Serena retires hurt before Sharapova showdown

PARIS: American Serena Williams’ audacious attempt to win the French Open for a fourth time ended in anti-climax on Monday as injury, rather than an old foe, forced the 36-year-old to admit defeat at Roland Garros.

The scene had been set for Williams in her ‘superhero’ catsuit to take on Russian ice queen Maria Sharapova in a fourth-round clash that had assumed top-billing.

But shortly before the two old warriors were due on court, the 23-times grand slam champion instead stepped into a conference room to announce she was pulling out.

Williams, playing in her first Grand Slam tournament since giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia last September, said she had suffered a pectoral muscle injury in her impressive third round victory against Germany’s Julia Goerges.

“Unfortunately, I’m having some issues with my pec muscle. Right now I can’t actually serve it’s kind of hard to play,” she told a room packed with reporters. “I’m having an MRI (scan) tomorrow, I’m going to stay here to see the doctors and see as many specialists as I can. I won’t know (how serious the injury is) until I get those results.” Williams had worked hard to get back in shape and, despite starting the tournament with a notional ranking of 451 and having played only four matches this year, she actually looked capable of going all the way.

Dressed in the black bodysuit with a red band around the waist she resembled a superhero — not just a supermum — and was playing as if she had never been away.Williams beat Australian 17th seed Ashleigh Barty in the second round and turned on the style against 11th seed Goerges.