Six-time champion Serena Williams has been forced to pull out of the upcoming US Open.
The 39-year-old withdrew from her first-round match at Wimbledon in June after she slipped on the grass-court surface and has not recovered in time to take part at Flushing Meadows over the next two weeks.
The former world number one last claimed major success at the 2017 Australian Open and it was later revealed she had been eight weeks pregnant when she triumphed in Melbourne.
After giving birth in September of that year, Williams remarkably returned to action three months later but has fallen short in four Grand Slam finals since – the US Open and Wimbledon in both 2018 and 2019.
While the 23-time champion reached the last four at the Australian Open in January, she exited Roland Garros in the fourth round and was forced to pull out of Wimbledon midway through her first-round tie due to a hamstring injury.
It means by the time Williams tries to returns to grand slam action at the start of 2022, it would have been five years since her last major and she would also have reached the age of 40 – raising the prospect Court’s tally of Grand Slams could remain unmatched.
Serena’s sister Venus later announced she was also pulling out of the US Open.
The 41-year-old tweeted: “Not the best news everyone. I am joining @serenawilliams @RafaelNadal and @rogerfederer on the injured list.
“It’s still going to be a great US Open & many thanks to the @usta for the wild card. I was so looking forward to it, but it was not meant to be this year. I will be back!”