American athlete Serena Williams has announced she will not be participating in the Qatar Total Open, following the news that fellow Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova will also not be attending.
"I unfortunately have to withdraw from the Qatar Total Open as I have come down with the flu and do not feel 100 percent," Williams said through a statement released by tournament organizers. "I need to take this time to recover but I do look forward to returning to Doha and seeing my fans soon."
Last Wednesday, Sharapova made a similar announcement, citing an arm injury.
"Unfortunately, I will not be able to play the Qatar Total Open because of my left forearm injury," Sharapova said . "I would like to wish the tournament and all the great fans in Doha a great week of tennis. I hope to see them next year."
Williams was the top seed for the event that is slated to run from Feb. 21 to 27. Williams also announced last week that she would miss the Dubai Championships because of the flu.
Both Williams and Sharapova are among the world's top tennis stars. Williams is currently ranked No. 1 in the world and Sharapova has previously held the top spot.
Fans will certainly be disappointed and the absence of the two star athletes is a major blow to the tournament.