ROME -- Serena Williams isnt committing to playing in the Italian Open yet as she waits to see how her injured left thigh feels. The top-ranked Williams withdrew before her quarterfinal match at the Madrid Open last week. "Im taking it a day at a time. Well see as the week goes on. I have the rest of the day off and Ill see how I feel tomorrow," Williams said Monday. "I hit some balls today a little bit so Im going to see later tonight how it feels." In Madrid, Williams had her thigh heavily bandaged and said the injury occurred during a first-round victory over Belinda Bencic. She dismissed conjecture of pulling out for precautionary reasons. "I dont do anything out of precaution anymore. You live once and I feel like anything can happen tomorrow," Williams said. "I just physically couldnt play. I was in a lot of pain and just wasnt able to continue. When I play I want to give 100 per cent. "I want to go out there and I want to give the fans everything that they deserve and everything that they come to see," Williams added. "And I just wasnt going to even come close to being there." Williams is the defending champion at the Foro Italico, and also won the title in 2002. Shell also be the defending champion when the French Open starts in two weeks. Compared to earlier in her career, Williams said she really enjoys the red clay of Rome and Paris now. "I love the challenge of having to be more consistent and having to be that much better," she said. Williams is slated to open against either Romina Oprandi of Switzerland or Andrea Petkovic of Germany. Shes one of eight Americans in the draw -- quite a large showing compared to recent years. "Its good timing. Im nearing the end of my career, I guess -- who knows when its going to end, I love playing -- and people get inspired by different Americans maybe, and maybe start to play now," Williams said. "I love seeing all the Americans around." The other Americans in Rome are Varvara Lepchenko, Sloane Stephens, Christina McHale, Lauren Davis, Madison Keys, Alison Riske and Serenas older sister Venus Williams. At 32, Serena Williams marveled at the retirement announcement last week by former No. 1 Dinara Safina, who is 28. "Shes a lot younger than me," Serena said. "I just enjoy it right now. I enjoy my practice and Im starting to look in the mirror like, Wow. Whats wrong with me? I should be starting to not enjoy it so much. But the older I get the more I enjoy it. Its kind of weird but Im going to take it as it is." Cheap Jerseys 2020 . Ashton scored a hat trick -- giving him 13 goals in 16 AHL games this season -- to power the Toronto Marlies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lake Erie Monsters in AHL action on Sunday. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . Some will say that Martin is too sensitive while others will say that it is part of the way football is in the locker room. But to have to absorb what was said to him for any rational and intelligent person is too much. https://www.cheapjerseysfromchinareview.com/ . Now the Minnesota Vikings have set their sights on soccer. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday. NFL Jerseys 2020 . Sweeting scored two in the first and three in the second before Strong (4-4) got two back in the fourth. Sweeting then scored three in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh to grab a commanding 9-2 lead.Rangers will again be without Martyn Waghorn for the match against Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Tuesday. Waghorn had been hoping to make his return for the match against the struggling Championship side but is now likely to feature in the final league game of the season against St Mirren next weekend. Rangers manager Mark Warburton insists he isnt worried about having time off between the Scottish Championship season ending on May 1, and the cup final The former Wigan and Sunderland striker has been out of action since suffering a knee injury at Kilmarnock in February and will require some game time if he is to play in the Scottish Cup final against Hibernian on May 21. And there is no place in the team for midfielder Harry Forrester who continues to recover from a broken leg and is unlikely to feature again this season for Mark Warburtons side. Rangers head to the Tony Macaroni Arena on back of receiving Scottish Championshhip trophy Speaking ahead of the match, which was rescheduled following Rangers involvement in the Scottish Cup, Warburton revealed his side will play a friendly against English opposition before the Hampden showpiece against Hibs.ddddddddddddThe champions league season ends with the game in Paisley - while Alan Stubbs Hibees will be involved in the end-of-season play-offs - and Warburton is keen to strike a work-rest balance between the matches. Warburton believes Rangers are moving in the right direction following their promotion back to the Scottish Premiership - but insists theres still plenty of work to do Were going to have a game in the middle of that period, said the former City trader. We play St Mirren on the first, we have a game on the 11th down south then we come back into normal training.Were happy with that. The players will have four days off which we think is the right amount. Any more than that and its too easy to step into holiday mode.Subconsciously, five, six, seven days off is too long but four days off gives them a chance to rest with their families, recharge, then come back into a training routine. ' ' '