Top seed Serena Williams gave up a wild card entry into the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters tournament on Monday after complaining of a shoulder injury.
Â
The world number one, who is being chased in the rankings by German Angelique Kerber, took a free entry only last week and was seeded atop the draw.
Â
But the 34-year-old American reversed course abruptly and withdrew from the tournament on Monday.
Â
"I'm very disappointed I'm not able to compete as I was really looking forward to defending my title," Williams said.
Â
"My shoulder inflammation continues to be a challenge, but I am anxious to return to the court as soon as possible."
Â
The absence of Williams now opens the door to Kerber to make a run at the WTA top ranking. Williams has been No. 1 for 183 straight weeks and 306 overall.
Â
But Kerber can become number one if she wins the Cincinnati title.
Â
Williams took a wild card spot to get into the draw. She will be replaced by lucky loser Misaki Doi of Japan.
Â
Doi moved into the second round and will face American Christina McHale, who beat Zheng Saisai of China 6-2, 6-2.
Â
Australian Daria Gavrilova defeated Caroline Garcia of France 7-5, 6-3; Latvian Jelena Ostapenko stopped Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5).
Â
Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko defeated China's Zhang Shiau 6-3, 6-3 while American CoCo Vandeweghe put out Italian Sara Errani 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Croatian Donna Vekic shocked newly married former world number one Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-2.
Â
In men's play on a day interrupted by rain, France's Julien Benneteau earned the first upset win of the week as he put out Spanish 10th seed David Ferrer 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Â
Injury comeback hope Kevin Anderson of South Africa reached the second round when Alexandr Dolgopolov -- a semi-finalist here last year from a qualifying start -- was unable to carry on after losing the first set 7-5.
Â
Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas beat Californian Sam Querrey 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, finishing just before the rain arrived.
Â
Marin Cilic reached the second round by beating Serb Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-4, while Atlanta tournament champion Nick Kyrgios saw off Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-2, 7-5.
Â
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov shrugged off a first-round Olympic loss to defeat Gilles Simon 6-1, 6-3 while US teenager Reilly Opelka put out Jeremy Chardy 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (11/9).
Serena Williams Suffers Shoulder Injury, Withdraws From Cincinnati Masters
Advertisement
Serena Williams, who is the defending champion at the Cincinnati Masters, has pulled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury.
Serena Williams suffered an early exit in the 2016 Rio Olympics.© AFP
Highlights
-
Serena Williams suffered an early exit from 2016 Rio Olympics
-
Serena is defending champion at Cincinnati Masters
-
Angelique Kerber will be No.1 if she wins Cincinnati Masters