Serena Williams hoping to heal in time for U.S. Open
Top-ranked women’s player suffered right foot injury
Serena Williams is hoping to recover from a right foot injury in time to play at the U.S. Open, the agent for the 13-time Grand Slam singles champion said Tuesday.
“Right now, we’re taking it a day at a time. She’s resting and recovering,” agent Jill Smoller said. “She’s a fast healer.”
The No. 1-ranked Williams had surgery last week in Los Angeles to repair deep cuts on her right foot. She tweeted Tuesday about spending a “5th day in bed. arghhhh”
The American was hurt while she was in Munich this month – shortly after winning her fourth Wimbledon singles title on July 3, and before playing in an exhibition match against Kim Clijsters that drew a tennis-record crowd of 35,681 in Brussels on July 8.
“She will start training again as soon as she’s healed,” Smoller said.
Williams already has pulled out of three hard-court tournaments she was scheduled to enter in preparation for the U.S. Open. The season’s last major championship begins Aug. 30 in New York.
She withdrew from the July 26-Aug. 1 event in Istanbul, the Aug. 9-15 event in Mason, Ohio, and the Aug. 16-22 event in Montreal.
The foot injury also led the 28-year-old Williams to miss the full World TeamTennis season for the Washington Kastles.
Generally, neither Williams nor her older sister Venus, a seven-time major singles champion, publicly discusses injuries.
Serena Williams already missed three months this year because of a left knee problem. She is 25-4 with two singles titles in 2010 – Australian Open and Wimbledon.