Serena Williams withdraws from WTA Finals and China Open

BEIJING — Serena Williams says she is withdrawing from the season-ending WTA Finals and the China Open to take time to heal after playing through injuries all year.

Williams, who was two wins from completing a calendar-year Grand Slam at the U.S. Open, says she is “taking a proactive step and withdrawing from tournaments in Beijing and Singapore to properly address my health and take the time to heal.”

Williams was quoted in a story on the China Open website.

In 2015, Williams won the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon. But she missed out on becoming the first player since 1988 to win all four majors in the same season when she lost to Roberta Vinci in the U.S. Open semifinals.

Maria Sharapova has also withdrawn from the China Open.

Williams is set to lead the Philippine Mavericks in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) on December.