Tennis: Serena withdraws from Doha

Serena Williams at the 2016 Australian Open. Photo / Getty Images

The Serena Williams camp on Tuesday confirmed a not-unexpected pull-out by the world number one from next week's Doha WTA event.

Williams, beaten in the Australian Open final by Germany's Angelique Kerber, also skipped this week's Dubai tournament as she claimed a case of flu.

Doha officials reportedly received their bad news in an email. The American last played Doha in 2013, losing the final to Victoria Azarenka.