23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams has withdrawn from the ongoing French Open due to an Achilles injury. The 39-year-old American was scheduled to face Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova in a second round match on Wednesday.

Williams was aiming to equal Margaret Court's all-time highest record of 24 Grand Slam titles. No other tennis player, man or woman, has won more Grand Slams than Williams during the modern "Open" era.

Williams appeared in a news conference where she informed the public about her injury. She also said she might not play any other tournament for the rest of 2020.

According to BBC, she said, "I think I need four to six weeks of sitting and doing nothing. I have been struggling to walk so that's a telltale sign that I should try to recover. Achilles is an injury you don't want to play with - I think it was one of the worst, don't want to get to that point. In the second set, I felt I needed to walk with a limp. I had to focus on walking straight. I tried and always give 100. I'm not sure I will play another tournament this year. It is not an acute injury, it is a nagging injury."

Serena Williams
Serena Williams has not added to her 23 Grand Slam titles since the 2017 Australian Open GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AL BELLO

It was during the US Open semi-finals last month when Williams picked up the Achilles problem. Eventually, she was defeated by Victoria Azarenka and she didn't have enough turnaround time between the two Grand Slam events. As a result, her injury could not heal.

However, Williams appeared to be in fine form at Roland Garros, as she beat fellow American Kristie Ahn 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 in the first round on Monday. But later, Williams admitted to be struggling physically.

The former world number one had won the French Open on three occasions previously in 2002, 2013, and 2015. She is currently ranked ninth in the world.

As a result of Williams' withdrawal from the tournament, 33-year old unseeded Pironkova moves into the third round of the French Open. This marked only the third time in her career that she will play the third round of the tournament. Now, she will face Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic.

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