Second seed Serena Williams retired from her first round match against Francesca Schiavone with a knee injury, after losing the opening set 6-4.
Ahead of the Madrid Open, Williams criticized the WTA Tour injury rules commenting that players would be fined for pulling out of a tournament even if they were dead:
Unfortunately it doesn’t matter if you’re injured, if you’re dead or if you’re alive, if you don’t play they’re going to fine you heavily. So I have to play whether I am injured or not. That’s just how it is so I have no choice.
Williams, who is currently remodeling a house, added:
I’m not into throwing away thousands and thousands of dollars. I don’t know about anyone else but $75,000 is a lot of money to me. That’s like my whole furniture bill, and some stairs, rugs.
Additional info: Ana Ivanovic pulled out prior to the Madrid Open, also with a knee injury. Ivanovic will have to visit the Madrid area within the next 51 weeks and perform promotional activities to avoid a fine and suspension. She will also forsake up to $250,000 in Top 10 Bonus Pool payments. (sources: Reuters, BBC; photo by our reader Jacob)
Ana Ivanovic is the living biological proof that Williams does ‘have a choice’! This paradox truly does render the Serena Williams Whine hollow [as usual] and as a website summarised:
‘Another week, another whine from Serena Williams, whose constant rants are beginning to get tiresome. This time, Williams has blamed the WTA Tour and its participation policy on her injury problems, rather than her own lack of fitness.’
Serena missed Indian Wells, so she could’ve skipped the Madrid Open too. Plus, yes, she wouldn’t have been the only player withdrawing.