Serena Williams Withdraws from 2018 Italian Open, Is Not '100 Percent Ready'
Serena Williams announced Wednesday that she has withdrawn from next week's Italian Open.
According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion said she is not yet "100 percent ready to compete."
Williams returned to action this year after missing 14 months for the birth of her child, but she has not played since March.
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Williams previously withdrew from this week's Madrid Open.
The 36-year-old struggled to regain her elite form in two tournaments this year. She lost to her sister, Venus Williams, in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open before getting ousted in the first round of the Miami Open by Naomi Osaka.
it is unclear if Williams will take part in the French Open on May 27. She has yet to compete on clay during the lead-up to the tournament.
Serena is a three-time French Open champion, having won the event in 2002, 2013 and 2015.
Williams last played in a Grand Slam at the 2017 Australian Open. She won that tournament despite being eight weeks pregnant with her daughter.
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