{"id":68323,"date":"2016-01-04T03:38:52","date_gmt":"2016-01-04T08:38:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=68323"},"modified":"2016-01-04T03:38:52","modified_gmt":"2016-01-04T08:38:52","slug":"serena-williams-skips-hopman-cup-opening-match-with-knee-problem-replaced-by-vicky-duval","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2016\/01\/04\/serena-williams-skips-hopman-cup-opening-match-with-knee-problem-replaced-by-vicky-duval\/","title":{"rendered":"Serena Williams skips Hopman Cup opening match with knee problem, replaced by Vicky Duval"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Serena<\/a>
Serena Williams (Photo taken from Serena Williams<\/a>‘ official Facebook fan page)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

PERTH, Australia – \u00a0Serena Williams withdrew from her opening match at the Hopman Cup because of inflammation in her left knee, an early setback in preparations for her Australian Open title defense.<\/p>\n

No. 1-ranked Williams practiced Monday ahead of her scheduled season-opener against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the international mixed-team competition at Perth Arena, but withdrew from the match and was replaced by Vicky Duval.<\/p>\n

Duval lost 6-4, 6-1 to Svitolina and Alexandr Dolgopolov beat Jack Sock 6-4, 6-2 to clinch the best-of-three Group A match for Ukraine before the U.S. pair won the mixed doubles 6-2, 6-3.<\/p>\n

Williams said she was confident she’d be able to join Sock in the U.S. team to play the Australia Gold team on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Hopman Cup tournament director Paul Kilderry said Williams reported feeling pain in her knee on Sunday.<\/p>\n

“She wanted to give herself every chance to play, she warmed up this morning but common sense prevailed and she just thought today she can’t do it,” Kilderry said.<\/p>\n

After winning the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon titles in 2015 Williams had two months off after the U.S. Open, where she narrowly missed completing a season Grand Slam by losing to Roberta Vinci in the semifinals.<\/p>\n

For the 20-year-old Duval, who returned to tennis in August after overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma, filling in for Williams was a great opportunity.<\/p>\n

“I was kind of nervous because I was filling in big shoes. But I had a really fun time today,” Duval said. “I have a whole new outlook on life. I’m just really grateful to be back and do what I love.”<\/p>\n

At the Brisbane International, 2015 finalist Grigor Dimitrov needed six match points before beating fifth-seeded Gilles Simon 6-3, 7-6 (10) to move into the second round.<\/p>\n

In women’s singles, No. 6-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro advanced along with No. 7 Belinda Bencic, who beat Sara Errani 6-1, 6-2, and Vinci, who overcame former No. 1-ranked Jelena Jankovic 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.<\/p>\n

At the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, fourth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova progressed to the second round, leading 6-2, 1-1 when Mona Barthel of Germany retired from their first-round match due to a stomach ailment.<\/p>\n

Teenage Latvian wild card Jelena Ostapenko beat No. 56 Johanna Larsson of Sweden 6-1, 7-5 and could face second-seeded Ana Ivanovic in the second round.<\/p>\n

The drawcards for the Auckland tournament, Venus Williams, Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki, are all drawn to play their opening matches on Tuesday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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