Three time champion Serena Williams on Wednesday withdrew from the French Open due to an Achilles tendon injury shortly before she was supposed to face Tsvetana Pironkova in the second round.

The 39-year old American tennis star was striving to claim a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title but that had to be cancelled due to the injury.

Williams while addressing the media in a news conference said she is "struggling to walk".

"I felt like I needed to walk with a limp," she said, adding "an Achilles injury is not one you want to play with as it can get worse."

Williams had suffered the problem before during her semifinal loss to Victoria Azarenka in the US Open and said that she was not at 100% physically but recovered sufficiently to play.

Williams previously pulled out of the French Open in 2018 before a last-16 clash with Maria Sharapova.