Serena Williams has announced that she will quit tennis this year.
The American legend, who has won more Grand Slam singles titles than any player in the Open era, wrote in Vogue magazine today that she will retire from the sport after the 2022 US Open at the end of August.
Serena wrote that she was “evolving away from tennis” in the Vogue article that was published today.
“I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,” she wrote. “A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family.”
Serena, who won her first match in over a year yesterday at the National Open in Toronto, confirmed that she would play at the US Open in Flushing Meadows at the end of the month. That will be her last Grand Slam event.
The 40-year-old has won 23 grand slam titles — the most in the Open Era and one short of Margaret Court’s all-time record.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year,” Serena added.
“And I don’t know if I will be ready to win New York. But I’m going to try. And the lead-up tournaments will be fun. 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, and then at the trophy ceremony say, ‘See ya!’ I get that. 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. You have carried me to so many wins and so many trophies. I’m going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis. And I’m going to miss you.
Serena, whose elder sister Venus is still active, revealed that it was not an easy decision to make.
“I have never liked the word retirement,” she wrote.
“It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me. I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people.
“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. A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family.
“It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me.
Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family.
“Maybe I’d be more of a Tom Brady if I had that opportunity. Don’t get me wrong: I love being a woman, and I loved every second of being pregnant with Olympia. I was one of those annoying women who adored being pregnant and was working until the day I had to report to the hospital—although things got super complicated on the other side. And I almost did do the impossible: A lot of people don’t realise that I was two months pregnant when I won the Australian Open in 2017. But I’m turning 41 this month, and something’s got to give.
“I’ve been reluctant to admit that I have to move on from playing tennis. It’s like a taboo topic. It comes up, and I start to cry. I think the only person I’ve really gone there with is my therapist.”
