Ace players retiring Back-to-back in Wimbledon, Raises concern in Tennis fraternity
Serena Williams, a 23-time grand slam winner, appeared to bend her lower leg in the fifth round of her play against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, and had to withdraw a game later after her body clinched while returning a serve. After Adrian Mannarino twisted his knee while serving two sets to one against Roger Federer, it was the second consecutive retirement on tennis’ most famous court.
This terrible situation elicited the following reactions from players and fans:
Andy Murray of England sympathized with Serena Williams after struggling on the tricky surface in his first-round match on Monday. He wrote on Twitter: “Brutal for @serenawilliams, but it’s really slick out there on Centre Court. It’s not easy to move around out there.”
Aliaksandra Sasnovich expressed her sadness and admitted that the grass on the court made it difficult to continue. She stated, ” “Serena makes me so sad. She is an outstanding champion. It occurs in tennis from time to time, but best wishes to her. It was quite slick. I was also knocked down. I couldn’t run when she did an angle because the ground was so slick.”
Billie Jean King, a six-time Wimbledon champion, expressed her dissatisfaction with Serena Williams’ withdrawal on Twitter. She stated, ” “Serena Williams’ Wimbledon run has come to an end due to injury. She’s a champion, and I’m hoping to see her on the court again soon.”
Serena Williams was not the only one who made it through the day’s slick surface. Adrian Mannarino suffered a major knee injury minutes before she on the court after sneaking into his first-round match against Roger Federer. Adrian Mannarino, like Serena Williams, received treatment and played a few more points before finally giving up the match.
Adrian Mannarino, the No. 41 in the world, was fast to persevere after putting Roger Federer in a tight situation until a heavy collapse in the fourth set. “I just slipped down because it was so slick. I heard a loud snap and realized immediately that I wouldn’t be able to do anything. I’m not used to playing on Centre Court at Wimbledon. I didn’t have much time to practice prior to the match, and the court appeared to be slick. I wasn’t in the best of moods. I was uncomfortable every time I tried to stand up or change direction,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer was attending a press conference when he learned that Serena Williams had been forced to withdraw. “Oh, my God, I can’t believe it,” he exclaimed. It’s obviously bad that it’s back-to-back matches, and it also affects Serena. You must move with extreme caution out there. You will fall if you push too hard at the wrong time.”
“It’s sad, it demonstrates that one shot can affect the course of a match, a season, or a career,” Roger Federer remarked of Adrian Mannarino’s physical issue. I got lucky because he was the superior player.”
Roger Federer also stated that the fact that the matches were held on a rooftop was a role. “It appears to be drier during the day. The grass loses moisture as a result of the wind and other factors.”
In the past, the illusive grass at Wimbledon has raised a few concerns within the tennis community. Several players, notably Novak Djokovic, have repeatedly fallen to the ground after losing their footing. On the first day of the competition’s season, several players, including Novak Djokovic, warned about the dangerous courts. However, the following day’s conditions were far worse, particularly on Centre Court. Furthermore, it is unclear whether Wimbledon will make any changes to their surface starting with the following season.