What’s wrong with Serena Williams? Remember last July when she departed from Wimbledon in those very unusual circumstances; she looked terrible health wise and there was concern about her well-being.
There were instances later in the year that saw her ill again.
2015 has started in strange circumstances as well and her first two matches at the Hopman Cup have only generated more questions on what’s wrong with her, rather than seeing such topics die down.
In her first match against Flavia Pennetta, Serena lost the first set only to order an espresso coffee in a sort of bemused manner. She went on to win the match. However, some sceptics thought it was a promotion ploy because her agent Tweeted later about a Nespresso being drunk during the match. But then in Serena’s second match she lost to Eugenie Bouchard quite handily.
After that match Serena was quoted as saying she didn’t know “what is wrong with me; I feel so tired”.
Is there the chance that she has glandular fever? It is an illness that leaves you tired and lethargic.
She added: “It's weird. I can't get my body to move. I feel like I've got no energy. It's a little frustrating because I know I can play two thousand times better.”
Sure some of it could be pointed to jet-lag but it’s not as if she has not made the trip to Perth before, in fact Serena feels it is not jet-lag.
“I've been trying to rest up,” she said. “I did a little gym work, but I just felt depleted. I don't know why. I don't know how to describe it. I've just got to get my feet moving. I have to figure it out.”
I have had glandular fever and actually did not know it, in fact often you do not know you have it. It can remain dormant in a person’s system and can surface at any time. Glandular fever (also known as mononucleosis) can be very debilitating and saps energy and from what has been visible with her so far, the symptoms are similar.
Two players come to mind who have had the illness, the first was Croatian Mario Ancic who eventually had to retire from the sport and the other was Sweden’s two-time French Open finalist Robin Soderling who has also stopped playing.
