Defending Australian Open champion Serena Williams has announced that she will not feature in the 2018 edition of the tournament. The 23-time Grand Slam champion released a statement explaining her decision not to play on Friday.
Williams: “My coach and team always said ‘only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way. I can compete – but I don’t want to just compete, I want to do far better than that and to do so, I will need a little more time.”
Williams has been preparing to return to the tour for the first time since the birth of her daughter Alexis in September. By pulling out the of the Australian Open, the last event she played in 2017, it means that by the time Williams returns to the tour it will have been at least a full calendar year since she last player competitively. She defeated sister Venus for the title last year.
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley accepted the decision: “I’ve been in constant contact with Serena and her team and know this is why she has pushed it and pushed it until the 11th hour to make her final decision.”
Williams’ decision not to play is a blow to a tournament that has also lost Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori in recent days. There are some concerns about Johanna Konta, Novak Djokovic, and World No.1 Rafael Nadal all of whom have been nursing injuries in the lead-up to the year’s first Grand Slam, which begins on January 15th.
