After a remarkable 27-year career, Serena Williams announced her retirement from tennis, shocking the tennis community.
The single mother admitted to Vogue that she would put her racquet away after the US Open in September in order to concentrate on growing her family.
"I've been hesitant to acknowledge that I need to stop playing tennis. Like a forbidden subject, "The heartfelt piece was written by the 41-year-old for the September issue.
I've never been a fan of the word retiring. It doesn't strike me as a contemporary word. Although I've been thinking of this as a transition, I want to be careful how I use that word because it has a very specific and significant meaning to a group of individuals.
Williams claimed that she had trouble conceptualizing the idea of retiring and that it was "barely discussed" with her parents.
"I can't even talk to my parents about this. It's as though unless you say it aloud, it isn't actually real. When it does, I feel a strange lump in my throat and begin to cry "She spoke.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion stated that she "never wanted" to choose between raising a family with her husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, and playing tennis, but she did want to give her daughter Alexis Olympia, who is four years old, a sister.
She noted that it was challenging for women to be forced to choose between having children and their sporting careers because, if she were a male athlete, she could continue competing around the world.
She stated, "If I were a guy, I wouldn't be writing this because I'd be out there winning while my wife was doing the actual labor of growing our family."
She emphasized that she was "evolving" away from tennis with her retirement and that she would instead concentrate on other businesses she had started while competing at the pinnacle of their careers.
In contrast to other athletes, such as Australian Ash Barty, who withdrew in March as the world's No. 1 player at the age of just 25 after feeling burned out, Williams acknowledged that there was no enjoyment in retiring.
"I abhor it. I detest having to stand at this turning point. She admitted, "I keep telling myself I wish things could be simple for me, but it's not.
Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles trophies, one less than Australian Margret Court's record, 16 doubles titles, and approximately US$95 million in prize money, making her probably the greatest female athlete in the history of the sport.
At Flushing Meadows, the 40-year-old will have the opportunity to match Court's record, but she will have a battle because the women's competition is the fiercest it has ever been, with fresh young stars dominating the rankings.
She began her professional tennis career in September 1995 at the age of 14, and went on to become the Open Era's most decorated female player.
Williams won seven Australian Opens, three Roland Garros trophies, seven Wimbledon titles, and six US Open crowns during the course of her 27-year career.
After taking a long absence from competing due to injuries, she dropped to world No. 407 despite thinking she was physically ready to compete again at a high level.
Williams, who will turn 41 in a month, won the Toronto Open's first round over Nuria Parrizas Diaz, marking her first triumph since the 2021 French Open.
Williams acknowledged her devoted following of countless numbers, saying they "took me to so many wins and so many trophies," but she was not seeking a "last on-court moment" at the US Open.
I understand that there's a fan dream that I might have tied Margret that day in London, then possibly broken her record in New York, and then said, "See ya!" at the prize ceremony.
It's an enjoyable fantasy. However, I'm not searching for a solemn, on-court moment. I'm the worst person in the world at saying goodbye.
"I'm going to miss that tennis-playing side of myself. And you will be missed by me.
