Former world number one Serena Williams has withdrawn from the elite WTA Finals in Singapore, saying she's still working to recover from the shoulder troubles that hindered her in 2016.
The WTA announced Williams’ withdrawal from the event that starts on 23 October on their Twitter feed, posting a video of Williams herself explaining the decision.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion pulled out of two tournaments in China after being knocked out of the semi-finals of the US Open.
That defeat saw Williams' 186-week reign atop the world rankings end as Germany's Angelique Kerber reached the summit and captured the Flushing Meadows title in the bargain.
Williams claimed just one Grand Slam title in 2016, at Wimbledon. After that, shoulder troubles hampered her in Rio where her hopes of a fifth Olympic gold medal were crushed in the third round.
Though she begins her next year in Auckland, fans were hoping to see her in Singapore but would be really shocked with her withdrawal.
She recently voted for Angelique Kerber as the Player of the Year and was also spotted going to a concert with Taylor Swift in New York.
(With inputs from PTI)
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