Serena Williams Retires from Rogers Cup Finals

Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

On Sunday, tennis star Serena Williams was brought to tears after a back injury forced the athlete to retire during the first set of the Rogers Cup final.

The tennis champion complained of back spasms and pulled out of the Toronto-based tournament, reports Fox News.

Williams, a 23-time grand slam champion became emotional and began crying. Once Canadian player Bianca Andreescu, 19, learned that she won the championship due to Williams' having to pull out, she walked over to Williams to comfort her.

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The two tennis players hugged while the crowd cheered for their sportsmanship. Williams, 37, has recently been focused on winning a title since giving birth to her daughter Olympia in 2017.

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"I’m sorry I couldn’t do it today," Williams said following the match. "I tried, but I couldn’t. Bianca, you’re a great sportswoman. It’s been a tough year but I’m going to keep going."

Thanks to her defeat of Williams, Andreescu became the first Canadian to win the Rogers Cup since 1969.

During the post-game press conference, Williams referred to Andreescu as "fabulous" and "an old soul."

"My whole back spasmed to the point where I couldn't see," Williams explained. "I couldn't really move."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhc8gq63-PM

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Bianca Andreescu Rogers Cup Finals Serena Williams