When one thinks about tennis, there’s a few names that come to mind immediately. One is, of course, Serena Williams, 23-time Grand Slam champion and, almos without discussion, the most dominant female player of the last 20 years.
That’s why it can come as a surprise that, this week, when the best tennis players of the world will be competing in the 2021 WTA Finals in Guadalajara, Williams won’t be among them. The American is a five-time champion of the event, winning her last in 2014.
However, to play in the WTA Finals, every player must comply with certain requirements that Williams didn’t meet this year. Here, check out why the American couldn’t qualify for the prestigious tournament where Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova, Karolina Pliskova, Maria Sakkari, Iga Swiatek, Gerbiñe Muguruza, Paula Badosa and Anett Kontaveit will play.
2021 WTA Finals Guadalajara: Why Serena Williams isn’t playing?
To play in the WTA Finals 2021, players must be between the top eight of the year. While Williams was between the top 10 after the Australian Open, the American lost too many points during the year. Especially after she missed almost every tournament after she injured herself in the first round of Wimbledon.
Serena has only played 17 matches in 2021, winning only 2,000 points and currently being in the No. 41 of the WTA world rankings. It’s fair to say that it has been one of the worst seasons for the 40-year-old in a long time, as she also didn’t lift any trophy.
While Williams missed almost every big tournament of the year, it’s been reported that her hamstring injury, the one she suffered during Wimbledon, is better and she might return in time for the Australian Open 2022. However, there’s nothing official yet.
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WTA Finals 2021 Guadalajara prize money: How much does the champion get?
