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How worried should we be about Serena Williams?

By Veronica Elizabeth Bruno

PARIS, FRANCE June 3. French Open Tennis Tournament - Day Eight. Serena Williams of the United States in action with sister Venus Williams of the United States during their loss against Andreja Klepac of Slovenia and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain in the Women's Doubles Competition on Court One at the 2018 French Open Tennis Tournament at Roland Garros on June 3rd 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE June 3. French Open Tennis Tournament - Day Eight. Serena Williams of the United States in action with sister Venus Williams of the United States during their loss against Andreja Klepac of Slovenia and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain in the Women's Doubles Competition on Court One at the 2018 French Open Tennis Tournament at Roland Garros on June 3rd 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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Serena Williams had to withdraw from the French Open, and now we have to wonder how worried we should be.

The 22nd clash between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova was supposed to be the match of the day on French Open day 9, but fans will have to wait and see if the 23-time grand slam champ will be back in the sport. Word is that the pectoral injury might be serious enough to keep her out of Wimbledon.

Tennis fans were hoping to see a dramatic, tantalizing rematch between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova for the first time since 2016—after Serena beat Maria, won the Australian Open, and then took time off to have a baby; and Maria tested positive for meldonium at the same tournament, spent 15 months on a doping suspension, and has been steadily building her career back. Fans who bought tickets for the fourth round matches at Roland Garros will surely be disappointed.

Fans of Serena Williams’ have even more to worry about: there is no telling if and when the new mom and three-time French Open champ will return to the game. The pectoral injury prevents the American from serving well, a key strength of her intimidating game.

“Unfortunately I been having some issues with my pec muscle. Right now I can’t actually serve so it’s actually hard to play when I can’t physically serve,” said Williams in her press conference, where she announced her withdrawal from the French Open tournament on Monday.

And the injury may be even more serious, indicated by her coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who sat down with Jon Wertheim, saying the injury occurred when Serena was getting close to being 100 percent fit again. Right now it’s a “muscle problem” and they’ve done an ultrasound, which indicated that she needs two-three weeks to heal it properly.

“I feel it’s bad,” said Mouratoglou to Wertheim on the Tennis Channel. “I feel there’s no way she can play.”

Mouratoglous also said Wimbledon would have been definitively risked if Williams had played one more match. Williams will also go for an MRI tomorrow.

But he also said that the tennis legend has such a balanced life right now, that she isn’t “devastated” like she would have been years ago, when tennis was the only focus of her life.

“That’s the way it is, that’s life,” said the coach.

“I’m beyond disappointed. I gave up so much from time with my daughter and time with my family all for this moment,” said Williams in her press conference. “So it’s really difficult to be in this situation.”

Coming back for grass season is also in doubt for the moment.

“I am going to come up on surfaces that are my absolute favorites to play on and do best on so hopefully I will continue to heal,” said Williams.

“I am clueless as to what to do. I will do what the doctors tell me and get on with the evaluation.”

With the withdrawal from Roland Garros, it means that Maria Sharapova moves onto the quarterfinals without breaking a sweat, to face the winner of the Garbine Muguruza-Lesia Tsurenko match. Sharapova has had her greatest successes this year during clay season. The French Open is also the only slam she’s won more than once. With Williams out, it’s a tremendous opportunity for Sharapova.

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