Serena Williams withdraws from Pan Pacific Open

Serena Williams has announced that she will not compete at the Pan Pacific Open due to her need to recover from a hectic schedule.

The 31-year-old's decision comes after she clinched her fifth US Open title by beating Victoria Azarenka in three sets during the final.

"Unfortunately with the number of matches I have played throughout the summer, I need more time to properly recover," Williams said in a statement.

The American is likely to feature in the China Open in Beijing beginning on September 28.