World No. 1, Serena Williams of the USA, will miss the entire 2010 World Team Tennis season.
Serena plays for the Washington Kastles, and was a vital part of the team in capturing the World Team Tennis Championship in 2009, and was scheduled to play four matches this season.
In a statement Monday, the WTT said that the current women’s No. 1 player will not be able to join her team to play her scheduled WTT matches after cutting her foot earlier this week The wound is reported to have required stitches.
“I’m very disappointed that I won’t be able to play in the WTT matches this season,” Williams said in a statement. “It is always such a fun experience, and I love interacting with the fans in the cities that I don’t often have the opportunity to play in during the rest of the year.”
It is not clear how 28-year-old American hurt herself, but according to reports the injury was sustained some time after her Thursday exhibition match against former No. 1 Belgian Kim Clijsters. Clijsters went on to register a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Williams in the said exhibition game in Brussels.
Serena, who captured her fourth Wimbledon crown this month, was slated to play her first WTT match last Friday against the New York Buzz in Glens Falls, N.Y. She was also scheduled to hit the court for the Kastles in Philadelphia (July 13), Washington, D.C. (July 14) and New York (July 15).
In response to the superstar’s injury, the Kastles are offering fans in attendance on Wednesday a choice of three special deals: a free meal; discount on merchandise; $20 off a ticket for a match later this season or a free grandstand seat for the Kastles match against the Boston Lobsters on July 18.
The defending WTT champs Kastles are tied for the WTT Eastern Conference lead at 5-1.
