Williams pulls out of Paris after Grand Slam exploits
Serena Williams
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She clinched her 12th Grand Slam title in Melbourne with her leg strapped to the hilt, and now Serena Williams has finally succumbed to the need for rest, pulling out of next week’s Paris Indoor Open.
The world No.1 initially injured her leg at the Sydney Medibank International, where she ultimately lost in the final to Elena Dementieva with her movement around the court clearly hampered by the injury.
Though she was similarly affected throughout the Australian Open, Williams still found a way to clinch a fifth title Down Under, mixing unreachable ground strokes with brutish serves to eventually triumph in a three-set duel with old foe Justine Henin.
But after pushing her body to its limits to achieve another Melbourne success – equalling the Grand Slam achievements of her hero Billie Jean-King – the 28-year-old American’s efforts have finally taken their toll.
As a result, Williams misses out on the chance to win a third Paris Indoor Open in six attempts, having defeated retired Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo in both the 1999 and 2003 finals.
Finishing a runner-up at last year’s event, Dementieva will now feature as the highest ranked player in the Paris tournament, with a prize pot of $700,000 up for grabs.
The world No.7 slipped two places in the rankings this week after losing in the second round of the Australian Open to eventual runner-up Henin, and will hope to bounce straight back to the form that earned her a WTA tour title in Sydney in January.
