*Serena Williams withdrew from her first-round match at Wimbledon on Tuesday after she suffered a leg injury.
As reported by MSN, Williams conceded to Russian player Aliaksandra Sasnovich, saying she could not continue, retiring in the first set, 3-3. She received a standing ovation from the crowd. The tennis champ waved to the crowd and left the court while holding back tears. Check out the moment via the clip below.
“I was heartbroken to have to withdraw today after injuring my right leg. My love and gratitude are with the fans and the team who make being on centre court so meaningful. Feeling the extraordinary warmth and support of the crowd today when I walked on – and off – the court meant the world to me,” Williams shared on Instagram.
READ MORE: Serena Williams Confirms She Will Not Play At Tokyo Olympics
Serena Williams receives a standing ovation from the crowd at #Wimbledon
Williams was forced to retire in the first round of after sustaining an apparent injury. pic.twitter.com/exFZxJJZGh
— ESPN (@espn) June 29, 2021
According to NBC Sports, Williams — the No. 6 seed — slipped on the court during her match against Sasnovich and called for a medical timeout to address a right hamstring injury. She returned with her right thigh taped but fell to her knees soon after the match continued.
Williams retired from the tournament. Before the match, the tennis legend announced she would not be attending the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
“I’m actually not on the Olympic list, not that I’m aware of,” Williams said during a press conference. “If so, then I shouldn’t be on it.”
“There’s a lot of reasons that I made my Olympic decision,” she continued. “I don’t really want to — I don’t feel like going into them today. Maybe another day.”
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