Venus Williams Reflects on Tennis Career in IG Post; Coco Gauff Calls Star 'Queen'
Nov 1, 2022
Venus Williams
Venus Williams celebrated the 28th
anniversary of her first professional tennis match with an Instagram
post Monday night.
"On this day 28 years ago I made my
debut to professional tennis. I never imagined 28 years later what [Serena Williams] and I would experience in this sport," Williams wrote. "I
can recount the wins and the losses, but in the end it was always
about the pursuit of my best self. Everyday, win, lose or draw. I can
look back with no regrets. It's all been worth it."
Coco Gauff was one of many who responded to Williams' post, calling her "Queen."
ESPN's D'Arcy Maine noted the
comments "raised speculation that her legendary career could be
nearing an end."
Williams' schedule has been reduced in
recent years, including just one appearance over the last five Grand
Slam tournaments, and she didn't make her 2022 debut until August
during the lead up to the U.S. Open.
She played both singles and doubles in
New York, losing in the opening round of both events. She lost to
Alison Van Uytvanck in singles and teamed with her sister, Serena, in
a loss to the Czech Republic tandem of Lucie Hradecká and Linda
Nosková in doubles.
The U.S. Open was treated as a going
away party for Serena, who'd hinted toward retirement during the
weeks leading up to the season's final major tournament.
Instead, the 23-time Grand Slam singles
champion said last week she expects to return.
"I am not retired," Serena
told reporters. "The chances [of a return] are very high. You
can come to my house, I have a court."
Likewise, Venus' post Monday took on a
reflective tone about her Hall of Fame career but stopped short of
saying her playing days were over.
Venus' career resume includes 23
Grand Slam titles (seven singles, 14 doubles and two mixed doubles),
four Olympic gold medals (one singles and three doubles) and a total
of 73 tournament titles across the three disciplines.
Her most recent title came at Wimbledon
in 2016, when she teamed with Serena to win the doubles championship.
If Venus opts to continue her career,
the first Grand Slam event of 2023 is the Australian Open beginning
Jan. 16. She would need to qualify or receive a wild card for the
tournament.
Serena Williams Says She's Not Retired from Tennis, Chance of Return 'Very High'
Oct 25, 2022
NEW YORK, USA, September 02: Serena Williams of the United States during the Women's Singles third round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium during the US Open Tennis Championship 2022 at the USTA National Tennis Centre on September 2nd 2022 in Flushing, Queens, New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Tennis fans may not have seen the last of Serena Williams.
"I'm not retired," she said at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference last week.
She added: "The chances are very high [of playing again]. You come to my house, I've got a court."
The tennis legend penned her "farewell to tennis" in an August essay for Vogue but stopped short of calling it a retirement, instead describing it as "evolving away from tennis."
A professional athlete, especially one who has reached the heights Williams has, can never know what retirement feels like until they experience it. In addition, sports is littered with stars who walked away only to discover they weren't ready to call it quits.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is the most recent example. His NFL retirement in February lasted just 40 days.
The full effect is only beginning to settle in for Williams. She said at the TechCrunch conference that it's "very weird" to not have any official matches to prepare for.
"It was like the first day of the rest of my life, and so far, I am enjoying it," she said. "But I'm still trying to find that balance.”
The real test of the 41-year-old's resolve will come when the 2023 Australian Open rolls around and life after tennis truly begins. How much will she find herself wanting to get back on the court for meaningful action?
Reaching the third round of the U.S. Open and upsetting second-seeded Anett Kontaveit might have left her believing she has something left in the tank. Even though her career has extended well past the point at which other legends have continued, maybe she can make one last run to a Grand Slam final.
Serena's days as a full-time player are over, but getting her back for a handful of big events would be music to the ears of fans.
Serena Williams Congratulates Roger Federer on Retirement: 'Always Looked Up to You'
Sep 16, 2022
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 20: (L-R) Serena Williams of the United States speaks to Roger Federer of Switzerland during the ribbon cutting ceremony on the new Stadium Court at the Hard Rock Stadium, before the first match of the Miami Open on March 20, 2019 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
Roger Federer announced his intentions to retire after his next competition, becoming the second tennis legend to call it a career within the past few weeks.
