DUBAI // Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber, the two top ranked players in the women's game and finalists at last month's Australian Open, have pulled out of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships citing illness and injuries.
Williams, the world No 1, has withdrawn because of a flu, while Kerber has been forced to pull out because of a thigh injury, and their late withdrawal, less than 48 hours before the start of the action.
“I’m disappointed to have to withdraw from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships,” said Williams, the winner of 21 majors. “I have come down with the flu and I am not at 100 per cent, so I need to take this time to recuperate.”
Read more: With world No 1 Serena Williams out, who will win Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships?
Kerber, who won her first grand slam crown in Australia last month, played two singles for Germany in their 3-2 Federation Cup defeat to Switzerland last week, said: “I am very sad to announce that I have to withdraw from this great tournament in Dubai due to an injury of my right upper thigh.”
For world No 1 Williams, it is the third time in four years she has pulled out of the tournament following similar late withdrawals last year and in 2013, and tournaments officials were clearly not too pleased.
“I am disappointed,” said Colm McLoughlin, the executive vice chairman of DDF. “I know she has done it before. According to the information we have, she is not well and she has withdrawn.
“Usually when that happens, or if something like that happens, the WTA officials have a medical done and provide a medical certificate to the tournament and I am sure we will get that.”
Salah Tahlak, the tournament director, was surprised as well because he was assured by William’s business manager Jill Smoller that she would definitely be coming to Dubai this year.
“I met Smoller at the Australian Open and I was assured of Serena’s participation,” said Tahlak. “We were actually getting ready to receive her when we got this news of her withdrawal. “It was a big surprise. She is going to complete three years as the No 1 on February 18 and we had even made plans to celebrate the occasion.
“She has informed us she has a flu and there is nothing we can do, but respect her decision and wish her a speedy recovery.”
Read more: Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep and the five players to watch at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships
The absence of Williams and Kerber means defending champion Simona Halep is the top seed, followed by Spaniards Garbine Muguruza, Carla Suarez Navarro and the 2013 champion Petra Kvitova, and the top four seeds have a first-round bye.
World No 13 Karolina Pliskova, who lost to Halep in the 2015 final, is the No 6 seed and will open her campaign against American CoCo Vandeweghe, an opponent who beat her in the Wimbledon second round last year.
“There is no easy player in this draw,” said Pliskova. “I know CoCo pretty well. We played in Wimbledon and we practised a few times.
“So it is definitely going to be a tough first round, but I believe I can go through.”
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