By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Serena Williams is sending signals she's not physically prepared to play the 2021 US Open says Hall of Famer Pam Shriver.
Photo credit: Simon Bruty/US Open Facebook
Serena Williams has been MIA from the pro circuit since her tearful Wimbledon exit.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion's silence on social media may well be a sign she's set to step out of the US Open, says ESPN analyst Pam Shriver.
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In a Zoom call with the media today to promote ESPN’s US Open coverage, which begins Monday, August 30th at 11 a.m. on ESPN Deportes and at noon on ESPN, Shriver said the fact neither the former world No. 1 nor any member of her team, including coach Patrick Mouratoglou, aren't posting training updates is a signal she's "physically not prepared to play the US Open."
"Where is Serena? Where are posts of her practicing and training? Where is Patrick Mouratoglou's posts? I can remember leading into majors in recent years, there were some tells on social media from her close team, Jenkins her hitting partner" Shriver told the media in a Zoom call. "I find the silence a little bit disconcerting following what happened at Wimbledon. It's been quiet, really quiet. Maybe the camp has decided to be very quiet and it's going to be a game-time, last-minute decision."
ESPN analyst Shriver says Williams may be forced to join former US Open champions Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem in withdawing from the tournament.
"Unless anyone else has inside info, it's very quiet and I'm concerned that she's physically not prepared to play the US Open, which is a tournament that emotionally has taken its toll," Shriver said. "Through the years she's had some great highs and some of the most difficult lows that she's faced on the tennis court. I'm afraid we might be missing another one of the giants of the game for this US Open, but we'll see."
Serena Williams' quest to match Margaret Court's all-time major record hy winning her 24th Grand Slam title ended abruptly and painfullly at Wimbledon.
The 39-year-old Williams suffered a leg injury after slipping on Centre Court in her opening match against 100th-ranked Aliaksandra Sasnovich and ultimately retired in tears after six games.
The 22nd-ranked Serena has posted a 12-5 record this season.
Hall of Famer Shriver says Serena may well be holding out hope she can play, but suggests given her injury-induced activity, advancing age, the sometime sweltering heat of New York and the depth of the field, it will be a monumental task for the former world No. 1 to do major damage even if she does play.
"I'm assuming since she hasn't withdrawn, here it is the Tuesday before, she's still hopeful to be able to play. Unfortunately time is really running out," Shriver said. "But when you think since she came back from maternity leave she did get to four major finals, unfortunately was never in one of them really, didn't win a set in any of those four. She certainly had opportunities.
"My feeling is the depth of women's tennis over seven matches under the conditions of the US Open on a hard court at this stage for Serena is not possible. I would love for her to prove me wrong. I just don't have enough evidence that she's going to be able to stay healthy in order to do what needs to be done, to win seven matches and be the last one standing, like she did for 23 times of her historic career."