Venus Williams withdraws from Cleveland event with knee injury, but plans on playing in U.S. Open

BRIAN DULIK
Updated ·1 min read
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Venus Williams, of the United States, plays a shot during her women's first-round match against Madison Keys, also of the United States, at the National Bank Open tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
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CLEVELAND (AP) — Venus Williams withdrew from Tennis in the Land on Sunday because of a knee injury, but the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion plans on playing in next week’s U.S. Open.

Williams released a video through the promoter of the WTA 250 event in downtown Cleveland, saying: “Unfortunately, my knee is just not acting right. It’s not supporting me being on the court.”

The 43-year-old Williams has received a wild card to compete at the U.S. Open, which begins on Aug. 28. She won back-to-back titles at Flushing Meadows in 2000-2001 after reaching the final in her debut in 1997.

“It’s such a bummer, but I’m going to work on myself and get myself together to be at the U.S. Open,” she said.

Williams had been scheduled to play her opening match in Cleveland on Monday, five days after she was defeated by Zheng Qinwen of China at the Western and Southern Open in Mason, Ohio.

Earlier at the tournament outside Cincinnati, she earned her first win over a top-20 opponent in four years, beating No. 16 Veronika Kudermetova of Russia. Williams has a 3-6 record this season and is ranked No. 407 in the world after missing nearly six months with an injury.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis