TENNIS

Serena 130% ready to defend her Australian Open crown

TENNIS-AUS-OPEN Serena Williams plays a backhand return during a practice session ahead of the 2016 Australian Open in Melbourne | AFP

Playing down concerns before tournament opener on Monday against Italian Camila Giorgi, World number one Serena Williams has insisted that she is "120, 130%" ready to defend her Australian Open crown despite suffering another apparent injury scare.

The world number one, who had to withdraw from the Hopman Cup with knee inflammation, says that it is fine now and there is no inflammation anymore, the Guardian reported.

Serena, who has been named as the top seed for the Australian Open, says that she has a really good preparation for the tournament.

TENNIS-AUS-OPEN-COMBO-FILES Top five women's seeds for the 2016 Australian Open - (L to R) Serena Williams of the US, Simona Halep of Romania, Garbine Muguruza of Spain, Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland and Maria Sharapova of Russia | AFP

The 34-year-old, also said that she is focusing on how to be fit and perform well, insisting that she didn't have the match play she wanted to have.

She added that with the experience of playing on the Australian Tour in the earlier years, she must be able to focus for the upcoming challenge and retain the title.

Serena, who had earlier missed both China Open and the WTA Finals in Singapore after her US Open defeat, won three Grand Slams in 2015 namely the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon.

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Topics : #Serena Williams

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