Fans hoping to see Serena Williams return to the Grand Slam stage will have to wait longer, after she pulled out of the 2018 Australian Open.
Williams announced the decision on Thursday.
The 36-year-old was set to return to Melbourne after giving birth to daughter Olympia on September 1.
She lost her first match since January on December 30, falling 6-2, 3-6, 10-5 to Latvian Jelena Ostanpenko in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi.
Her last victory came in the 2017 Australian Open, when she clinched her 23rd Grand Slam title with a win over sister Venus Williams for the women’s singles title.
“After performing in my first match after giving birth I realized that although I am super close I’m not where I personally want to be,” Williams wrote Thursday on Snapchat. “My coach and team always said ‘only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way.'”
“With that being said I am disappointed to say I’ve decided not to compete in the Australian Open this year. However, the memory of last year’s Open is one that I will carry with me and Olympia and I look forward to coming back again. I appreciate the support and understanding of my fans and everyone at the Australian Open.”