Serena Williams says she “will not be relaxing” after playing what is likely to be her final competitive tennis match, and can now find time for “things that I’ve been wanting to do for so many years”.
The global tennis phenomenon said that her reported “retirement” from the sport was “more of an evolution of Serena” and it was time for her to explore her other passions.
The multi-grand slam winner bowed out of the third-round of the US Open tournament earlier this month after losing in three sets to Ajla Tomljanovic.
Speaking about her tennis career on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, she said: “I think retirement is something that is super earned and that people work really hard for.
Serena Williams motions a heart to fans after losing to Ajla Tomljanovic
“I feel like I’m at an age where I definitely have a lot more to give and there’s a lot more that I want to do so I’m not going to be relaxing, there’s so much more for me.
“I feel like it’s more of an evolution of Serena.”
She added: “There’s so many things that I’ve been wanting to do for so many years and I’ve had such a passion for tennis for so long that I’ve never done them.
“Now it’s time for me to start to enjoy those things.”
Teased by Fallon about a possible return to her sport, similar to that of NFL legend Tom Brady, she responded: “Tom Brady started an amazing trend. That’s what I want to say.”
Serena Williams says she now has time to focus on other things in her life
Serena Williams: The career of a tennis icon
Age has never been an obstacle for the irrepressible Williams, who collected 12 of her 23 major titles after 2010, last winning a major title at the Australian Open in 2017, while being eight weeks pregnant.
Williams has also been runner-up in 10 major finals but she’s been stuck on 23 Grand Slams since 2017. She tried and tried to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record – but without success yet.
Injury and illness played a part in Williams’ incredible story, although she continued to defy logic by battling back time and time again.
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Since 1998, she has topped the rankings 10 times, dropping outside of it just three times during that period.
Williams has also completed the career ‘Golden Slam’ by holding all four majors as well as Olympics singles gold. Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and Rafael Nadal are the only other players to have achieved such a feat.
The irresistible Williams also secured the ‘Serena Slam’ (winning all four Grand Slams in a row) – not once, but twice. In 2003 and 2015.
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Her clashes with older sister Venus are the stuff of legend while her dominance over Maria Sharapova is arguably the most storied rivalry in women’s tennis.
Away from the tennis court, Williams went through extensive complications after giving birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr in September 2017 and was bedridden for six weeks. “I almost died after giving birth to my daughter, Olympia,” Williams revealed in an interview with Vogue.
Just two months later Williams and her partner Alexis Ohanian tied the knot. “Alexis doesn’t dim my light. He doesn’t try to dim my light,” she explained to Allure. “He puts me in the light, even if I don’t want to be. He pushes me to further points I never thought about.”
Serena has continued to prove her stunning resilience, fighting spirit, and winning mentality at the highest level.