Serena Williams retired from her first-round match at Wimbledon on Tuesday after reportedly suffering some kind of leg injury.
The 39-year-old professional tennis star slipped on the court when she was playing against Aliaksandra Sasnovich and ended up limping to her chair, NBC Sports reported. (RELATED: LeBron James Will Replace Serena Williams On Wheaties Box)
She left the court with an injury time-out, and when she returned, her right thigh was taped up. Not long after the match Williams fell to the ground and struggled to get back up. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
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We’re heartbroken for you, Serena.
Our seven-time singles champion is forced to retire from The Championships 2021 through injury#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/vpcW1UN78s
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 29, 2021
Williams had a 3-1 lead in the first set and retired from the tournament, ESPN noted. In a video posted on Twitter, the tennis star looked to be holding back tears after making the decision to leave the court. She waved goodbye to the fans, who gave her a standing ovation.
“Of course I’m so sad for Serena, she’s a great champion,” Sasnovich shared. “It happens sometimes in tennis but all the best for her and her recovery.”
It is just the second time in Serena’s career she’s had to retire from a major. The last time was in 1998 in the third round at the All England Club.
Williams was the second player to slip on the court during the tournament after Adrian Mannarino did so against Roger Federer this week, the outlet noted. He ended up retiring after the slip as well.
The tennis legend later shared an update with fans confirming she injured her right leg.
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“I was heartbroken to have to withdraw today after injuring my right leg,” Williams wrote on social media. “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.”