ST PETERSBURG – Venus Williams blamed poor fitness for her 55-minute defeat to Kristina Mladenovic at the St Petersburg Trophy, five days after losing to sister Serena in the Australian Open final.
The 36-year-old, seeded four, slumped to a 6-3 6-1 defeat to her French opponent in her second-round tie after receiving a first-round bye.
“Today I wasn’t in my best of health,” Williams said. “I felt pain in my legs. I had similar feelings during my last match in Australia. I also felt some lack of energy. Definitely it wasn’t the best match in my life.
“Also, she (Mladenovic) played really well. She has played almost a perfect match and gave me no chance today.”