Serena Williams Injury: Updates on Tennis Star's Knee and Return

Serena Williams hasn't stepped on the court in a competitive setting since getting bounced in the semifinals of the U.S. Open, and it appears as though knee injuries could be to blame.  

Continue for updates. 

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Williams' Layoff Scheduled to Let Injuries Heal

Tuesday, Nov. 3

According to ESPN.com's Simon Cambers, Williams' knee issues have cropped up as the result of gradual wear and tear.

"It's the same as Rafa [Nadal]," Williams' coach, Patrick Mouratoglou said, per Cambers. "It's just playing for so many years, the cartilage is [almost] gone. Not all of it, but a big part, so the bones just hit themselves. She has bone bruises, and if you keep on playing with this for too long, too much, the next step is a stress fracture."        

Cambers added that despite the injuries, Williams returned to the court for training this week after Roberta Vinci downed her at the U.S. Open in mid-September. 

Williams, 34, was the most dominant player on the women's circuit during the 2015 season, totaling a 53-3 record, five singles titles and earnings in excess of $10 million. Had she not broken down against Vinci in the year's final major, Williams would have had a chance to capture a calendar year Grand Slam. 

If the world's top-ranked player can slowly and steadily ramp up her training regimen while properly managing the pain, she should once again represent the biggest force on tour.