VENUS WILLIAMS’ PREPARATIONS for the 2011 US Open took another blow on Saturday when the former world number one withdrew from the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati.
The same illness that forced Williams out of the Rogers Cup in Toronto this week will push her return to training back even further. She is, however, “optimistic” she will be fit for next month’s final Grand Slam of the year as she plans to get back to work over the coming days.
Venus’ sister Serena is faring much better – overcoming Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in three sets (4-6, 6-3, 6-2) to progress to the semi-finals of the Rogers Cup as her own return from injury continues – and says a new focus on her fitness is reaping rewards.
Williams said: “I thought, ‘OK, what haven’t I done? And I’ve never really been fit.’ I’m still not super fit, -I always have cream sodas at night. But I’ve been doing some running. I hate running, but I’ve been doing more running, distance running.”
The American will face number four seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the last four after she breezed by Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan 6-1 6-2 in her quarter-final match. Tenth seed Samantha Stosur of Australia will meet Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the other semi-final.
“I definitely feel like I’m coming back from a layoff, it trips me out that this is only my fourth tournament,” Williams, who won the Stanford Classic last month, added. “A lot of people are still expecting me to be at the top level and I expect it even more.”
- Additional reporting from Associated Press