NEW YORK -- A German man pleaded guilty Thursday to stalking top-ranked tennis player Serena Williams.

Albrecht Stromeyer, 34, entered the plea to fourth-degree stalking -- a misdemeanor -- in Criminal Court in Queens. He is expected to be placed in the custody of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Judge Suzanne Melendez told Stromeyer to stay away from Williams and her family and at least 1,000 yards from any WTA Tour or U.S. Tennis Association tournament, including the U.S. Open.

"My absolute concern is the safety of Serena Williams and her family,'' the judge said.

Stromeyer waived his right of appeal and agreed to get psychiatric treatment in his hometown of Frankfurt. An Oct. 23 hearing was scheduled to review the case; Stromeyer is not required to attend.

"This is the outcome that my client wanted,'' said Gerard Savage, Stromeyer's Legal Aid attorney.

Savage also apologized on behalf of Stromeyer, saying, "In his mind, it was a love story. ... It was romantic poetry.''

Stromeyer's brother and cousin attended the hearing; no member of Williams' family came.

The judge denied a request by Stromeyer to speak in court.

"His family has assured us that he will receive appropriate psychiatric care and that every effort will be made to prevent him from engaging in this kind of conduct in the future,'' Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

"Today's disposition will hopefully get Mr. Stromeyer the help that he clearly needs and will assure that he is kept far away from Ms. Williams and other members of the women's tennis tour,'' Brown added.

Following his plea, Stromeyer was to be placed in the custody of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Stromeyer was arrested Saturday at the National Tennis Center and held on $3,000 bail. He was charged with two counts of stalking after police spotted him watching through a fence as Williams, the reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion, played her third-round match against Nathalie Dechy.

Williams has been traveling with a bodyguard since May.

Stromeyer admitted in a written statement to police that he had been following Williams around the world. He was arrested outside the gates of Wimbledon in July after scuffling with police and told the officers he loved her and would never hurt her.

In May, Stromeyer was ordered to leave Italy after police at the Italian Open received word of his history of harassing Williams. Two months earlier, Stromeyer walked into an Arizona hotel-resort where she was playing and asked to see her. When he was turned down, Stromeyer began undressing in front of the desk clerk. He was charged with disorderly conduct and indecent exposure.

Williams' mother, Oracene, also reported seeing Stromeyer at a Berlin tournament in May and at the French Open in June.

Stromeyer, who lives with his parents in Frankfurt and whose mother is a psychiatrist, allegedly has tried to contact Williams by phone and e-mail several times.