Twenty-three time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has been forced to abandon her pursuit of French Open glory because of a pectoral injury.

The 36-year-old, playing in her first Major since the 2017 Australian Open, had been due to take on Maria Sharapova in a much-anticipated fourth-round clash on the Philippe Chatrier Court on Monday afternoon.

Williams announced at a press conference shortly before the match was scheduled to start that she would be unable to compete, however, with her participation in next month's Wimbledon event also now in doubt.

"Unfortunately I'm having some issues with my pec muscle. Right now I can't actually serve so it's kind of hard to play," she told the press. "It's very difficult. I love playing Maria. I've made every sacrifice I could.

"I made a commitment to myself and my team that if I wasn't at least 60% I wouldn't play. I've never felt this in my life. It's so painful.

"I'm beyond disappointed. I gave up so much from time with my daughter and time with my family all for this moment. So it's really difficult to be in this situation."

Sharapova will now take on either Garbine Muguruza or Lesia Tsurenko in the quarter-finals.