Serena Williams announces plan to retire from tennis after US Open

New York: Serena Williams has announced in a magazine article published on Tuesday that she planned to retire from tennis sometime after the US Open, which begins 29 August. Williams, who will turn 41 in September, wasn’t explicit when would be her last tournament but said in an Instagram post that the “countdown has begun.” She cited family as the primary reason for giving up the sport in which she won a record 23-major titles. In the first-person  cover story for Vogue Williams said she has “never liked the word retirement,” while preferring the term “evolution” to describe her next steps. “I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,” including working with her venture capital firm and growing her family. “I’ve been reluctant to admit to myself or anyone else that I have to move on from playing tennis,” Williams wrote. “Alexis [Ohanian], my husband, and I have hardly talked about it; it’s like a taboo topic. I can’t even have this conversation with my mom and dad. It’s like it’s not real until you say it out loud. “It comes up, I get an uncomfortable lump in my throat, and I start to cry. The only person I’ve really gone there with is my therapist! One thing I’m not going to do is sugarcoat this. I know that a lot of people are excited about and look forward to retiring, and I really wish I felt that way.”

Based on her Instagram post and caption that went with it, US Open, a tournament she has won six-times, could be her swansong. “There comes a time in life when we have to decide to move in a different direction. That time is always hard when you love something so much. My goodness do I enjoy tennis. But now, the countdown has begun,” Williams wrote on Instagram. “I have to focus on being a mom, my spiritual goals and finally discovering a different, but just exciting Serena. I’m gonna relish these next few weeks.” In the Vogue story, Williams said she and Ohanian planned to have another child. “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’ last Grand Slam title came at the 2017 Australian Open when she was pregnant. At the most recent major, she lost in the first round of Wimbledon but got her preparation for US Open underway with a win in Toronto. It was her first singles victory since the 2021 French Open, 14 months ago. Williams is set to play next week at Cincinnati and compete at the US Open, where she won her first Grand Slam title in 1999 at age 17. Williams has been on 23 majors since the 2017 Australian Open, one away from Margaret Court’s record of 24 titles. She has been to four major finals since returning to tour but been unable to tick to number 24. “Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year,” Williams said in the essay on Vogue. “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.” “I know there’s a fan fantasy that I might have tied Margaret that day in London, then maybe beat her record in New York, and then at the trophy ceremony say, ‘See ya!’ I get that. It’s a good fantasy. But I’m not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment. I’m terrible at goodbyes, the world’s worst.” Williams has won seven Wimbledon and Australian Open titles, six US Opens and three French Open crowns as well as the 2012 London Olympic singles gold medal and three more golds in doubles. Read all the  Latest News ****,  Trending News ****,  Cricket News ****,  Bollywood News ****,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook****,  Twitter and  Instagram****.