Serena Williams Withdraws From Yarra Valley Classic Tournament in Australia Due to Injury

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Tennis icon Serena Williams withdrew from the Yarra Valley Classic Tournament in Australia’s Melbourne after she injured her right shoulder, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said on Friday.

US tennis star was supposed to face Australian Ashleigh Barty after both players advanced to the semifinals.

"Hours after she [Barty] and Serena Williams both were victorious in match tiebreaks in the quarterfinal round at the Yarra Valley Classic, the No.5 seeded American withdrew from Saturday's projected semifinal due to a right shoulder injury, affording Barty a spot in the championship match in her first event in nearly a full calendar year", the WTA said in a press release.

United States' Serena Williams is dejected after losing a point during the women's singles final match against Romania's Simona Halep on day twelve of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 13, 2019.

© AP Photo / Kirsty Wigglesworth

In the final, Barty will face a winner of a semifinal game between Czech player Marketa Vondrousova and Spain's Garbine Muguruza.