Toronto (Canada) (AFP)

"Oh my God, I'm sorry, but I can not continue playing today," tears Serena Williams to the umpire to signify her retirement from the Toronto Premiere finals when she was led 3-1, Sunday, by Bianca Andreescu.

"Bianca, you're a great sportswoman," she said to the Canadian, who came to kiss and comfort her.

"Serena, you make me cry too, I know what it's like to be forced to give up a tournament and get hurt, but you're a real big champion on and off the court," he said. the first Canadian to be crowned in front of her public since 1969.

Serena Williams, 37, is still looking for her first title since returning from maternity after giving birth to her daughter Olympia in September 2017. She returned to competition in March 2018. If she has contested three Grand Slam finals ever since, she never managed to lift her 24th trophy, which would have allowed her to match Margaret Court's record.

- Adreescu: "Never give up!" -

Finalist at Wimbledon, facing Romanian Simona Halep in July, the younger sister Williams, former world No. 1 and now 10th, was playing her 24th game only this year because of knee problems.

Winner of 23 Grand Slam titles, Serena Williams has promised that her season is not over yet: "It was a difficult year but we will continue, thank you to my team". But the US Open, the last major tournament of the year, will begin in two weeks on August 26 at Flushing Meadows.

According to her own statements, picked up by the microphones of the stadium, Serena Williams suffers from back spasms, but the official reason for her abandonment is a wound in her upper back.

"I tried, but could not" continue, said Serena Williams, who will have to wait again before raising the 73rd trophy of a rich career. She then revealed that she had undergone treatment for several hours for back spasms, first felt in the semi-finals on Saturday night, before playing in the final.

Andreescu, 19, won her second WTA title, after Indian Wells, in three finals (with Auckland) this year.

"That's not the way I wanted to win and see you leave the court, I watched a lot of your games," the Canadian told the American.

Andreescu, the first guest to win at a tournament (in Indian Wells), admitted she had lived "last two months not easy". "But I always said to myself ... Never give up! +", She concluded, referring to her right shoulder injury at Roland-Garros.

© 2019 AFP