Serena Williams forced to retire injured at Hopman Cup

The world’s No. 1 player withdrew from her first match at the Hopman Cup – a team event involving eight nations pitted against each other – in Perth, Australia, on Monday due to a minor knee injury, according to CNN. The world number one and victor of 21 Grand Slams will be aiming for a seventh singles title in Melbourne later this month, but is being troubled by a nagging left knee injury and retired when trailing 7-5, 2-1.

“But I’d be way more disappointed winning the Australian Open and not being at the birth of the child”.

The result meant the USA bowed out of contention in the tournament.

Williams revealed then that she was struggling with inflammation of her left knee but did not immediately rule herself out of Thursday’s meeting with the Czech Republic.

Hopman Cup organizers confirmed Williams’ withdrawal on Wednesday.

Her cartilage injury has not fully healed and Williams also sustained bone bruises that could lead to a stress fracture if she continued playing.

Murray had won all four of his previous meetings against the flamboyant Australian but Kyrgios produced a largely mature performance to triumph 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).

On Tuesday, Williams appeared restricted in her movements. Williams said her 2015 campaign had taken a heavy toll.

Russian Sharapova, world ranked four, was hoping to defend her title in Brisbane in what was her only scheduled event before the Australian Open.

The game against Wolfe was her first since losing in the semi-finals at the US Open in September.

The top two seeds Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic were shock first round losers in the WTA Auckland Classic on Tuesday.

Fifth-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States beat Polona Hercog of Slovakia 6-3, 6-3 and Irina Falconi ousted No. 6-seeded Coco Vandeweghe 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

The veteran American took the rest of the year off following that loss, withdrawing from the China Open and the WTA finals in Singapore. She will meet Zhang Shuai in the second round after the wildcard entrant defeated Irina Khromacheva 6-3, 6-3.

Ukraine’s win was secured when Elina Svitolina beat Karolina Pliskova 7-5, 6-2 in the second singles rubber.