Serena Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in 2017.[Pic:BBC Sport]

World tennis star Serena Williams has suggested she is set to retire, saying she will be “evolving away” from the sport after the US Open.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion said she is moving towards other things that are important to her, adding she does not like the word “retirement”.

Williams made her singles return at Wimbledon in June after a lengthy injury lay-off that had led to speculation about her retirement.

She says she will play at the US Open, where she has won six of her major singles titles, later in August.

Williams has won more major singles title than any female player in the Open era and the second most of all time, behind Margaret Court’s 24.