Injured Serena hands Li place in Rome final

Tournament favourite Serena Williams [ Images ] withdrew from the Italian Open on Saturday with a lower back injury, the WTA said.

The American had been due to play China's Li Na [ Images ] in the first semi-final.

French Open [ Images ] holder Li will now go through to play either Maria Sharapova [ Images ] of Russia [ Images ] or Germany's [ Images ] Angelique Kerber.

Williams, who has won clay-court titles in Charleston and Madrid in the past month, was expected to give a news conference later on Saturday to explain the extent of the problem.