US Open 2021: Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou explains why harm compelled legend to withdraw

Serena Williams withdrew from the 2021 US Open on Wednesday, citing a torn hamstring. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion initially suffered the harm throughout her first-round match at Wimbledon in June.

“After cautious consideration and following the recommendation of my medical doctors and medical workforce, I’ve determined to withdraw from the US Open to permit my physique to heal utterly from a torn hamstring,” she wrote on Instagram. “New York is among the most enjoyable cities on this planet and certainly one of my favourite locations to play — I am going to miss seeing the followers however shall be cheering everybody on from afar. Thanks on your continued assist and love. I am going to see you quickly.”

In an interview with CBS Sports activities, Williams’ coach, Patrick Mouratoglou defined the method Williams underwent to attempt to be event prepared in time for the ultimate Grand Slam of the calendar yr. In the end, the brief period of time between when the harm was sustained (the Wimbledon ladies’s singles event passed off June 28 by July 10) and when the US Open is scheduled to start (Aug. 30) didn’t permit for a full restoration. The chance of long-term injury was simply a lot too nice.

“[Serena] received injured at Wimbledon and we knew we had a really tight schedule to place her again on monitor and be capable of play this US Open,” Mouratoglou informed CBS Sports activities. “We knew that any setback throughout this era can be a no-go. So, at the beginning, it went nicely. She began from not with the ability to stroll to with the ability to be lastly on a tennis courtroom, with out transferring however taking part in tennis.”

Mouratoglou mentioned that Williams then progressed to maneuver laterally on the courts, however after a couple of days, she started experiencing a variety of ache once more.

“We did exams [MRI] and we realized that there was nonetheless a tear on the tendon that was not utterly again to regular,” Mouratoglou informed CBS Sports activities. “Though we tried, with one week till the US Open, we realized lastly that there was a giant danger with taking part in. The chance of a a lot worse harm which was actually there as a result of in case you play with a tear within the tendon and also you go too far, the tendon can utterly break and it is one thing you do not wish to danger.”

Mouratoglou added that, in essence, it was a race towards the clock.

“It is unhappy as a result of it is solely a query of possibly having two extra weeks and he or she would’ve been high quality however we did not have these two further weeks. She’ll be utterly high quality [to play again] in two to 3 weeks however the danger was too large to take,” he mentioned.

Since Williams’ return to the game in March 2018 following the delivery of her daughter, Olympia, the tennis legend had competed in each Grand Slam occasion that had been held. In 2021, Williams noticed her finest Grand Slam efficiency on the Australian Open in February, the place she reached the semifinals earlier than falling to eventual champion Naomi Osaka in straight units. Williams, who turns 40 on Sept. 26, final gained a Grand Slam title in January 2017 on the Australian Open when she beat her sister, Venus, within the closing. 

Williams has gained 23 Grand Slam singles titles in her profession. The one individual with extra is Margaret Court docket, who has 24. Williams’ withdrawal announcement erased the 2021 US Open’s probability of being the event wherein Williams ties Court docket. However that’s hardly the one unfavorable storyline heading into the occasion.

The 2021 US Open is missing critical star energy.

Williams’ sister, Venus additionally introduced her choice to skip the event on account of harm, and on the lads’s aspect, each Roger Federer, 40, and Rafael Nadal, 35, have withdrawn and ended their 2021 seasons due to accidents. This yr’s US Open would be the first Grand Slam occasion with out the Williams sisters, Federer and Nadal in the principle singles draw because the 1996 US Open.