Monday 23 / December / 2024
Paris : American tennis player Serena Williams on Sunday bowed out of the ongoing French Open.
Kazakhstan's 21-year-old Elena Rybakina defeated Serena 6-3, 7-5 in the fourth-round match here at Court Philippe-Chatrier. Rybakina displayed her A-game against seasoned campaigner Serena and she threw the American off her game, winning the first set 6-3 and she was just one more set away from progressing to the quarterfinals.
The 21-year-old carried on with her momentum and she went on to win the match in straight sets to progress ahead in the ongoing Grand Slam. Serena put up a fight in the second set, but the youngster managed to hold her own to win the fourth-round match.
The 39-year-old Serena needs one more major win to equal Margaret Court's record Grand Slam tally. She has not added to her Grand Slam tally since beating her sister Venus in the Australian Open final in 2017.
Earlier on Sunday, Roger Federer withdrew himself from the ongoing French Open, tournament organisers confirmed.
"The Roland Garros tournament organisers have learned that Roger Federer has withdrawn from the fourth round of the tournament," read an official statement.
Speaking about his decision, Federer said: "After discussions with my team, I have decided I will need to pull out of the Roland Garros today. After two knee surgeries and over a year of rehabilitation it is important that I listen to my body and make sure I do not push myself too quickly on my road to recovery."
QFederer on Saturday had stormed into the fourth round of the ongoing French Open. He defeated German lefty Dominik Koepfer in a grueling 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 7-5 battle to reach the last 16 of the tournament.
