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Venus Williams is receiving unparalleled support from her fans after she was forced to withdraw from the 2023 Australian Open due to an injury.
The 42-year-old began her 30th year as a professional tennis player at the ASB Classic in Auckland on January 2, 2023. She defeated Katie Volynets, a player half the age of Williams, 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the first round to register her first win on the tour since beating Romania's Mihaela Buzarnescu in the first round of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships.
The legendary player clashed with China's Lin Zhu in the second round. It was Williams' match to lose after a 5-3 lead in the third set. However, she failed to hold on to it and exited the tournament in the Round of 16.
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It was this match where she is believed to have picked up an injury. She received a wildcard entry into the main draw for what would have been her 22nd appearance at the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. Australia's Kimberly Birrell will be her replacement.
While some fans expressed concern and hoped for Venus Williams to return soon, there were others who feared that she might have already played her last Australian Open. Some even criticized the ASB Classic for its slippery courts, especially after Williams became the second player since Emma Raducanu to pick up an injury.
"This makes me so so sad, you could tell something was off toward the end of that last match in Auckland but we were hoping it wasn’t serious. The level she was showing was so good to see. hoping for a full recovery for Vee soon," a fan tweeted.
"Lets see what the organisers have to say about this. They hit back at Emma saying she’s the only one who complained about the court after she sustained ankle injury," a user wrote.
"I’m truly heartbroken. I haven’t felt this sad in a long time. Is it over?" another tweet read.
Here are a few more reactions:
A look at Venus Williams' 2022 season
Injuries cut short Venus Williams' 2021 season, with her last match coming against Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei in a losing cause at the Chicago Open in August. The seven-time Grand Slam champion returned to the singles competition almost a year later at the 2022 Citi Open, where she lost in the first round.
Williams participated in three other events last year, including the US Open, but faced opening-round exits on all occasions. A 0-4 win-loss record in 2022, along with a prolonged absence from the tour, resulted in her dropping to No. 1003 in the WTA rankings.
Venus Williams and Father Richard recall one match that 7-time Grand Slam champion "should have won"