Serena Williams, who retired after losing in the third round of the U.S. Open, offered kind words to Federer in a touching Instagram post.
"I have always looked up to you and admired you," Williams wrote. "Our paths were always so similar, so much the same. You inspired countless millions and millions of people - including me - and we will never forget."
Williams continued: "I applaud you and look forward to all that you do in the future. Welcome to the retirement club. And thank you for being you."
Unlike Williams, the Swiss superstar won't be ending his career at a Grand Slam. Federer, who turned 41 last month, announced that he will retire after participating in the Laver Cup, which takes place Sept. 23 to Sept. 25 in London. He cited injuries as the reason for his retirement.
"As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries," Federer said. "I've worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body's capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear."
Undoubtedly one of the greatest male tennis players of all time, Federer will finish his career with 20 Grand Slam singles titles, the third-most behind Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21). Williams holds the all-time Open Era record with 23 major singles titles.
The retirements of both Federer and Williams represent the beginning of tennis' shift to the next generation of stars. The U.S. Open was won by two players early in their careers: 21-year-old Iga Świątek, who won her third career major, and 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, who won his first.
TMZ: Serena and Venus Williams' Childhood Home to Be Auctioned Off; Worth $1.42M
Sep 15, 2022
NEW YORK - NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 1: Serena Williams and Venus Williams of the United States talk on court after losing a point during their Women's Doubles First Round against Linda Noskova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic on the 2022 U.S. Open Tennis Tournament on September 1, 2022. In New York. (Photo by Eduardo MunozAlvarez/VIEWpress)
Any tennis fan with a cool million and change to spare will have the opportunity to own a house with a very famous place in the sport's history.
According to TMZ Sports, the childhood home of Serena and Venus Williams in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, is going up for auction in late September. The house has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and two tennis courts on a 10-plus-acre lot and is estimated to be worth approximately $1.42 million.
The Williams sisters lived there with their father, Richard, who helped them learn the game of tennis as they grew older. Their journey was chronicled in the movie King Richard, and they went on to become two of the greatest players in tennis history.
Serena Williams has been the focus of the tennis world of late after she wrote in Voguein August that she was "evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me."
However, she pointed to Tom Brady's decision to retire and then unretire during an appearance on Good Morning America and suggested her tennis career may not be done.
"I mean, you never know," she said (h/t ESPN). "I've just been saying that I think Tom Brady started a really cool trend."
Being the house where a 23-time Grand Slam champion honed her game before her legendary career took off is quite the selling point as it approaches the auction block.
Serena Williams on Possible Return to Tennis: 'Tom Brady Started a Really Cool Trend'
Sep 14, 2022
Serena Williams attends the Michael Kors runway show during New York Fashion week in New York on September 14, 2022. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Tom Brady may not be the only legendary athlete who only steps away from the game only temporarily this year.
While much of the coverage of the 2022 U.S. Open—at least when it came to the women's singles draw—focused on how it was Serena Williams' final tournament of her illustrious career, she suggested she may follow in Brady's footsteps during an appearance on Good Morning America.
"I mean, you never know," she said when discussing a possible return to tennis (h/t ESPN). "I've just been saying that I think Tom Brady started a really cool trend."
Brady's future was one of the biggest storylines of the entire NFL during the past offseason as he retired and then unretired a mere six weeks later. He also stepped away from Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp for 11 days and agreed to a 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox to eventually contribute to the network's NFL coverage.
That's quite the retirement plan, although he is back under center for a 23rd season and led the Buccaneers to a Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the 2022 campaign is "expected" to be the all-time great's last year in the league.
As for Williams, she wrote in Vogue that she was "evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me" in August, adding "it's the hardest thing that I could ever imagine."
She notably didn't use the word "retirement," although the implication was fairly clear when there was a post-victory ceremony honoring her career and the impact she has made on so many after she defeated Danka Kovinić in the opening round of the U.S. Open.
Billie Jean King spoke, Oprah Winfrey narrated a video montage and the entire thing, along with a raucous crowd that packed the stadium every time she took the court, felt like a retirement celebration.
