Serena Williams said that she is looking forward to a life beyond tennis after her hopes of winning her 24th Grand Slam at the US Open on Friday were dashed.
Williams, who will be 41 later this month, expects to “evolve” away from tennis after a third-round US Open defeat to Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday.
Even though the 23-time Grand Slam singles winner was pleased with her accomplishments in New York, she was already planning her life beyond tennis.
“It takes much effort to get here. “I’m obviously still competent,” Williams said. “Much more is required than that. I’m prepared to become a mother and experience a new side of Serena.
“Technically speaking, I’m still very young, so I’d want to live a little while I’m still walking.”
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While Williams aspires to continue engaged in tennis in some manner, she expects to spend more time with her 5-year-old daughter Olympia in the near future.
“My career has been quite difficult for her,” she remarked. Therefore, it will be good to do that and spend some time with her, as well as do things I’ve never had the chance to do before.
Williams said that she was unsure of the role tennis might play in her future.
“I’ve had so many incredible experiences that I cannot imagine a future without it,” she said. “What is my participation? I have no idea.”
Williams stopped short of officially declaring her retirement and avoided a question about whether there was any “wiggle space” in her apparent inclination to put up her racket.
“I’m not considering that. “I’ve always loved Australia,” she said in reference to the Australian Open in January, an event she has won seven times.
Earlier, Williams had given her all during a three-hour struggle with Tomljanovic in front of a strongly fanatical crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
After leveling the match in a 1hr 23min second set, the veteran’s resilience was ultimately shattered as Tomljanovic stormed to a 5-1 lead in the third set.
Williams used every single ounce of her battling spirit to stave off loss, fending off five match points in the seventh game before ultimately succumbing.
Williams then acknowledged the fans while Tina Turner’s song “Simply the Best” was played across the stadium.
Williams added, “It’s been a fantastic ride.” “This has been the most wonderful trip and voyage I’ve ever had in my whole life.
“I am very thankful to each and every individual who has ever yelled, ‘Go, Serena!’ in their lifetime. You got me here.”
Williams lauded her parents, Richard Williams and Oracene Price, for setting her and her older sister Venus on the road to tennis superstardom.
“It all began with my parents,” stated Williams. They are entitled to everything.
Serena is the best tennis player of all time.
She said, “I would not be Serena if it weren’t for Venus, so thank you, Venus. She is the only reason Serena Williams was ever born.”
Tomljanovic, 29, expressed regret that Williams’ career has to its conclusion.
She addressed the audience, “I’m feeling terrible because I adore Serena just as much as you do.” “What she has done for me and for tennis is fantastic.
This is a bizarre experience for me, since I never believed I’d have the opportunity to play Serena in her last match after watching her in all those finals.
Tomljanovic said that she had never felt certain of winning.
She added, “Up until the final point, I thought she had a chance to win, even when she was down 5-1.” “That is precisely who she is. She is the best in history. Period.”
© Agence France-Presse
What a journey it has been!
Thank you, @serenawilliams photo: http://twitpic.com/OEURHryJxV
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 3, 2022