Ailing Williams full of praise

Serena Williams admitted that a bad back sustained during practice hampered her movement during her fourth-round loss to Ana Ivanovic on Sunday, but refused to blame the injury for her stunning exit that blew the Australian Open wide open.

An overwhelming favorite to clinch her 18th Grand Slam title and sixth at Melbourne Park, the world No 1 was overhauled 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in front of an astonished Rod Laver Arena crowd as the resurgent Ivanovic soared to her finest victory in years.

Williams crashed out in a hail of 31 unforced errors and managed only three winners in the third set as the anticipated fight back the American has counted on throughout her career failed to materialize.