Yet Williams impressed in New York, not only defeating Kovinić but also handling second-seeded Anett Kontaveit in the second round and taking Ajla Tomljanovic the full three sets in the third despite playing just four matches since July 2021 ahead of the year's final major.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who has 73 career singles titles, looked like she could play at an elevated level even at 40 years old with a more consistent schedule.
While that may not happen at this point, her schedule may include some more tennis tournaments in the future.
President Biden Congratulates Serena Williams on Last Match: 'A Champion of All Time'
Sep 4, 2022
NEW YORK, USA, September 02: Serena Williams of the United States in tears during her on-court interview after her loss against Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia on Arthur Ashe Stadium in the Women's Singles third round match during the US Open Tennis Championship 2022 at the USTA National Tennis Centre on September 2nd 2022 in Flushing, Queens, New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
President Joe Biden congratulated Serena Williams Saturday on her long and successful career after she lost Friday in the third round at the U.S. Open to Ajla Tomljanović, 7-6, (4) 6-7, 6-1.
.@SerenaWilliams, you’re an inspiration, a champion of all time.
Thank you for dreaming, daring, and proving that anything is possible.
Williams announced earlier in August that she was planning to retire after this season.
She ends her career with a long list of achievements that includes 23 Grand Slam titles (trailing only Margaret Court's 24) and four Olympic gold medals (three in doubles, one in singles).
🏆 186 consecutive weeks at No. 1 🏆 4x Olympic gold medalist 🏆 23-time major champion 🏆 367 major match wins 🏆 6 US Open titles 🏆 73 career titles
She is universally recognized as the greatest female tennis player of all time, arguably the greatest player the sport has ever seen, period, and one of the most important and impactful athletes of her generation.
Suffice to say, President Biden wasn't the only prominent figure who gave Serena her flowers:
Serena, THANK YOU. It is because of you I believe in this dream. The impact you’ve had on me goes beyond any words that can be put together and for that I say thank you, thank you, thank you, GOAT! pic.twitter.com/qeNZlC05WJ
Congratulations, Serena, for your heart, skill, intelligence, dedication, and grace. Few athletes have inspired more people both in and beyond their sport!
Her retirement marks the end of an era. It's hard to imagine another player dominating and defining their own era quite like Williams did in hers.
Tiger Woods Heralds Serena Williams as 'Literally the Greatest' After Final Match
Sep 3, 2022
USA's Serena Williams waves to the audience after losing against Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic during their 2022 US Open Tennis tournament women's singles third round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, on September 2, 2022. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Golf legend Tiger Woods gave Serena Williams the ultimate respect and reverence for her sensational career after the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion's tennis journey came to an end Friday following a third-round defeat to Ajla Tomljanović on Friday at the U.S. Open.
.@serenawilliams you’re literally the greatest on and off the court. Thank you for inspiring all of us to pursue our dreams. I love you little sis!!!!!!
Williams had previously credited Woods as the reason why she continued to play tennis professionally.
"He's one of the reasons I'm here, one of the main reasons I'm still playing," she told reporters (h/t George Ramsay of CNN).
"We talked a lot. He was really trying to get me motivated. There are a few people, but we were like: 'OK, we can do this together, you know?'"
The 40-year-old Williams fought hard to the finish before falling to a tough opponent in Tomljanovic 5-7, 7-6(4), 1-6 in a match that lasted over three hours.
With that, a 27-year career is now over, and Williams leaves the game after writing one of the most remarkable stories in sports history.
Serena Williams' Historic Career Ends with Loss to Ajla Tomljanovic at US Open
Sep 3, 2022
Serena Williams, of the United States, scores the winning point in a tiebreak with Ajla Tomljanovic, of Australia, during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Twenty-three time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams' immaculate career has come to an end after Ajla Tomljanovic defeated the greatest of all time in three sets—7-5, 6-7(4), 6-1—in the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday evening.
Williams, who announced her decision to evolve away from tennis in an article for Vogue last month, fought valiantly in her final match.
