Venus Williams was forced to retire after just a game of her third round clash with Andrea Petkovic on Friday.
Venus was still struggling with a groin muscle injury sustained during her win over Sandra Zahlavova on Wednesday and her movement looked restricted even in the warm-up. Petkovic was quick to notice, taking full advantage to break serve in the opening game and a hobbling Williams decided to call it quits.
"I just obviously couldn't play. I mean, just couldn't move. Just too painful," she said. "The last 48 hours I did as much pain management and recovery that I could. I just hit some balls at 6:00 just kind of standing still. Just kind of warming up standing still and trying to give my best for the match.”
“You know, a lot times when you play, too, you get this adrenaline that blocks pain. But I just didn't get enough of that today. It's super disappointing because this is just not how I envisioned my Australian Open being. I've never had to retire from a Grand Slam especially after working so hard to pull out the match the other day. Just hoping for some magic that I could recover. I just wanted to give 100%.”
“I mean when I think of myself and my career I don't make any excuses ever to myself or anyone. For me, it was just important to give 100%. I think I learn from experiences like this. If I'm not ready to play or if I'm still hurting maybe it's better to stop. That's just learning from life. I've learned now more or less what my limits are. Just learn from that the next time."
It is the first time Venus has retired from a Grand Slam match since 1994, an extraordinary streak which highlights the American's longevity at the top of the game.
