American Serena Williams withdrew from the French Open on Monday, shortly before she was due on court to face Maria Sharapova in a much-anticipated fourth round showdown.
The mother of one arrived at the 2019 French Open making another fashion statement
Order of play on the main show courts at the French Open.
Lindsay Davenport hailed Serena Williams for delivering a 'powerful message' that shows it is possible to 'pursue personal goals even when you're a mum'.
The exodus of seeded players has been so spectacular that only one of the top 10 remains -- number seven Karolina Pliskova.
Her coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes she is now ready to matching Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slams.
Her next opponent is tennis great and 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.
Since having a child and returning to the WTA Tour Serena Williams's focus has been split between raising a family and work.
Halep has struggled for form and fitness since her first-round defeat at the US Open last August and came to Australia on a five-match losing streak and without a coach after long-serving Darren Cahill left for "family reasons".
Germany's Angelique Kerber, who will try to prevent Serena Williams winning an eighth Wimbledon title on Saturday, never went away but she too is making a comeback of sorts.
While trying to surpass Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam titles might be one of the reasons she pushed herself to get back on court despite all her complications in childbirth, she also wants to see if she recover her pre-pregnancy form.
Serena Williams said the latest chapter in her tennis life was "just beginning" on Saturday after seeing her hopes of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title dashed in the Wimbledon final.
Separated in age by 25 years, their careers overlapped only briefly and Martina Navratilova, who herself won 18 Grand Slam singles crowns, never faced Serena Williams on a singles court.
The 36-year-old has been practising hard on the grass and few would bet against her becoming the first mother to win the title since Evonne Cawley 38 years ago.
Even the Parisian stormclouds cleared for Serena Williams on Tuesday, as the new mother's baby steps back to Grand Slam tennis became a stride into the second round of the French Open.
Former World No 1 Kim Clijsters says, "I admire both Serena and Venus because they have a perseverance that is incredible. They're able to do a lot of things that other people can't do, physically and mentally, so I don't doubt that she will come back, I don't doubt it, but it just takes a little bit of time."
A year after Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka were both caught up in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, both will be trying to make history in the US Open final on Saturday.
Serena Williams is chasing Australian Margaret Court's record 24 Grand Slam singles titles
The Romanian broke Williams's serve in the first game but that was the only one she managed for the rest of the opening set as the American bulldozed her way through the set in 20 minutes, serving it out with an ace.
Serena Williams has never been one to take too much notice of convention.
Williams, who played an exhibition match last December in the United Arab Emirates, where she lost to French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, said in addition to working on her serve and returns, she needs to manage her time better now that she has her daughter in tow.
With her post-pregnancy comeback, the tennis champ is shattering stereotypes and inspiring women everywhere.
Williams, a record 23-times Grand Slam champion, will be returning to the All England Club for the first time since giving birth to her daughter last September.
Seven-time champion Williams had been bidding to claim a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam crown but made too many errors as Kerber ran out a comfortable winner in the final.
It will be 'Mother's Day' on Wimbledon's Centre Court on Monday when Serena Williams takes on fellow mum Evgeniya Rodina for a place in the quarter-finals of the grasscourt major.
The match ended in 52 minutes as Williams played her forehand into the net.
As the countdown to 2018 starts, it's time to rewind those moments in sport that stood out this year.
Serbian Djokovic, 31, needed elbow surgery in February to cure a problem that surfaced in 2017, but after some jarring defeats he returned to the kind of domination he achieved in 2015, winning Wimbledon and the US Open.
The returning Scot also announced his withdrawal from next week's Rogers Cup in Toronto.
Donald Trump, Hardik Patel, Kangana Ranuat... The year 2017 wouldn't have been the same if it weren't for these personalities and many more. As we herald in 2018, here's a look at the faces and stories which left an indelible mark on us.
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