Serena Williams’ quest for her first title this year has been delayed after she withdrew from next week’s Madrid Open due to illness.
The world No.1 has only played in three WTA tournaments this year and hasn’t won a title since the Cincinnati Open last August. Confirming her absence on the official website of the tournament, the 34-year-old said that she has been forced to withdraw from the event due to a fever.
“Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from Madrid because I have been suffering from fever and I do not feel 100%. I hope to return soon,” Williams said.
This isn’t the first time this year that illness has forced the world No.1 to withdraw from a tournament. In February she withdrew from tournaments in Dubai and Doha due to the flu.
Williams has won the Madrid title twice in her career in 2012 and 2013. Last year she reached the semifinals at the Caja Magica before losing in straight sets to eventual champion Petra Kvitova.
The withdrawal is the latest blow to what has already been a testing start to the year for the world No.1, who started 2016 by pulling out of from the Hopman Cup due to a knee injury. At the Australian Open Williams was unable to defend her title after losing in the final to Germany’s Angelique Kerber. Then, during the American hard court swing in March, the 34-year-old finished runner-up to Victoria Azarenka in Indian Wells and suffered a third round loss to Svetlana Kuznetsova in Miami.
The absence of Williams means that Agnieszka Radwanska will now be the top seed in the tournament. Radwanska is yet to make a final in Madrid with her best result at the tournament being a two-time semifinalist in 2012 and 2014.
With Serena’s withdrawal, top four seeds @MutuaMadridOpen:
1. Radwanska
2. Kerber
3. Muguruza
4. Azarenka— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) 29 April 2016
