All-time tennis nice Serena Williams on Tuesday mentioned she’s strolling away from the game after the U.S. Open, writing that she’s within the midst of a “transition” from the court docket.
In an essay posted by Vogue, Williams mentioned she has “never liked the word retirement. It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me.”
However, she mentioned in no unsure phrases that she’s about to depart the game she’s dominated for many years.
“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,” she added.
The winner of 23 main singles titles, Williams mentioned she “wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon” this 12 months.
“And I don’t know if I will be ready to win New York,” she mentioned, a reference to the U.S. Open. “But I’m going to try. And the lead-up tournaments will be fun.”
In an Instagram post, Williams added: “The countdown has begun. I have to focus on being a mom, my spiritual goals and finally discovering a different, but just exciting Serena. I’m gonna relish these next few weeks.”
Williams, who has a 4-year-old daughter, hinted that she desires to develop her household — whereas additionally bemoaning the societal pressures heaped on girls.
Female athletes do not get the prospect to be like quarterback Tom Brady, who simply turned 45 and is nonetheless an elite participant, based on Williams.
“Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair,” she wrote. “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.”
She added: “But I’m turning 41 this month, and something’s got to give.”
Williams wrote that she leaned on the recommendation of her buddy and all-time golf nice Tiger Woods earlier than coming to this determination.
“He said, ‘Serena, what if you just gave it two weeks? You don’t have to commit to anything. You just go out on the court every day for two weeks and give it your all and see what happens,’ ” she wrote.
Williams insisted she’s by no means been a lot for imagining how historical past books will replicate on her profession.
“I don’t particularly like to think about my legacy,” the tennis icon penned. “I get asked about it a lot, and I never know exactly what to say. But I’d like to think that thanks to opportunities afforded to me, women athletes feel that they can be themselves on the court. They can play with aggression and pump their fists. They can be strong yet beautiful.”
Williams’ final Grand Slam singles title came at the 2017 Australian Open, when she bested her trailblazing older sister Venus Williams, who has gained seven main singles titles.
Serena Williams’ essay dropped a day after she gained a match for the primary time this 12 months, beating Nuria Parrizas-Diaz 6-3, 6-4 on the women’s National Bank Open in Toronto.
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