Seth Udinski, FISM News

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The best female tennis player of the 21st century will not compete in the 2021 U.S. Open.  Serena Williams, one of the biggest stars in professional sports, is sitting out of the tournament due to a torn right hamstring. Thursday marks the preliminary matches, and the tournament officially begins on Monday in Flushing Meadows, New York. Williams made the announcement via Instagram for her fans on Wednesday:

After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the U.S. Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring. New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world and one of my favorite places to play – I’ll miss seeing the fans but will be cheering everyone on from afar.  Thank you for your continued love and support.

The 39-year-old Williams is not the only high-profile tennis player who will be absent from the Open. Two of the best players in the men’s circuit, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, are also abstaining from partaking in the Open. According to ESPN, this will be the first major singles event since 1997 where none of these three stars will participate.

Williams will forgo the chance to add to an illustrious career at the 2021 Open. She has six U.S Open singles championships and 23 Grand Slam singles championships, trailing only Margaret Court (24) for the most all-time.