Serena Williams to Skip Australian Open on Doctor’s Advice

Serena Williams has not competed since she left Wimbledon with a hamstring injury in June—and now she has confirmed that she won’t be appearing at the Australian Open. The 40-year-old says she is skipping the first of the four Grand Slam events “following the advice of my medical team,” though she was not specific about the issue. “I am not where I need to be physically to compete,” she wrote, but made it clear that she does intend to be back on the court at some point. “I will miss seeing the fans but am excited to return and compete at my highest level.”