Injury threatens Serena’s Australian Open bid

World No. 1 Serena Williams will turn her full attention to the Australian Open after officially pulling out of the Hopman Cup in Perth.

Hopman Cup organizers confirmed Williams’ withdrawal on Wednesday.

Williams withdrew from the match while down 5-7, 1-2, and said after the match she was suffering from a small inflammation in the left knee and needs some time to recover.

“Maybe a day off or two will really make the world of difference”.

Williams said: “It’s not even a bump – just a minor thing in the road and I’m going to fly over it”.

The 34-year-old was a slim chance to return to the court for Thursday’s tie against the Czech Republic. After the 19th-ranked Elina Svitolina upset world number 11 Karolina Pliskova in straight sets in the women’s singles, Dolgopolov clinched the tie when he beat Vesely in similar fashion 7-5, 7-6 (7/3). Having already beaten the U.S. on Monday, the result puts Ukraine in pole position to reach Saturday’s final.

There are doubts over three of the other leading players at the Australian Open after Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep pulled out of the Brisbane International through injury earlier in the week, to be followed by the world No3 Garbiñe Muguruza who retired with a foot injury after trailing Varvara Lepchenko 7-6, 1-0 on Wednesday.

Halep withdrew a day ahead of her scheduled opening match because of a problem with her left Achilles tendon.

The Open starts on January 18 and Williams is desperate to defend her title and win the tournament for a seventh time.

No. 4-ranked Sharapova was scheduled to play fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova but withdrew hours before the first-round match rather than risk further damage to a sore left forearm.

Vinci moved into the Brisbane International quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over 2014 Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova on Tuesday.

Ferrer, the No. 4 seed, struggled throughout, losing his serve in the very first game, hitting 43 unforced errors and eventually going down 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 2-6 in an eventful clash lasting over 21/4 hours.

In New Zealand, top-seeded Venus Williams lost to 18-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2, and Ivanovic was beaten by British qualifier Naomi Broady 7-5, 6-4.

Tournament third-seed Wozniacki moved into the second round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Montenegro’s Kovinic.