MIAMI – Tennis legend Serena Williams could also be readying to hold up her racket.
Williams, who’s gained numerous titles over a profession that has spanned practically three many years, urged that she intends to retire after the upcoming U.S. Open in a Vogue essay printed on Tuesday.
In the essay, Williams, who lives in Palm Beach Gardens, stated that “evolving away from tennis” would give her a chance to prioritize different issues.
“I have never liked the word retirement. 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,” she wrote. “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.”
The announcement got here a day after the 40-year-old gained her first singles match in 430 days.
She performed her first singles match in over a yr at Wimbledon in June, dropping to France’s Harmony Tan. Afterward, she hinted that she may play on residence soil on the US Open, which begins on August 29.Â
“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 within the essay.
She is presently enjoying within the Canadian Open. Â
Since dropping her skilled debut in September 1995, Williams has change into probably the most dominant drive in ladies’s tennis within the final 30 years.
She has gained 73 profession singles titles, 23 doubles titles, and two blended doubles titles. That consists of 39 grand slam titles — 23 singles titles, 14 doubles titles and two blended doubles titles.
Williams has been ranked singles world No. 1 by the Women’s Tennis Association for 319 weeks, together with a joint-record 186 consecutive weeks, and completed because the year-end No. 1 5 occasions.Â
The four-time Olympic gold medalist has gained over $94.5 million in profession prize cash, greater than every other feminine athlete.
Away from the court docket, Williams is married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and gave delivery to their daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. in September 2017.
Focusing on her younger household, in addition to her pursuits away from tennis, is why she’s deciding to step away from the sport.
“Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair,” Williams defined. “These days, if I have to choose between building my tennis resume and building my family, I choose the latter.”
