Serena Williams has pulled out of the Madrid Open citing illness leaving Agnieszka Radwanska as the top seed of the Premier Mandatory clay court tournament, which kicks off on Saturday.
The world No. 1 said in a statement on the tournament’s website: “Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from Madrid because I’ve been battling the flu and I’m not at 100 per cent. I look forward to returning soon.”
Williams has played only three tournaments this season and is yet to win a title, losing in the final of the Australian Open and at Indian Wells before a fourth-round exit in Miami a month ago.
Should the 34-year-old also miss the tournament in Rome in a fortnight, she would go into the French Open without having played on clay since last summer. After coming so close to winning the calendar Grand Slam last season, Williams’ dominance appears to be on the wane, although she still has a healthy lead in the rankings.
The now-top-seeded Radwanska has been handed a tricky first round against former Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova, the draw revealed on Friday.
Second-seeded Angelique Kerber, the reigning Australian Open champion also has a tough opener against Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova, ranked 33 in the world.
Title holder and No5 seed Petra Kvitova, who shocked Williams in the semi-finals last year, faces Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena in the first round and is a potential quarter-final opponent for fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka – who has swept the first two Premier Mandatory events of the season, triumphing in Indian Wells and Miami last month.
Serena Williams since 2015 US Open
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) April 29, 2016
Beijing WD
WTA Finals WD
Hopman Cup RET/WD
AUS Open F
Dubai WD
Doha WD
Ind Wells F
Miami R16
Madrid WD
Home favourite, Garbine Muguruza, the No. 3 seed, takes on Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia in round one and has been drawn in the same quarter as No. 6 seed Simona Halep, who opens against Japan’s Misaki Doi.
Last year’s Madrid runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova, has put her participation in doubt after withdrawing from her semi-final in Prague on Friday due to an abdominal injury.
The news of Williams’ withdrawal comes the day after Roger Federer confirmed he would play in Madrid having previously kept his options open.
Andy Murray is the defending champion on the men’s side. He warmed up for the tournament by practising in Mallorca with Rafael Nadal, who he beat in the final 12 months ago to win his first Masters title on clay.
“Rafa is the greatest clay court player who’s ever lived so to be able to capture my first Masters title against one of the greatest on that surface was a very proud moment,” Murray told the tournament’s official magazine.
