World No 1 Serena Williams had to pull out of her first match of the season with a knee injury – just two weeks before the Australian Open.
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Williams said she expected to be able to join Sock in the US team to play the Australia Gold team on Tuesday.
Williams will hope that the injury will not scupper her plans for the Australian Open, which starts in Melbourne on January 18.
Williams’ coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, conceded Williams’ knees were troubling her in November.
Williams’ near-perfect 2015 ended on a lacklustre note after a shock defeat in the US Open semi-finals, but Cibulkova said that was indicative of the pressure she was under to complete the Grand Slam.
She was replaced on Monday by fellow American Vicky Duval 20, who returned to tennis in August after overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has a career high ranking of 87.
“It was wonderful. I was kind of nervous because I was filling in big shoes”. “I’ve been training really hard during the off-season, really pushing myself beyond the limits”, she said.
“I have a whole new outlook on life”. I really appreciate the time I have out on the court.
Fifth-seeded USA player Sloane Stephens won against Slovakia’s Polona Hercog in match scores of 6-3, 6-3, as well as Irina Falconi beating out number six seeded Coco Vandeweghe in match scores of 5-7, 6-4, and 6-3.
World number one Serena Williams has played down her recent injury scare and insists she is on track for the Australian Open.
Hewitt rolled back the years with a classy performance which was too hot for Sock to handle as the Australian sealed a 7-5, 6-4 triumph.
Among the men progressing in Brisbane were No. 6 David Goffin, who beat Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-4, and No. 8 Dominic Thiem, who held off local James Duckworth 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Meanwhile, Germany won their first match of the competition with a 2-1 victory against France.
Tournament third-seed Wozniacki moved into the second round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Montenegro’s Kovinic.
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Williams leads the head-to-head record comfortably 2-0 against Wolfe, although they have not played against each other since Wimbledon 2009.
