23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams has withdrawn from the U.S. Open because of a hamstring injury, ESPN reports.
Williams took to social media to share the news of her withdrawal.
“After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the US Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring,'' Williams wrote in a post on Wednesday.
Patrick Mouratoglou, Williams' coach, also posted on social media, saying, "We've done everything we could," adding: "It is heartbreaking, but this is the only possible decision.''
Williams, who at 39 is ranked number 22 on the WTA Tour, has not competed on tour since retiring in the first set of her first-round match at Wimbledon on June 29 due to an injured right hamstring, reported EBONY previously.
After skipping out on last week’s Western & Southern Open near Cincinnati to allow herself more time to recover, Williams' stated in a statement that she planned “to be back on the court very soon.”
With her announcement, Williams adds her name to the list of tennis’ biggest stars who will not be competing in the U.S. Open. Both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have withdrawn because of injuries, ending their 2021 season.
This is the first time since 1997 that any Grand Slam tournament will be played without at least one of the three tennis icons.
