'I can't breathe': Serena Williams retires after frightening health scare

Serena Williams has been forced to retire hurt at Indian Wells after suffering a frightening health scare.

Serena lost the first set 6-3 against Garbine Muguruza on Sunday when she called for the trainer.

“I can’t breathe,” she could be heard saying, before also complaining of pain in her left leg.

She tried to battle on at the start of the second set, but could hardly move.

Muguruza held to love with Serena not even trying to run for the game-winning point, and on her return to the chair she was noticeably breathing heavily.

Serena quickly pulled the pin, handing Muguruza a place in the last 16.

Serena jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set before suffering a big collapse.

She lost the next six games straight to surrender the set, and was in visible distress on court.

“I’ve never seen her like that,” one commentator said.

“It’s so, so rare that she ever retires from a tennis match.”

Williams and Muguruza were meeting for the sixth time.

The previous two clashes came in grand slam finals, with Williams winning at Wimbledon in 2015 and Muguruza walking off with the 2016 French Open crown.

“We’ve played many times and it’s always super-tough, super-exciting,” said Muguruza, currently ranked 20th in the world.

“I wish I’m going to see her soon and feeling better.”

‘Extreme dizziness and extreme fatigue’

Serena later revealed she was battling a viral infection.

“By the score, it might have looked like I started well, but I was not feeling at all well physically,” Williams said in a statement distributed by tournament officials.

“Before the match, I did not feel great and then it just got worse with every second; extreme dizziness and extreme fatigue.

“I will focus on getting better and start preparing for Miami.”

Serena was playing her first tournament since the Australian Open in late January, when she lost in the quarter-finals.

with agencies