Emotional and tearful, American Serena Williams announced after her exit from the third round of the U.S. Open that she is unlikely to reconsider her retirement decision following a rare 27-year career in the world of sports. When asked if she would reconsider her retirement, the holder of 23 Grand Slam titles replied after her loss to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović (7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1): "I don't think so, but no one knows." Serena, who will turn 41 on September 26, had announced earlier last month that she would soon conclude her career without specifying when, and the U.S. Open in New York, where she won her first Grand Slam title in 1999 at the age of 17, seemed a fitting place to end her illustrious journey.
The scene was poignant on Arthur Ashe Stadium as the legend stood before her fellow citizens to speak after a career that long dominated tennis courts. Serena struggled in the third set against her opponent, who secured the match in 3 hours and 5 minutes. The American did not give up and fought until the end of every rally, saving five match points. Afterward, she waved to the crowd as Tina Turner’s "Simply the Best" played.
Serena added, "It has been a fun journey. It has been an incredible journey in my life. I am grateful to everyone who said, ‘Come on, Serena.’ I am very grateful; you brought me here." She gave special thanks to her family, her parents Richard and Oracene Price, who paved the way for her and her older sister to enter the global tennis scene. "Thank you, Dad; I know you are watching me. Thank you, Mom (present in the stadium). My God, it’s been decades... everything started with my parents. They deserve everything. I am truly grateful to them." She also thanked her sister who was in the stands, saying, "There would be no Serena without Venus; thank you. She is the sole reason for Serena Williams' existence."
In a press conference following the match, Serena stated that she may seek a life outside of tennis. "I’m ready to be a mom, to explore other aspects of Serena. Technically, I'm still very young, so I want to have a little life while I'm still walking." She revealed she wants to spend more time with her 5-year-old daughter, Olympia. "It has been really hard for her, my career. It would be nice to spend some time with her. I am doing things I have not had the chance to do before." She acknowledged she does not know what role she might play in the world of tennis in the future. "I’ve lived such amazing moments, that I can’t see a future without it. What will my participation be? I have no idea."
Once again, the passionate and fighting player brushed aside a question about whether there is "room for maneuver" regarding her retirement. "I’m not thinking about that. I have always loved Australia," referring to the Grand Slam tournament next January, which she has won seven times. "I have come a long way since Wimbledon last year, so I don’t know if it will be my last moment."
Since the beginning of her professional career at the Quebec tournament in 1995, the Michigan native became the queen of the game, although she fell short of equaling Australian Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam titles. She won the Australian Open and Wimbledon seven times, the U.S. Open six times, and the French Open three times, achieving 73 singles titles between 1999 and 2020, with earnings nearing $94.8 million. After her last title in Australia in 2017 while pregnant with her daughter Olympia, she reached the finals of four Grand Slam tournaments at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2019 without equaling Court's record.
She played her role as a mother deeply, stepping back from the courts, and faced health issues that nearly cost her life when she experienced a pulmonary embolism in 2011. In recent years, she played only a few tournaments, prioritizing Grand Slam events and dedicating much of her time to parallel activities, especially in the fashion world. After being injured in the first round at Wimbledon 2021, she made a surprising return on the grass this summer, where she was also eliminated early.
The holder of four Olympic gold medals topped the world rankings for 319 weeks, more than six years, first on July 8, 2002, and last on May 8, 2017. At the time of her retirement, she was ranked 605th in the world. Only Czechoslovak-American Martina Navratilova (332 weeks) and German Steffi Graf (377 weeks) spent more time at the top.
Meanwhile, Tomljanović expressed her disappointment at the end of Williams' career, saying, "I really feel sorry because I love Serena as you all do. What she has done for me, for tennis is amazing." The world number 46 continued, "I never imagined I would get the chance to face her in her final match... so this is a surreal moment for me." The 29-year-old admitted she was not sure about winning "until the last point. I knew she was in a position to win even when she was down 1-5... she is the greatest of all time. Period."
