Venus Williams at Day of The Championships Wimbledon 2023.Photo:Robert Prange/Getty
Robert Prange/Getty
Venus Williamslost in her first round at Wimbledon on Monday after she returned to the court following a leg injury sustained from slipping on the grass mid-match.
While one point away from a 3-0 lead against Elina Svitolina, the 43-year-old tennis legend fell while trying to volley,ESPNreported.
She stayed down on the grass as chalk was applied to her left leg. The chair umpire and Svitolina — who brought over a white towel to place under her opponent’s head — checked on Williams as she received treatment from a medical trainer.
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“Right now, I’m kind of in shock. I can’t believe this happened. It’s bizarre. I’m still processing it at the moment,” continued Williams. “What makes this one hard to process is that I’ve had so many injuries. … This is not what I want for myself.”
Svitolina, a 2019 Wimbledon semi finalist, came out the winner with a total score of 6-2. “It’s always a pleasure to play against Venus,” the 28-year-old player said per ESPN, adding that Williams is a “big legend.”
“Grass takes a lot out of the legs and you have to bend your legs to get to all these shots,” noted Svitolina. “Venus plays really quick and I had to really work hard for today’s win.”
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Monday’s match marked Williams’ 24th time playing at Wimbledon. She has previously won seven Grand Slam singles titles and partnered with sisterSerena Williamsto win 14 Grand Slam doubles titles.
“I’m a competitor. That’s what I do for a living. I did what I could today,” Williams said. “I’ve played through a lot of matches and won a lot of matches injured. It’s kind of a specialty of mine. I just never figured it out today.”
source: people.com
