Sad! Serena Williams Pulls Out of French Open

Serena Williams has withdrawn from the French Open before her match against Maria Sharapova; the 23-time Grand Slam winner had recently returned to tennis after giving birth to her first child. Serena said at a press conference Monday she is unable to serve because of a pectoral problem.

The athlete was scheduled to play Maria in a fourth-round match at Roland Garros, the third match on Philippe-Chartier Court. Serena and her 37-year-old sister, Venus Williams, lost in a doubles match Sunday to María José Martínez Sánchez and Andreja Klepač.

“Right now I can’t actually serve,” Serena said, noting her injury has intensified since she first felt it during her singles match Saturday. “It’s kind of hard to play when I can’t physically serve.”

Serena added she will get an MRI Tuesday and “see as many specialists” as she can before deciding whether she can compete at Wimbledon in four weeks. “I’m beyond disappointed. I gave up so much from time with my daughter to time with my family. I put everything on the court, you know? All for this moment,” she said. “So, it’s really difficult to be in this situation.”