World number one Serena Williams pulled out of the Paris Open before her semifinal against Russian Elena Dementieva with a right knee injury on Saturday.
The match was due to start at 1.30pm GMT.
”I did not feel well during the warm-up this morning, my knee hurt,” the Australian Open champion said in a courtside interview.
”I am extremely disappointed. I love playing in Paris and I hope I will come back.”
She then told reporters: ”I picked up the injury towards the end of my [previous] match against Emilie Loit.
”This morning, I could not move very well.”
Serena made clear the injury was on the right knee, not the left, which caused her problems in the past.
However, she believes she will be back next week for the Dubai Championships.
”I am optimistic because I have a day or two to treat it,” she said.
The injury would have come as a big blow for Williams as she had been in impressive form in the French capital, where she won the tournament in 1999 and 2003.
Olympic champion Dementieva will be seeking the 500th win of her career when she meets either France’s Amelie Mauresmo or second seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in Sunday’s final. – Reuters