Injury scare for Serena Williams forward of Australian Open; withdraws earlier than semis match vs Barty

Image Source : GETTY IMAGES Serena Williams reacts in her match in opposition to Danielle Collins throughout day six of the WTA 500 Yarra Valley Classic at Melbourne Park.
Serena Williams withdrew from an Australian Open tuneup match citing a proper shoulder harm Friday inside hours of establishing a semifinal match in opposition to top-ranked Ash Barty.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion normally would not play in a match within the week earlier than a Grand Slam occasion, however made an exception earlier than the U.S. Open final yr and for this Australian Open due to all of the disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 39-year-old American was taking part in her first match since withdrawing from the French Open earlier than her second-round match due to an Achilles tendon harm final October. She, like all gamers touring into Australia for the match, needed to quarantine for 14 days and had restricted observe throughout that point.
With the yr’s first main beginning Monday, Williams could also be higher resting.
She had three wins on the Yarra Valley Classic — one in all six tournaments at Melbourne Park this week — culminating with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-6 win in a match tiebreaker over fellow American Danielle Collins on Friday.
Barty can even get a relaxation Saturday after getting a walkover into the ultimate, which has been pushed again by a day.
There had been 70 matches on the order of play Friday, an expanded program a day in spite of everything matches in six tournaments had been postponed in order that 160 gamers and 507 folks general may isolate and endure testing as a result of a employee at a quarantine resort returned a optimistic check. Tennis Australia mentioned all checks had been detrimental.
To velocity issues up slightly on the again finish of the match, 17 courts had been getting used and ladies’s matches had been diminished to 2 common units with a 10-point match tiebreaker if required.
Williams and Barty each needed to play the match tiebreaker — Barty beat Shelby Rogers 7-5, 2-6, 10-4.
Before withdrawing, Williams mentioned she was trying ahead to the semifinals.
“It’s undoubtedly a great alternative to see the place I’m going in opposition to the present No. 1, that’s actually vital for me,” Williams mentioned. “Obviously I feel for her, as effectively, to see the place she’s going in opposition to my sport.
“It’s been a protracted 12 months. Tennis has been performed however probably not, so … hopefully this is sort of a new yr the place issues can be completely different.”
Garbine Muguruza beat defending Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals, reversing their results of their 2020 last at Melbourne Park. She will subsequent play No. 8 Marketa Vondrousova.

AZARENKA ADVANCES
Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka rallied from two breaks down within the first set and needed to save two match factors within the match tiebreaker earlier than beating Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 1-6, 11-9 to advance on the Grampians Trophy, an occasion staged for the gamers compelled into laborious lockdown throughout quarantine.
On both aspect of a delay on outdoors courts due to rain, former Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Australian champion Angelique Kerber had a 6-4, 6-4 win over No. 8 Ons Jabeur and Belinda Bencic, the highest-ranked participant within the match, misplaced 7-5, 6-2 to Sorana Cirstea.
GERMANY UPSETS DEFENDING CHAMPS SERBIA
Alexander Zverev rebounded from a slim singles loss to Novak Djokovic to assist Germany win the deciding doubles match that earned the workforce a spot within the ATP Cup semifinals on the expense of defending champion Serbia.
Jan-Lennard Struff beat Dusan Lajovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to present Germany a 1-0 lead in Group A, however top-ranked Djokovic leveled it up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-5 win over Zverev.
Struff and Zverev mixed for a 7-6 (4), 5-7, 10-7 win over Nikola Cacic and Djokovic within the doubles, advancing to a semifinal in opposition to Russia on Saturday.
“It’s unfortunate we lost the tie — that’s what this competition is all about,” Djokovic mentioned of back-to-back matches with Zverev. “It’s about the team, not about winning one match, singles match. Yeah, it’s a tough one.”
Pablo Carreno Busta clinched Spain a semifinal spot with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Michail Pervolarakis within the opening singles match in opposition to Greece. The win ensured Spain had sufficient factors to high Group B, which additionally contains Australia.
“I knew we needed this point,” Carreno Busta, who was playing again because No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal had back stiffness, said. “With this victory, we are into the semifinals, so it was very important to us.”
Greece rallied for a 2-1 win over Spain, with Stefanos Tsitsipas beating Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 7-5 after which combining with Pervolarakis within the deciding doubles match — which lasted just one sport earlier than the Spanish pair retired.
WAWRINKA WINS, KYRGIOS “LOSES” RACKET
Top-ranked Stan Wawrinka beat Alex Bolt 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (5) to maneuver into the quarterfinals of the Murray River Open together with No. 3 Felix Auger-Aliassime and No. 4 Borna Coric, who beat native favourite Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 6-4. A pissed off Kyrgios smashed his racket and threw it out of the 1573 Arena.