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Australian Open champion Serena Williams withdraws from tournament​

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Serena Williams calls Nastase's 'chocolate or milk' comment racist

Barely ten days to the kick off of this year’s Australian Open, defending champion, Serena Williams, has announced her withdrawal from the tournament.

Williams, who only returned to the sport last week since giving birth in September, said although she was super close to full form, she was not yet where she wants to be.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner was eight weeks pregnant with daughter Olympia when she won her seventh Australian Open title in 2017.

This is the first time since 2011 that Williams will be missing in the tournament at Melbourne Park.

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The 36-year-old American added, “My coach and team always said ‘only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way’.

“I can compete – but I don’t want to just compete, I want to do far better than that and to do so, I will need a little more time.

“The memory of last year’s Open is one that I will carry with me, and Olympia and I look forward to coming back again”.

The 2018 Australian Open begins January 15 and ends January 28.

 

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