PARIS — Tennis icon Serena Williams has withdrawn from the French Open Wednesday citing an achilles injury, ending her quest for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title.

 

What You Need To Know

  • Serena Williams withdrew from the French Open due to an achilles injury

  • Williams was seeking a 24th Grand Slam title, which would tie the all-time record held by Margaret Court

  • Williams said it is “more than likely” she will not play another tournament in 2020

  • This is Williams’ earliest exit at a Grand Slam tournament since 2014

 

Williams suffered the injury during the U.S. Open three weeks ago, which she referred to as "bad luck" and "bad timing."

 

 

Williams said that she is "struggling to walk" and indicated that she "more than likely" will not participate in another tournament in 2020.

 

 

The sudden announcement came roughly an hour before she was supposed to head out onto Court Philippe Chatrier to face Tsvetana Pironkova in the second round of the tournament.

She said she tried warming up for the match but knew she wasn’t able to compete. She spoke to coach Patrick Mouratoglou and, she said, “We kind of both thought about it and we decided it wasn’t the best for me to try and play today.”

This is Williams’ earliest exit at any Grand Slam tournament since a second-round loss in Paris in 2014.

She also pulled out of the French Open in 2018 prior to what would have been a fourth-round match against Maria Sharapova, citing a pulled muscle in her chest.

That was Williams’ first major tournament back on tour after having a baby.

She would go on to reach the finals at four of the next six Slams, losing each time, as she tries to add to her professional-era record of 23 major singles trophies and equal Margaret Court’s all-era mark.

“I love playing tennis, obviously. I love competing. And I love being out here. It’s my job; been my job. And I’m pretty good at it still,” Williams said. “So until I feel like I’m not good at it — then I’ll be like, ‘Oh, OK.’ And I’m so close to some things, I just feel like I’m almost there, so I think that’s what keeps me going.”

Earlier this month in New York, Williams made it to the semifinals before bowing out 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 against Victoria Azarenka.

It was in the third set of that match that Williams stretched her Achilles during a point and then leaned over, clutched at her lower left leg and asked for a trainer. She took a medical timeout for a tape job and continued to play but was unable to pull off a win.

“I was able to get it somewhat better, but just looking long-term: In this tournament, will I be able to get through on enough matches? And so for me, I don’t think I could,” Williams said Wednesday. “And struggling to walk, so that’s kind of a tell-tale sign that I should try to recover.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.