Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion who has been the face of tennis since profitable her first U.S. Open in 1999, stated in {a magazine} article printed on-line on Tuesday that she deliberate to retire from the game after enjoying once more within the event, which starts later this month.
Williams, who way back transcended her recreation as a dominant cultural determine, stated in an as-told-to quilt tale for Vogue that she has “never liked the word retirement,” and most well-liked the phrase “evolution” to explain her subsequent steps. “I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,” together with running along with her challenge capital company and rising her circle of relatives.
She used to be no longer specific about when she may forestall enjoying, however hinted on Instagram that the U.S. Open may well be her ultimate event. “The countdown has begun,” she stated, including, “I’m gonna relish these next few weeks.”
Williams stated that she and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, deliberate to have some other kid.
“In the last year, Alexis and I have been trying to have another child, and we recently got some information from my doctor that put my mind at ease and made me feel that whenever we’re ready, we can add to our family. I definitely don’t want to be pregnant again as an athlete. I need to be two feet into tennis or two feet out.”
Williams, whose ultimate Grand Slam event victory got here whilst she used to be pregnant all the way through the Australian Open in 2017, used to be eradicated from Wimbledon in June within the first spherical.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year,” Williams stated. “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.”
Williams has gained just about $100 million in prize cash.
