Serena Williams Says She’s “Evolving Away From Tennis” In Vogue Essay
Aug 9, 2022, 12:06 PM
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 08: Serena Williams of the United States hits a shot against Nuria Parrizas Diaz of Spain during her first round match on Day 3 of the National Bank Open, part of the Hologic WTA Tour, at Sobeys Stadium on August 08, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)
(Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)
Serena Williams doesn’t want to say she’s retiring from tennis.
Instead, she’s “evolving away.”
In an essay published in Vogue Magazine, the tennis star announced her plans to focus more on her family as her career begins to wind down. Serena has one child, a daughter, with her husband and Reddit cofounder/former board member, Alexis Ohanian. Serena was 8 weeks pregnant with her daughter when she defeated her sister Venus in the finals of the 2017 Australian Open.
“But I’ve been reluctant to admit to myself or anyone else that I have to move on from playing tennis. Alexis, 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!”
“I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,” she says. https://t.co/6Zr0UXVTH1
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) August 9, 2022
In her essay, she says she wasn’t ready for Wimbledon this year and alludes to the US Open in New York.
“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,” Serena said.
If the upcoming US Open is the end of Serena’s tennis run, let’s take a look back at her accolades:
- 73 career singles titles
- 4 Olympic gold medals
- 14 major doubles titles with sister Venus
- 23 Grand Slam singles titles
