There is no doubt that Serena Williams was one of the greatest athletes to ever touch a tennis court. She has inspired so many people around the world and across different generations with what she has been able to achieve on and off the court. With all she has accomplished in her career, Serena officially announced that she is leaving tennis. She had a few more matches before she bowed gracefully.
She made a big announcement in the latest issue of Vogue and talk,
“I never liked the word retirement. To me, it doesn’t sound like a modern word. I was thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use the word, to mean something very specific and important to a community of people. Probably the best word to describe what I’m doing is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m growing away from tennis, towards other things that are important to me. “
The tennis champion began her announcement by sharing that her daughter Olympia was asking for a sister and Serena took that into consideration when making her decision.
“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 playing and winning while my wife is doing manual labor to expand the family,” she said.
While acknowledging that she’s reluctant to accept that she has to keep playing the sport, Serena said, “One thing I wouldn’t do is this jacket. I know that a lot of people are excited and looking forward to retiring, and I really wish I felt the same.”
She was also touched by the fact that she and her husband Alexis expanded their family, and gave Olympia the younger sister she was requesting.
“Over the last year, Alexis and I have been trying to have another baby, and we recently received some information from my doctor that put my mind at ease and made me feel that whenever we are ready, we can add to our family. I definitely don’t want to get pregnant again as an athlete. I need to be two feet into the tennis or two feet out.”
As her time on the court drew to a close, Serena said: “I’m not ready to win Wimbledon this year. And I don’t know if I’m ready to win New York. But i will try. When her official end came, she said she didn’t want any ceremonies or final moments on the field, saying, “I’m so bad at goodbye, the worst thing in the world. “
However, she did express her gratitude, concluding, “Know that I am more grateful to you than I can express in words. You have led me to so many victories and so many trophies. I will miss that version of me, that tennis girl. And I will miss you. “
Check out Serena’s full announcement here.
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