Serena Williams withdraws from US Open due to hamstring injury

Serena Williams has withdrawn from the US Open after failing to fully recover from a torn hamstring.

The 23-time grand slam champion, who won six of those titles at Flushing Meadows, has not played on the WTA Tour since sustaining the injury at Wimbledon in June.

She skipped last week's Western and Southern Open in the hope of being ready in time for the her home major in New York, but has now taken the decision to pull out of the event.

Serena: "I'll miss seeing the fans but will be cheering everyone on"

"After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the US Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring," Williams posted on her Instagram account on Wednesday.

"New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world and one of my favourite 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 last missed the US Open in 2017, when she gave birth to her daughter.

She returned the following year and reached the first of back-to-back finals, losing both of those to Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

The world number 22, who turns 40 next month, made it to the semi-finals in last year's behind-closed-doors event, going down 1-6 6-3 6-3 to Victoria Azarenka.

Williams is the latest high-profile withdrawal from the tournament after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal pulled out through injury

It will be the first time since 1997 that the US Open will be played without Williams, Federer or Nadal.