Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion who has been the face of tennis since profitable her first U.S. Open in 1999, mentioned in {a magazine} article revealed on-line on Tuesday that she deliberate to retire from the game after taking part in once more within the event, which begins later this month.
Williams, who way back transcended her sport as a dominant cultural determine, mentioned in an as-told-to cowl story for Vogue that she has “by no means preferred the phrase retirement,” and most popular the phrase “evolution” to explain her subsequent steps. “I’m evolving away from tennis, towards different issues which can be vital to me,” together with working along with her enterprise capital agency and rising her household.
She was not express about when she may cease taking part in, however hinted on Instagram that the U.S. Open might be her final event. “The countdown has begun,” she mentioned, including, “I’m gonna relish these subsequent few weeks.”
Williams mentioned that she and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, deliberate to have one other youngster.
“Within the final yr, Alexis and I’ve been making an attempt to have one other youngster, and we just lately received some info from my physician that put my thoughts relaxed and made me really feel that at any time when we’re prepared, we are able to add to our household. I positively don’t wish to be pregnant once more as an athlete. I have to be two ft into tennis or two ft out.”
Williams, whose final Grand Slam event victory got here whereas she was pregnant in the course of the Australian Open in 2017, was eradicated from Wimbledon in June within the first spherical.
“Sadly I wasn’t able to win Wimbledon this yr,” Williams mentioned. “And I don’t know if I can be able to win New York. However I’m going to strive. And the lead-up tournaments can be enjoyable.”
Williams has received almost $100 million in prize cash.