Serena Williams Pulls Out of Beijing, Others Expected To Follow

Written by: Staff on 28th September 2012

Serena Williams Pulls Out of Beijing, Others Expected To Follow

epa03391833 Serena Williams of the US hits a return to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during the women's final match on the fourteenth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 09 September 2012. The US Open has been extended a day for the fifth straight year due to weather and will end on Monday 10 September 2012. EPA/JASON SZENES |

The women’s entry list for the weekend start of the China Open is starting to thin with the withdrawal of Serena Williams, who has not played in the Chinese capital since losing in the 2009 third round.

Williams, who enjoyed a top summer season with Wimbledon plus singles and doubles crowns at the London Olympics, had spent the last weeks in apparent bliss. Papparazzi photos in a French village showed her cuddling on the street with her coach, and she later appeared in Milan.

But without any tennis activities since winning the title in New York, her pullout from Beijing was far from a total surprise. Williams laid the groundwork for her absence by suddenly tweeting this week: “Flu no fun.” after looking particularly fit and healthy during her time off.

Switzerland’s Romina Oprandi will replace Williams in the event which starts on Sunday.

Sister Venus Williams also apparently won’t make the trip after withdrawing as she claimed a back injury according to US sources.

Meanwhile, the appearance of world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka could be in doubt after the Belarus player withdrew with a spell of dizziness during this week’s Pan Pacific in Tokyo.

Azarenka said she needed to get medical tests and complained of as recent lack of energy, The China event also looks to be missing Venus Williams.

On the men’s side Novak Djokovic tweeted a picture of himself and his luggage leaving his Monte Carlo flat and bound for Beijing, where he will be the men’s top seed. Rafael Nadal, as expected, withdrew from the tournament due to the knee injury which has kept him off court for three months and counting,

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Beijing tennis news, China Open, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, women tennis news