Elbow Injury Forced Serena Williams Out Of Sweden Open

Elbow injury has forced the world number one and the reigning Wimbledon champion, Serena Williams out of the Swedish Open in Bastad.

The 33-year old complained that she had been feeling the pain but couldn't hit a serve five days after herWimbledon win over Spain's Garbine Muguruza.

The American player, who beat Ysaline Bonaventure in the first round, was set to play Czech Klara Koukalova in the second round before she was forced to pull out of the clay-court event on Thursday.

"I was having some pain in my right elbow," the 33-year-old American said.

"I felt it a little bit in my match [on Wednesday], and this morning I really couldn't hit serves."

Williams clinched her sixth Wimbledon title last Sunday, completing the 'Serena Slam' of holding all four Grand Slam titles.

It was her 21st major win, and having already won the Australian and French Opens this year, she can complete a calendar Grand Slam with victory at the US Open in Flushing Meadows, starting on 31 August.

Williams added: "The main thing is that we don't want [the injury] to get worse, we obviously want it to heal." BBC