Serena Williams announced earlier today, in article with Vogue, that she will be retiring from tennis after this season's US Open, which begins later this month.
Granted she does not add any trophies before her retirement, she will leave the game of tennis with 39 Grand Slam titles (23 singles and 16 doubles/mixed-doubles), four Olympic gold medals, and five Tour Finals titles.
I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me," she wrote in the piece for Vogue. "I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people.
"Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me. A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family."
Serena Williams Praise
Across Twitter, the tennis world and its fans have been reacting to the announcement.
John McEnroe, who is a long-time champion Serena Williams, said that,
She's in that level where Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Tom Brady are. She's one of the all-time greatest athletes in the history of any sport, male or female."
The tennis world is reacting to the upcoming retirement of Serena Williams. Tennis Legend John McEnroe gives his thoughts. #SerenaWilliams #USOpen #tennis pic.twitter.com/jSqulDSmov
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) August 9, 2022
Wimbledon's Twitter account celebrated the tennis legend with the caption, 'Some play the game. Others change it. We hope the next few weeks bring you joy.'
Karl Hale, the Director of the Canadian, the tournament which both Williams sisters are competing in, also celebrated the two stars.
“The two of them have a really special place with me and I have a very close relationship with them," said Hale. "They’ve done so much for this sport and we want to give them a great (possibly) last experience in Toronto."
Media figures have also spoken with emotion on Serena's retirement. Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks expressed her "gratitude" for Serena, while CBS' Justin Walters described her as "1 of 1."
Some play the game. Others change it.
We hope the next few weeks bring you joy, @serenawilliams 💜💚 pic.twitter.com/kuS6O87wI4— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) August 9, 2022
So many feelings about the Serena Williams announcement that I don't know where to start - but the biggest is gratitude. Serena makes us feel capable. Watching her play tennis is great because she makes you feel strong. I will miss how it feels to watch her be Serena. One more.
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) August 9, 2022
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We will never see another Serena Williams. She’s 1 of 1. Never forget that she won the Australian Open while pregnant. 🐐
— Justin Walters (@JustinWaltersTV) August 9, 2022
Gonna be in my feelings all day about Serena Williams but the biggest one is gonna be Gratitude. Thank you to the most high for letting me be here to witness the legacy of the greatest athlete to ever grace this planet. What an extraordinary human 🙏
— Sandra 💙💯⚽️ (@SandHerrera_) August 9, 2022
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