No Major: Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova Drop out of the China Open

The 2015 China Open is now underway, but tennis fans may be disappointed if they're heading out to the National Tennis Center, as two of the tournament's top stars won't be appearing.

Women's world number one and 2015 Wimbledon champion Serena Williams and world number three Maria Sharapova have both withdrawn due to injury.

"“It’s no secret I’ve played injured most of the year — whether it was my elbow, my knee or, in the final moments after a certain match in Flushing, my heart,” Williams said in a statement, referring to her semi-final loss at the US Open in September.

Sharapova arrived in China in late September to play at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open in the central China city, but injured her forearm and withdrew from the rest of that event.

Fear not, sports fans: men's number one Novak Djokovic, who won the 2015 US Open and is a three-time China Open champion, will play as scheduled. The tournament continues through October 11. Get tickets here.

Photo: Philippine Inquirer