TENNIS:VENUS WILLIAMS fully expects to return to tennis despite being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue and led to her shock decision to withdraw from the US Open.
“Absolutely, absolutely. The good news for me is now I know what is happening after years of not knowing. I feel like now I can move on,” the seven-time grand slam winner told ABC’s Good Morning America program yesterday. “I feel really positive about getting back on the court and at least being able to feel normal. I feel like now I can get better.”
Williams withdrew from the year’s final grand slam on Wednesday with Sjogren’s Syndrome, a chronic disease where white blood cells attack moisture-producing glands and can cause dysfunction of organs and body systems. The five-time Wimbledon champion said she felt some relief in finally being diagnosed so that she can now focus on getting better and resuming her career.
“The best thing that could have happened for me this summer was to feel worse so I could feel better,” she said.
Williams, whose sister Serena is among the favourites to win this year’s US Open, said her problems with fatigue had puzzled doctors for some time after initially it was felt she had a kind of asthma. “I had trouble with stamina. I had swelling, numbness and fatigue, which was really debilitating –and it’s not that you don’t have energy; you just feel beat up,” she said.
The two-time US Open champion informed officials of her withdrawal from the tournament less than an hour before she was due to face Germany’s Sabine Lisicki in the second round. “I had a tough practice, I was just sitting there and it was taking an effort just to lift my arms. I didn’t feel like I had to put myself through that,” said Williams. “I just felt like, ‘okay, I could walk out on the court. I’m a tough woman, I’m a tough athlete, I’ve played through a lot of things.’ But what kind of match it would be? I’ve had to come to accept what I’m going through.”
Three-time champion Serena Williams wasted little time in crushing Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands 6-0 6-1 in their second round meeting.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer cruised through to the third round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Dudi Sela at Flushing Meadows yesterday afternoon.
The world number three had been a little erratic in his first-round win over Santiago Giraldo, letting his opponent retrieve a double break in the opening set and also temporarily letting him off the hook in the second. That match took place in the night session and Federer blamed the slow courts, but playing in the heat of the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium he had no such problems.
The 30-year-old was particularly impressive on his serve, dropping only seven points during the match and never giving world number 93 Sela a sniff of a break. That piled the pressure on the Israeli to hold onto his serve, and it was a test he could not pass. The five-time former US Open champion broke for the first time in the sixth game and two breaks each in the second and third sets allowed him to win after only 77 minutes.
