Serena Williams is out of Wimbledon.
The tennis star was forced to retire from the tournament on Tuesday when she suffered a leg injury during her first-round match against Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
In a statement from Wimbledon, The Championships revealed that Williams had slipped on the grass and “had to leave the court to receive treatment.” Wimbledon continued: “She tried to carry on but retired at 3-3 after 34 minutes.”
In videos shared by Wimbledon, Williams is seen struggling to get up from the ground. When she finally is on her feet, she limps as the crowd cheers for her. The Nike-sponsored athlete then tearfully exits after shaking hands with Sasnovich and waving goodbye to her fans.
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
Alongside the video, Wimbledon expressed on Twitter: “We’re heartbroken for you, Serena.”
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“Our seven-time singles champion is forced to retire from The Championships 2021 through injury,” Wimbledon added alongside the clip.
Wimbledon also wrote: “Poise and grace in the most trying of circumstances.”
Sasnovich echoed similar sentiments as Wimbledon, saying, according to The New York Post: “Of course I’m so sad for Serena; she’s a great champion. It happens sometimes in tennis, but all the best for her and her recover.”
In her career, Williams has won seven singles Wimbledon titles — her last coming in 2016. She has also won 23 Grand Slam titles.
Today’s withdrawal comes after Williams lost at the French Open during the fourth round earlier this month. The final score was 6-3, 7-5. As Williams retires from Wimbledon, her sister Venus Williams got her 90th match win.
