Day Twelve: The Championships - Wimbledon 2015
People:Serena Williams
By:Julian Finney
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The world's no. 3 Simona Halep is left to carry on the torch for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with the latest news about the pullout of both Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber, the no. 1 and no. 2 ATP ranked women's champs.
Of course, there are other top seeders in the tournament such as Garbine Muguruza (no. 4), Carla Suarez Navarro (no. 8), Petra Kvitova (no. 9).
With the pullout of both Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep immediately becomes the top seed heading into the Dubai Tennis Championships.
In a statement, the world's no. 1 said, "I'm disappointed to have to withdraw from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. I have come down with the flu and I am not at 100 per cent, so I need to take this time to recuperate."
Kerber, who just won the Australian Open at the expense of Williams, also released a statement to explain her side, "I am very sad to announce that I have to withdraw from this great tournament in Dubai due to an injury of my right upper thigh."
To say the Dubai Tennis Championships organizers are disappointed with the news of Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber's pullout are let down would be an understatement.
Tournament director Salah Tahlak said that she was assured by Jill Smoller, the business manager of Williams, that she would be participating in the Dubai Championships.
"I met Smoller at the Australian Open and I was assured of Serena's participation," Tahlak said. "We were actually getting ready to receive her when we got this news of her withdrawal. It was a big surprise. She is going to complete three years as the No 1 on February 18 and we had even made plans to celebrate the occasion."
Colm McLoughlin, the Dubai Duty Free executive vice chairman, is also disappointed with the latest development.
"I know she has done it before. According to the information we have, she is not well and she has withdrawn," he added.
The news about Serena Williams dropping out of a Dubai tournament is not new, she has done it two times before within a four-year span.