Venus Williams participation in next month's Australian Tennis Open is in doubt following her withdrawal yesterday from the ASB Classic in Auckland in the New Year.
Despite playing several exhibition matches recently, 31 year old Williams withdrew from the Auckland event because of ongoing health issues.
She suffers from Sjogrens syndrome, an auto-immune condition which can cause fatigue and joint pain.
The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam event of the year, is the week following the ASB Classic.
