Serena Williams withdraws from Italian Open with achilles injury

Serena Williams, of the United States, has her ankle taped by a trainer during a medical timeout during a semifinal match of the US Open tennis championships against Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus. Pic/AFP

Serena Williams has withdrawn from the upcoming Italian Open after sustaining an injury to her achilles tendon, the organisers said on Saturday. The injury had also bothered her during her US Open semi-final defeat to Victoria Azarenka.

"Serena Williams has withdrawn from the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, which gets underway behind closed doors at the Foro Italico on Monday, due to an Achilles injury," said the Italian Open.

"I regretfully must withdraw from the Internazionali BNL d'Italia due to an Achilles strain. I'm so humbled by the continuous support from my fans in Rome and I look forward to making my return soon," Williams is quoted as saying in the tournament's statement.

Williams had taken a medical time out during her semi-final against Azarenka on Thursday for treatment on her achilles. She eventually lost the match 6-1, 3-6, 3-6.

The organisers further said that world no.6 and 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu has also pulled out of the tournament. In the men's field, US Open finalists Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev have both withdrawn from the tournament.

World no.2 Rafael Nadal headlines the men's field. The defending champion will be playing for the first time since he won the Mexican Open in February.

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