A case of what might have been for Serena Williams' comeback season

New York, Sep 26: Serena Williams will look back on what might have been when she reflects on her comeback season.

The 23-time grand slam champion will not play again this year after she pulled out of the China Open.

Williams played 25 matches in 2018 following a 14-month absence, losing Wimbledon and US Open finals as she failed to match Margaret Court's overall tally of major triumphs.

The American superstar suffered a meltdown in a Flushing Meadows decider that she lost to Naomi Osaka this month after chair umpire Carlos Ramos deemed that she had received in-match coaching by Patrick Mouratoglou.

We look back on how Williams, who turned 37 on Wednesday, fared back on the circuit after giving birth to her first child, Alexis, last September.

March

- Beats Zarina Diyas on her return at Indian Wells and sees off Kiki Bertens in round two before older sister Venus consigns her to a 6-3 6-4 third-round defeat.

- Suffers a first-round defeat to newly crowned Indian Wells champion Osaka at the Miami Open.

May/June

- Looks increasingly threatening back on the grand-slam stage at the French Open before pulling out just before an eagerly anticipated showdown with old foe Maria Sharapova due to a pectoral injury.

July

- After coach Mouratoglou warns she will be "dangerous" at Wimbledon, Williams comes agonisingly close to a record-equalling major singles title, losing 6-3 6-3 to a dominant Angelique Kerber in the final.

August

- Johanna Konta inflicts a heaviest defeat of her career on the former world number one, winning 6-1 6-0 in the first round in San Jose. Williams later revealed she only heard that the man convicted of killing her half-sister had been released from prison just prior to going out on court to face the Brit.

- Petra Kvitova consigns Williams to a second-round loss in Cincinnati, winning 6-3 2-6 6-3.

September

- Williams looks destined to equal Court's major haul in her homeland, but hit the headlines for the wrong reasons as she clashed with Ramos in a dramatic final which she lost 6-2 6-4 to first-time grand slam champion Osaka.

- Pulls out of the China Open, bringing her season to an end.