The Real Reason Serena Williams Pulled Out Of The US Open

Serena Williams is one of the undisputed tennis greats. With her intimidating serves and powerful returns, she has won more Grand Slam singles titles (23) than any other woman or man, and at 39 years old, is chasing Margaret Court's long-standing record of 24. But as of this writing, that goal seems to be slipping away.

In July 2021, Williams withdrew from Wimbledon due to an injured right hamstring, in addition to skipping the 2021 Western & Southern Open. "Unfortunately, I will not be playing in the Western & Southern Open next week as I am still in recovery from my leg injury at Wimbledon," the star said in a press release at the time (via USA Today), assuring fans that she would be "back on the court very soon."

But "soon" can't come soon enough, after news broke that the Grand Slam winner would not be participating in the prestigious U.S. Open kicking off on August 30, per New York Post. The last time Williams missed the U.S. Open was in 2017 when she gave birth to daughter Olympia. In 2018, Williams fell to Naomi Osaka — and because she hasn't won a Grand Slam since defeating her own sister at the Australian Open in 2017, fans are no doubt eager for a comeback. Clearly, Williams is too, and she therefore has a good reason for pulling out of the upcoming tournament.

On August 25, Serena Williams explained that she would be extending her break from the tennis world due to ongoing problems with her hamstring, which she first injured at Wimbledon. "After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the U.S. Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring," the tennis legend wrote on Instagram. "New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world and one of my favorite places to play — I'll miss seeing the fans but will be cheering everyone on from afar. Thank you for your continued support and love. I'll see you soon."

Williams' withdrawal from the tournament leaves it without three of its most high-profile stars. Both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have also withdrawn due to injuries, making this U.S. Open the first in nearly 25 years to be played without one of them. But while things might not be quite as exciting on the courts without the golden trio, fans were still full of support for Williams' decision to withdraw.

The athlete's friend, producer/actor La La Anthony, sent her love in the Instagram comments section and added that she hopes Williams can "get well." Another fan asserted the opinion that Williams doesn't "ever need to play again" to be the greatest ever. Hopefully, the tennis star makes a speedy recovery so she can continue chasing her Grand Slam goals.