Serena and Venus Williams Withdraw From Western & Southern Open

Serena said her leg injury from Wimbledon is still bothering her while Venus did not disclose a reason. They join Federer and Djokovic as the latest stars to withdraw.

Serena and Venus Williams are the latest high-profile stars to withdraw from the 2021 Western & Southern Open, joining Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. 

Serena, a two-time Western & Southern Open champion, withdrew because of her leg injury; however, officials did not provide a reason for why Venus would not be competing. 

“Unfortunately, I will not be playing in the Western & Southern Open next week as I am still in recovery from my leg injury at Wimbledon,” Serena said in a W&S Open press release. “I will miss all of my fans in Cincinnati whom I look forward to seeing every summer. I plan to be back on the court very soon.”

Sofia Kenin, a 2019 semifinalist in Cincinnati, also withdrew Tuesday due to a foot injury, saying in part in a statement that she is "rehabbing well in hopes to play the US Open later this month." 

The women's field still features the WTA No. 1 and 2021 Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty, 2021 French Open champ Barbora Krejčíková and 2020 Western & Southern Open finalist Naomi Osaka, who was also the 2020 US Open and 2021 Australian Open winner.

The Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati is scheduled to start Aug. 14, and the U.S. Open is slated to being on Aug. 30 in New York.