She took a 5-3 lead in the first set after breaking Tomljanovic in a game where she scored all four points.
However, it was all Tomljanovic for the rest of the first set, as she broke Williams twice and held serve two times of her own for the 7-5 victory.
Williams fired back by breaking Tomljanovic twice and going up 4-0 in the first set with her serve. She ended the third game with an ace, one of seven for her in the second set.
Tomljanovic broke Williams to get a game back. The two then traded games before an epic 24-point game with Tomljanovic serving down 5-2. Williams had four set-point chances, but Tomljanovic held each time en route to winning the game.
Williams then lost her serve to even the breaks, and the two soon went to a tiebreak.
Williams found herself up 5-4 with Tomljanovic about to serve twice, but she persevered and won the next two points en route to the second-set win. The first one was courtesy of a phenomenal baseline winner.
Williams started strong in the third set by breaking Tomljanovic, and she took a 40-15 lead in the second game with a chance to go up 2-0.
But it was all Tomljanovic from there en route to the match win. She battled back to break Williams and then won the next five games for the victory.
Tomljanovic's best effort occurred in the fourth game, where Williams staved off three break-point chances before the eventual victor converted the fourth shot to go up 3-1.
All credit goes to Williams for fighting hard in the last game, however, as she fought off five match-point opportunities before Tomljanovic won the sixth.
Tomljanovic will now play unseeded Liudmila Samsonova, who is ranked No. 35 in the WTA rankings, in the fourth round.
Samsonova has won all three of her U.S. Open matches in straight sets, including a second-round victory over 2021 U.S. Open runner-up and No. 14 seed Leylah Annie Fernandez.
Serena, Venus Williams Fall to Lucie Hradecka, Linda Noskova in 2022 US Open Round 1
Sep 2, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 01: Venus Williams looks on with partner Serena Williams of the United States against Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova of Czech Republic during the Women’s Doubles First Round match on Day Four of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 01, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The Czech duo of Lucie Hradecká and Linda Nosková defeated Venus and Serena Williams 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the first round of the women's doubles tournament at the 2022 US Open on Thursday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
It was a disappointing result for the Williams sisters, who were playing in their first major doubles tournament together since the 2018 French Open. It also could have been the final doubles match the sisters play together professionally.
Serena, 40, revealed that she is retiring, or rather "evolving away from" tennis after the 2022 US Open in a Vogue article last month in which she detailed her desire to to work on other things that are important to her, including growing her family with husband Alexis Ohanian and daughter Olympia.
Hradecká and Nosková came out victorious in a back-and-forth first set that was decided in a tiebreak. Hradecka whipped a backhand down the line that neither of the Williams sisters could reach to clinch the victory.
Venus and Serena had a number of opportunities to win the set, including when they were up 6-5 and again in the tiebreak at 5-4, but they allowed Hradecka and Noskova to get back into the set before giving it away in the tiebreak with a number of mistakes.
It often felt like Serena was carrying Venus in the first set, but both of the sisters struggled in the second set as Hradecká and Nosková came out on fire, looking to close out the match early.
The Czech duo raced out to an early 3-0 lead with the Williams sisters looking disjointed after a disappointing first set. Venus and Serena fought back in the fourth game of the second set to cut Hradecka and Noskova's lead to 3-1 before going on to tie the set 4-4 after going down 4-1.
It was an incredible comeback for the Williams sisters, but Hradecká and Nosková were just too good to overcome as they won the next two games to claim a 6-4 set victory to clinch a berth in the second round.
Luckily for tennis fans, Serena will continue her run in the women's singles tournament at the US Open after defeating Danka Kovinic 6-3, 6-3 in the first round and world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 in the second round on Wednesday.
Venus' run in the singles tournament ended with a first-round loss to Alison van Uytvanck.
Serena is set for a third-round clash with Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday at Arthur Ashe Stadium at 7 p.m. ET.
Venus and Serena entered the 2022 US Open having won 14 women's doubles Grand Slams as partners. The only duo with more in the Open Era is Pam Shriver and Martina Navratilova, who won 20 matches together.
They also won three Olympic gold medals as doubles partners, including Sydney in 2000, Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.
