World's no.1 Serena Williams made a shocking exit both in the women's singles and doubles at Wimbledon Open championships several weeks ago due to a stomach virus.
However, there are reports circulating that Serena's struggle with her fitness is caused not by an ordinary stomach bug but perhaps symptoms of pregnancy.
Williams' alleged pregnancy was first reported by German tabloid Bild, which claimed that the multiple Grand Slam champion might have been fathered by her rumored boyfriend and coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Known for her tenacity on the court, Williams' performance at the Wimbledon Open was a far cry from her usual self as lackluster performance against Alize Cornet of France prevented her from adding another major singles title.
However, Williams' health issue worsened during her doubles match with her sister Venus Williams against Kristina Barrois and Stefanie Vögele. During the match, Serena obliviously looked fatigued and weary, as she even struggled to serve the ball into opponents' court.
After trailing 3-0 in the match, the Williams sisters decided to withdraw from the competition, formally ending their campaign at All-England club.
"I am heartbroken I'm not able to continue in the tournament. I thought I could rally this morning because I really wanted to compete but this bug just got the best of me," Williams said during a post-match interview via ESPN Women.
Speculations of Williams' pregnancy further increased after she decided to withdraw from the Swedish Open with a reason that she hasn't recovered yet from the stomach bug.
"I decided not to play in Bastad, because I am still not feeling 100%. I want to be in perfect condition to go back on court, but unfortunately it's not the case. I really hope to be able to get back to training from next week," Williams issued a statement after her withdrawal from Bastad.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova was suspicious of Williams' current condition, insisting that her struggles might be more than just a virus.
"I find it distressing," Navratilova told USA Today. "I think a virus, whatever they're saying it was, I don't think that was it. I think it's clear that's not the case. I don't know what it is, but I hope Serena will be OK."
Williams heads into the US hardcourt season surprisingly without a single Grand Slam title. In fact, she failed to advance beyond the fourth round of the three majors tournaments so far, though she's still considered to win the US Open Championship in Queens, New York.
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