Serena Williams Pulls out of French Open Due To Injury

Serena Williams actually can't serve now. The 36-year-old, owner of the most reliable delivery in women's tennis, pulled out of her heavyweight clash against Russian Maria Sharapova an hour before their French Open meeting on Philippe-Chatrier court, citing a pectoral muscle injury.

Serena Williams

The 23-time major winner, playing her first Grand Slam after the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia nine months ago, put it simply, "I can't serve."
The American, who arrived for the media briefing wearing her hair in trendy waist-length braids, added, "I've been having some issues with my pectoral muscle. It's kind of hard to play when I can't serve."

The 36-year-old was in the doubles draw with sister Venus and the duo went down in three sets in the third-round to Slovenia's Andreja Klepac and Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. The sisters were bageled in the decider. Williams, who served second for her team, was clutching her chest in her lone service game in the deciding set.

"The first time I felt it was against (Julia) Goerges in my last match. I didn't know what it was, it was really painful," the three-time Roland Garros winner said. "In my doubles (on Sunday) I tried a lot of different tapings to see how it would feel in a match circumstance."

Williams, who said she had never had this injury before, was scheduled to get an MRI on Tuesday. "I'm going to stay here and see as many specialists as I can," she said when asked when she'd be able to train again and if Wimbledon was in her plans. "I can take solace from the fact I'm going to continue to get better. I love tennis and I love being out here, especially for the Grand Slams. I had such a wonderful performance in my first Grand Slam back."

Serena, who was remarkably composed when she faced the media, said, "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 for this moment. 

There was times where I'm on the court and I'm practicing, and I look on the monitor and I see my daughter and she's playing and I want to be there, but I know that these are the sacrifices you have to make to live out your dream. I have made every sacrifice that I could."