Serena out of French Open

Serena Williams has pulled out of the French Open suffering from an ankle injury, tournament organisers said on Friday. The seven-time Grand Slam winner claimed the Roland Garros crown in 2002, and was among the favourites for this year's crown before her

Eurosport

Image credit: TNT Sports

Her withdrawal was announced just before the start of Friday's draw for the claycourt tournament starting on Monday.

The 23-year-old world number four sustained a left ankle sprain in the quarter-finals at Amelia Island against Italian Silvia Farina Elia last month.

The injury forced the former world number one to miss a Fed Cup tie against Belgium and a scheduled trip to Berlin for the German Open.

Roland Garros

Clijsters in French Open fitness race

20/05/2005 at 16:43

She returned to action last week in Rome but lost her opening match there to Italian Francesca Schiavone.

The American has enjoyed a love-hate relationship with the Parisian crowd and was booed loudly during a match against Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne in 2003.

Roland Garros

Teenage terrors on collision course

20/05/2005 at 13:54

Roland Garros

Nadal: You can't be serious!

19/05/2005 at 22:11