23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams has announced her retirement from tennis after this year’s US Open.
The 40-year-old just won her first singles match in over a year at the Candian Open after her return to Wimbledon failed to go according to plan and said that she could see “light at the end of the tunnel”.
“I have never liked the word retirement,”
“Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me.”
Serena sits just one grand slam shy of Margaret Court’s record of 24 which is the record for most majors.
Williams won her last Grand Slam in 2017 and reached a further four since then but has come up short every time.
“There are people who say I’m not the GOAT (greatest of all time) because I didn’t pass Court’s record, which she achieved before the ‘Open era’ that began in 1968,” said former world number one Williams, who sought the advice of her friend Tiger Woods before picking up a racket again this spring.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that record. Obviously I do. But day to day, I’m really not thinking about her.”
In her retirement post, Serena Williams did downplay her chances of winning her 24th grand slam at the US Open.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year. And I don’t know if I will be ready to win New York. But I’m going to try,” she wrote.
“I know there’s a fan fantasy that I might have tied Margaret that day in London, then maybe beat her record in New York… It’s a good fantasy. But I’m not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment.
“I’m terrible at goodbyes, the world’s worst. But please know that I am more grateful for you than I can ever express in words.”
Serena is unequivocally the most dominant female tennis player. In her storied career, she also added seven Australian Open titles, three French Open titles, and seven Wimbledon crowns.
Williams also owns 14 women’s Grand Slam doubles titles with older sister Venus and has won four Olympic gold medals: singles (2012), and doubles (2000, 2008, 2012).
