The biological clock is ticking for Serena Williams and on her pursuit of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.

The American star who won her most recent major at the Australian Open in 2017 while pregnant will open her 2019 campaign against 82nd-ranked Vitalia Diatchenko. Williams would then face a qualifier or 107th-ranked Dalila Jakupovic in the second round.

However, the all-time record of 24 majors set by Australia’s Margaret Court between 1960 and 1973 has proved frustratingly out of reach for Williams who turns 38 years old on September 26.

Williams returned to Grand Slam tennis, after giving birth to her daughter, at Roland Garros in 2018, making the last 16 where she had been set to resume her bitter rivalry with Maria Sharapova.

An arm injury torpedoed that meeting and stalled her assault on a fourth title in Paris after 2002, 2013 and 2015.

She still made headlines in Paris by wearing an all-black bodysuit which has now been banned by Roland Garros officials.

Defeat in the 2018 Wimbledon final and US Open championship match, where her now-infamous meltdown overshadowed Naomi Osaka’s title triumph, followed her Paris heartbreak.

Her Australian Open campaign in January ended in a quarter-final loss to Karolina Pliskova despite having led 5-1 in the final set and holding four match points.

Since Melbourne, Williams has been unable to finish the three tournaments she has entered — she retired to Garbine Muguruza in the third round of Indian Wells, withdrew after winning a round in Miami, and withdrew after winning a round in Rome last week due to a right knee injury.