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No go Serena Williams out of French Open
Posted: Friday May 26, 2000 04:02 PM
PARIS (Reuters) -- The Williams Grand Slam jinx struck again on Friday as eighth seed Serena pulled out of the French Open just 72 hours before the start of the tournament. The U.S. Open champion is suffering from a knee injury, according to tournament organizers. It is the second time in the 18-year-old's short career that she has pulled out of a Grand Slam tournament at the 11th hour. At last year's Wimbledon she pulled out just after the draw was announced, a draw which would have matched up the sisters in the fourth round. Then she cited influenza. Elder sister Venus missed the Australian Open earlier this year with tendinitis in both wrists and has hardly hit a ball all year. It must now be open to question whether the two will contest another Grand Slam together. Father Richard told Venus to stay away from tennis until January 2001, and there has been talk she will retire from the sport at the grand old age of 19 to concentrate on her other passion, fashion design. "I told Venus to go back to school and not waste her talent to learn," Williams said back in March. "She is only 19 years old and can afford to take the time at least temporarily. She has agreed to listen to my suggestion seriously. "I'm also talking to Venus about totally retiring and doing it now." He added: "Serena might be taking a break sooner than you would think...I told them to forget a lot about tennis and think to the extent of doing more with their lives."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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