Serena Williams has announced her withdrawal from next month’s Australian Open, extending her absence from the sport that she long ruled.
“I am not where I need to be physically to compete,” Williams said in an announcement on Wednesday as the Australian Open released the list of entered players for the 2022 tournament.
Williams, a seven-time Australian Open singles champion, is now 40 years old and has not played on the WTA Tour since June 28, when she retired late in the first set of her opening round match at Wimbledon because of an injured right hamstring.