The New York-based US Open is scheduled to begin on August 30th, but Serena Williams will be absent from the Flushing Meadows courts. The tennis superstar has officially pulled out of the tournament, citing a torn hamstring that failed to heal in time for the final Major of the season.
The 2021 US Open starts on 30th August in New York. Serena Williams will not be playing on the courts at Flushing Meadows next week. The American star player revealed that she has withdrawn from the US Open since her torn hamstring had not been completely healed ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year.
Serena shared that her decision to withdraw came after careful deliberation and professional medical advice, prioritizing a complete recovery over competing. Although she's gutted to miss the vibrant atmosphere of New York and the chance to connect with her fans, she plans to support the other athletes from the sidelines.
In a bid to be ready for the US Open, Serena sat out the previous tournament in Cincinnati, but her hamstring simply didn't mend fast enough. The injury occurred during her first-round clash with Aliaksandra Sasnovich at Wimbledon; the 39-year-old was forced to stop playing immediately and has since missed several high-profile events, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Serena has a legendary track record at the US Open, the very site where she captured her first Grand Slam trophy back in 1999. She went on to dominate the tournament, winning the title five more times. Her consistency is evident in her four final appearances, including recent runs in 2018 and 2019, though her last championship victory here was in 2014.
This injury is a frustrating hurdle in Serena's quest to tie Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam titles. For the last four years, she has been chasing that milestone, with her last major win coming at the 2017 Australian Open. Despite reaching two Wimbledon finals and two US Open finals since then, she hasn't been able to secure the win, leaving her count stuck at 23.
Since the US Open is the final Grand Slam of the calendar year, Serena now has a significant window to fully rehab her injury before the 2022 Australian Open in January. This gives her another opportunity to chase Margaret's record and further cement her legacy as one of the most dominant female players in tennis history.
In a rare turn of events, Serena's sister, Venus Williams, has also pulled out of the tournament due to injury, meaning for the first time since 2003, neither sister will be competing. They join a growing list of top-tier stars, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Dominic Thiem, who have all withdrawn due to physical setbacks.