Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams won’t be participating at the Open GDF Suez tournament in Paris next week and the upcoming Fed Cup match against Italy due to a back injury.
Williams, currently ranked 26th, said in a statement released on Friday that she’s hoping to participate in more WTA tournament in order to improve her ranking.
“Unfortunately I have a pain in my back which obliges me to rest and so to miss the Parisian event as well as the Fed Cup the week after,” she said.
At the Australian Open 2013, Williams lost to Maria Sharapova in the third round in singles and lost in the quarterfinals of the doubles event together with Serena Williams.
Her replacement at the Paris tournament is former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone.
