing against Bojana Jovanovski.

Williams revealed she neglected to wear an ankle support and underwent an MRI scan to determine the extent of the injury. “I’m anticipating it’ll be OK,” said the 30 year-old who will now rest her ankle for several days before hopefully returning to the practice court. “I have a brace that I didn’t put on. I wasn’t thinking.”

The former world no.1 was only playing her second match in more than three months when she lost her footing against Jovanovski, serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set. After being attended by a trainer, who re-taped the joint, Williams returned to cautiously play nine more points, losing her own serve but then breaking that of her Serbian opponent.

“I’m going to take a couple of days off—not too many—and see how I feel. I’m still hopeful of playing the Australian Open. Health is always first for me, so we’ll see how it goes. Right now I don’t know.”

Meanwhile 15th ranked Sabine Lisicki is confident the abdominal injury that forced her exit from the Auckland Classic won’t prevent the German from contesting the Australian Open.

Auckland’s top seed became the he sixth seeded player to depart the New Zealand tournament after the injury compromised her strongest shot, the serve, and she was unable to finish her quarter-final against fellow German Angelique Kerber.

“It did hurt and I couldn’t serve,” said Lisicki who is still hopeful of contesting next week’s Apia International in Sydney. “I hope it’s nothing too bad. I hope I’ll recover quickly and a couple of days off will be enough. The Australian Open is ten days away so I should be fine.”

Topics: Serena Williams