News24
14 Aug 2019, 11:43 GMT+10
Cincinnati - Serena Williams withdrew prior to her opening match at the WTA Cincinnati Masters on Tuesday with a back injury, another blow to the 23-time Grand Slam champion's US Open preparations.
Williams retired from the WTA final in Toronto just four games in with back spasms on Sunday, handing the title to Canadian Bianca Andreescu.
The US superstar, who trained on Tuesday morning in Cincinnati, advised officials prior to her scheduled first-round match against qualifier Zarina Diyas that she wouldn't be able to play.
"I came to Mason (Ohio) on Sunday and have tried everything to be ready to play tonight, and was still hopeful after my practice this morning," Williams said in a statement released by tournament officials.
"But unfortunately my back is still not right."
It's another injury blow for Williams, who has been hampered by knee trouble this season.
She was eyeing her first title since the 2017 Australian Open in Toronto, where the 37-year-old said she first felt back pain in her semi-final win over qualifier Marie Bouzkova.
She trailed Andreescu 3-1 when she decided she couldn't continue in Sunday's final, telling reporters the back spasms were something she's dealt with before and that they were often fleeting.
Nevertheless her decision to pull out of Cincinnati struck an ominous note with the US Open starting on August 26.
Williams, who fell to Simona Halep in the Wimbledon final in July, remains one Grand Slam title away from matching Australian Margaret Court's record of 24.
Her place in the Cincinnati draw was taken by 56th-ranked Jessica Pegula, who captured her first WTA title in Washington this month with a victory over Camila Giorgi in the final.
Results on Tuesday in the WTA/ATP Cincinnati Masters (x-denotes seeding):
Men
Second round
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Sam Querrey (USA) 7-5, 6-1
Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Juan Ignacio Londero (ARG) 6-3, 6-4
Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) bt John Isner (USA x13) 6-4, 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (8/6)
First round
Denis Shapovalov (CAN) bt Joao Sousa (POR) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)
Andrey Rublev (RUS) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO x15) 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-2
Daniil Medvedev (RUS x9) bt Kyle Edmund (GBR) 6-2, 7-5
Benoit Paire (FRA) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-4, retired
Frances Tiafoe (USA) bt Gael Monfils (FRA) 7-6 (9/7), 6-3
Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x11) bt Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 7-6 (8/6), 6-3
Diego Schwartzman (ARG) bt Laslo Djere (SRB) 7-6 (7/2), 6-3
Reilly Opelka (USA) bt Borna Coric (CRO x12) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
David Goffin (BEL x16) bt Taylor Fritz (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Women
Second round
Maria Sakkari (GRE) bt Petra Kvitova (CZE x6) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Venus Williams (USA) bt Kiki Bertens (NED x5) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4)
First round
Anett Kontaveit (EST) bt Angelique Kerber (GER x13) 7-6 (9/7) 6-2
Zheng Saisai (CHN) bt Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) 6-3, 6-1
Wang Yafan (CHN) bt Monica Puig (PUR) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
Donna Vekic (CRO) bt Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-4, 6-3
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI x12) 6-4, 1-0 retired
Madison Keys (USA x16) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4
Daria Kasatkina (RUS) bt Barbora Strycova (CZE) 6-4, 7-6 (11/9)
Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) bt Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 6-4, 6-1
Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) bt Wang Qiang (CHN x15) 6-3, 6-4
Jennifer Brady (USA) bt Ons Jabeur (TUN) 6-2, 6-2
Get a daily dose of Herald Globe news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Herald Globe.
More InformationGENEVA, Switzerland: A new United Nations report alleges that dozens of global corporations are profiting from and helping sustain...
LONDON, UK - Lawmakers in the United Kingdom have voted overwhelmingly to proscribe the direct-action group Palestine Action as a terrorist...
DHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama is set to address a significant three-day conference of Buddhist leaders this week, coinciding with...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a significant ruling last week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for users...
ISTANBUL/PARIS/BRUSSELS: As searing temperatures blanket much of Europe, wildfires are erupting and evacuation orders are being issued...
VENICE, Italy: Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters marched through the narrow streets of Venice to voice their opposition to billionaire...
ABU DHABI, 3rd July, 2025 (WAM) -- The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the National Basketball Association...
New Delhi [India], July 3 (ANI): The social media accounts of several Pakistani actors and cricketers remain blocked after it was reported...
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 2 (ANI): The much-anticipated LEGEN-Z T10 League will be played from August 7 to August 13 at the...
New Delhi [India], July 2 (ANI): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Ombudsman Justice (Retd) Arun Mishra has directed...
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 2 (ANI): Actor-comedian Kapil Sharma is back with another episode of 'The Great Indian Kapil Show,'...
Birmingham [UK], July 2 (ANI): Former head coach and cricketer Ravi Shastri didn't mince his words while expressing his discontent...