MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Australian Open for an undisclosed damage she sustained whereas enjoying in a event in Auckland, New Zealand this week.

A seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, Williams obtained a wild-card entry into the Australian Open final month to compete in what would have been her twenty second main at Melbourne Park.

But the Australian Open stated on Saturday the 42-year-old Williams had withdrawn from the event starting Jan. 16. It didn’t present specifics concerning the damage.

It continues a run of misfortunes for Williams, who final performed at Melbourne Park in 2021.

A two-time Australian Open finalist, Williams injured an ankle and knee in that look when stumbling awkwardly on the web in a second-round match in opposition to Sara Errani.

Her greatest efforts at Melbourne Park got here when she was overwhelmed by her sister Serena Williams in finals in 2003 and 2017.

Now ranked 1,003, Williams stated when granted the wild card in December that she was excited to be returning to Melbourne.

“I’ve been competing in the country for over 20 years now and the Australian community has always supported me wholeheartedly,” she stated.

The five-time Wimbledon singles champion has struggled with accidents over the previous two years and was restricted to enjoying simply 4 tournaments within the U.S. final August. She didn’t progress past the primary spherical in these occasions and ended her season when overwhelmed by Alison van Uytvanck on the U.S. Open.

But she began 2023 on a optimistic be aware by defeating fellow American Katie Volynets in Auckland. She was then overwhelmed by China’s Zhu Lin in three units within the second spherical.

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