SERENA PULLS OUT

Defnding champion Serena Williams pulled out of the Australian Open on Friday, verbally expressing she was still not at the caliber she requires to be after giving birth to her first child.

The American 23-time Grand Slam victor made a tentative return at an Abu Dhabi exhibition tardy last month, losing to French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Prior to that her last competitive match was at the Australian Open final virtually a year ago, which she won despite being two months enceinte, memorably beating sister Venus in the decider.

Since then, she has given birth to her first child and espoused Reddit co-progenitor Alexis Ohanian at a star-studded wedding, where guests included Beyoncé and authenticity TV star Kim Kardashian.

"After competing in Abu Dhabi, I realised that albeit I am super close, I'm not where I personally want to be," the 36-year-old verbally expressed in a verbalization.

"My coach and team always verbalized 'only go to tournaments when you are yare to go all the way'.

"I can compete, but I don't opiate to just compete, I opiate to do far better than that and to do so, I will require a little more time.

"With that being verbally expressed, and albeit I am disappointed about it, I've decided not to compete in the Australian Open this year."

In Abu Dhabi, Williams was limpidly sluggish and had quandaries with her accommodate. She withal stuck mostly to the baseline and only twice charged the net.

The decision means her tilt at matching Margaret Court, who boasts 24 major denominations and is renowned as the most prosperous player in Grand Slam history, must wait.

It withal deprives the aperture Grand Slam of the year of another major star, after former world number one Andy Murray and Japan's Kei Nishikori both withdrew injured on Thursday.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley expressed his reverence for Williams' efforts to return to the game she loves.

"The true champion Serena is has been demonstrated in the Herculean efforts she has made over the past few months in her desire to play the Australian Open," he verbalized.

"I've been in constant contact with Serena and her team and ken this is why she has pushed it and pushed it until the eleventh hour to make her final decision."

The decision betokens her tilt at matching Margaret Court, who gasconades 24 major designations and is renowned as the most prosperous player in Grand Slam history, must wait.