Serena not worried about knee injury

MELBOURNE, Australia – Injury? What injury? The draw? Don’t mention the draw.

Six-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams worked her way through the pre-Grand Slam rituals on Saturday, practicing on the center court at Melbourne Park, and fielding questions about the inflammation in her left knee that restricted her preparations, and about a tough road to another title.

After a tough opener against Camila Giorgi, the highest ranked of the unseeded players in the women’s draw, Williams may have to face former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round and No. 5-ranked Maria Sharapova in a quarterfinal match that would feature last year’s finalists.

“I don’t really ever look at the draw, so I would appreciate it if you didn’t mention it. Thank you,” she said, shutting down talk of another showdown with Sharapova.

Both players withdrew from tournaments in the first week of the season, with Williams playing just one set in the Hopman Cup – her first competitive outing since her pursuit of the calendar-year Grand Slam ended in a semifinal loss at the US Open – and Sharapova withdrawing before her opening match at the Brisbane International because of a sore left forearm.