Serena Williams withdraws from French Open with arm injury

By ADAM ZAGORIA

Serena Williams has withdrawn from the French Open with a right arm injury and won’t play Maria Sharapova in their fourth-round match scheduled for Monday.

Williams is 19-2 against No. 28 Sharapova, who advanced to the quarterfinals against No. 3 Garbine Muguruza via walkover.

“I unfortunately have been having some issues with my pec muscle and unfortunately it’s been getting worse to the point where right now I can’t actually serve,” Williams said of the first withdrawal in the middle of a Grand Slam in her career. “It’s kind of hard to play when I can’t physically serve”

She added: “I’m beyond disappointed. I gave up so much, from the time with my daughter and time with my family. I put everything on the court, all for this moment, so it’s really difficult to be in this situation.”

Williams will undergo an MRI on Tuesday. Her status for Wimbledon (July 2-15) remains uncertain.

“It’s very difficult because I love playing Maria,” she said. “It’s a match I always get up for. Her game matches so well against mine and it is difficult because like I keep saying, I’ve given up so much to be here.”

Serena: ‘right now I can’t actually serve so it’s kind of hard to play when you can’t serve’ pic.twitter.com/V2fV4Dw3ae

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 4, 2018

Williams had played every day in Paris, either in singles or doubles, including a doubles match on Sunday with her sister Venus where they lost to Andreja Klepac and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-0.

A video replay on Tennis Channel showed Serena couldn’t even carry her tennis bag off the court following Sunday’s doubles match because her pec injury was so bad.

“She was not able to serve today,” her coach Patrick Mouratoglou said on Tennis Channel. “The pain was much too strong. And also, if she would’ve played without being able to serve normal, she would take the risk to make the injury really, really worse. That would be really stupid.”

Video shows Serena couldn’t even carry her bag off court Sunday b/c of her pec injury. pic.twitter.com/iglWZlnWOa

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 4, 2018

Williams was playing in her first Grand Slam event since giving birth to her daughter last September. The winner of 23 Grand Slam titles, she last played in a major when she beat Venus to win the 2017 Australian Open.

Williams remains one major behind Margaret Court (24) for the most all-time among women.

Women’s quarters are set in Paris. The top half is loaded. pic.twitter.com/7JmTqbzoWE

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 4, 2018

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