The decision of withdrew tennis legend, Venus Williams, from the 2022 Australian Open means that a wildcard spot in the women’s singles division will be available for an Australian player.
Venus’ missing in action took many by surprise. Many expected that she would grace the court in the opening Grand Slam for the season.
This year’s Australian Open will be held at Melbourne Park from January 17 to January 30.
Why did Venus Williams Withdraw from Australian Open?
Her absence from the court is due to a leg ailment injury since August 2021. She revealed last week that she will not be competing in the first Grand Slam of the year 2022.
Venus Williams. Photo/The Conversation
She would be competing against her sister, Serena Williams, who will also be out from the tournament due to a hamstring strain.
This year’s Australian Open will be the first time since 1997 that neither of the world-renowned Williams sisters will be competing in the competition.
Venus Williams was knocked out of the top 100 in the women’s rankings in May, the first time in nine years that she had done so.
Despite being rated 318th in the world, she was still considered a strong candidate to fill the final wildcard berth.
In a report published by News Corp, Serena and Venus did not travel to Melbourne in readiness for the tournament. This meant that she would not be participating in any warm-up competitions or at the Australian Open.
Venus Williams First Grand Slam Title
Venus earned her maiden Grand Slam championship in 2000. Nonetheless, she competed in 13 of the past 14 Australian Opens.
Currently, there is no word on who will be the lucky winner of the final wildcard in the women’s singles tournament.
Sam Stosur, Daria Saville (née Gavrilova), Maddison Inglis, and Storm Sanders are the current Australians who have been awarded a spot in the tournament.
For more than two decades, the Williams sisters dominated the sport of women’s tennis. Serena and Venus have a combined total of 30 Grand Slams – singles victories.
However, it appears that the baton has now been passed to the next generation of players. Both of the Williams sisters’ omission from the 2019 Australian Open serves as yet another reminder that they are entering the twilight zone of their individual careers.
Serena withdrew from the 2022 Australian Open in December owing to a hamstring injury she sustained during the Wimbledon championships last year.
As a result of a leg ailment, Venus has not stepped foot on the court since August 2021.
Because of her rating, she needed a wildcard to compete in Melbourne, and she was fortunate enough to receive one. However, she opted out of the tournament.
King Richard movie. Photo/Marca
Many fans expected to catch the Williams in action after the release of King Richard movie, a sports drama.
King Richard movie tops among the best sports drama of 2021. It is a re-enactment of Venus and Serena Williams childhood journey in tennis. It depicts how their father Richard Williams shaped his daughters into becoming powerful tennis icons years later.
King Richard’ is a two-hour sports drama film created from a 78-page plan showing how Richard Williams shaped Venus and Serena into taking up tennis professionally.
He encourages the sisters to push harder and overcome the odds stuck against them. The film shows the making of tennis legends. The film highlights Williams’ challenges and how they overcame them all.
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