Highly anticipated Venus Williams v Mirra Andreeva clash cancelled in Cleveland as 43-year-old faces US Open doubt with knee issue

Venus Williams was due to face Mirra Andreeva on Monday at the Cleveland Open (Tennis in the Land) in a highly anticipated clash between the 16-year-old Russian prodigy and the 43-year-old tennis legend.

But Williams has unfortunately withdrawn on Sunday evening citing a knee problem with her US Open now in doubt too as she faces a race against time to be ready for Flushing Meadows.

Dropping a hint though that she will play for a while longer, Williams says she hopes to finally play in Cleveland next season and that she will work in the next week to get herself right.

Who first for Andreeva then? She faces German ace, Tamara Korpatsch tomorrow in a field led by Caroline Garcia and Barbora Krejcikova in Cleveland.

"I'm so sorry that I'm not going to be able to make it to Cleveland. I've always wanted to play Tennis in the Land since it started so I was really looking forward to it and I love the fans in the Mid West," she said in a video message.

"I was looking forward to getting some matches to tune up for the US Open, but unfortunately my knee is not acting right. It's not supporting me being on the court right, it's such a bummer. But I'm going to work on myself and get myself together, that way I can be at the Open and hopefully come and play for you guys next year."