US Open Flushing Meadows 29/08/2023 Day 2 Wildcard Venus Williams (USA) wearing shocking pink “night attire” embarrassingly loses first round match 6-1 6-1 in just one hour 13 minutes to qualifier Greet Minnen (BEL) and “wanders off into the sunset” Photo Roger Parker International Sports fotos Ltd
Venus Williams is hoping to end a six-month injury exile in March, with the 43-year-old still dealing with a knee injury suffered during a first-round July loss at Wimbledon.
The seven-time Grand Slam winner, 43 and now ranked outside the Top 400, expressed her frustration at the lengthy downtime. Her last match was another opening ouster at the US Open.
Williams only returned to the courts last June after missing the previous six months.
She told her YouTube channel:
“(At Wimbledon) I slipped in the third game of the match and really got injured. I spent the whole summer pretty injured with my knee, like really struggling with it.
“I didn’t want to miss the US Open.. but it was definitely not my best performance after so much time off.
“I decided not to play anymore the rest of the year and just give my knee a chance to heal.”
Her most likely point of return would appear to be her “home” event, the Miami Masters, though the Indian Wells event starting a fortnight earlier could also figure in her plans.
Main photo:-US Open 2023 Wildcard Venus Williams embarrassingly loses first round match 6-1 6-1 by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
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