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Williams waving goodbye to Centre Court at Wimbledon. PA

‘I’m evolving away from tennis’ - Serena Williams set to retire

The US Open is expected to be the 23-time grand-slam champion’s final tournament.

LAST UPDATE | 9 Aug 2022

SERENA WILLIAMS HAS announced her imminent retirement from tennis.

The 23-time grand-slam champion won her first singles match for more than a year at the National Bank Open in Toronto on Monday evening but has revealed in a first-person piece for Vogue that she has decided to end her career.

“I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,” she wrote.

Williams has committed to playing at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati next week as well as the US Open later this month, and it appears that will be her final tournament.

“Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year,” said the 40-year-old.

“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 (Court on 24 slam singles titles) 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.”

spcanada-toronto-tennis-national-bank-open-womens-singles Serena at the 2022 National Bank Open in Toronto. Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

Williams revealed her motivation behind calling it quits is the desire to have a second child, and that she was trying for another baby during her absence from tennis for a year until Wimbledon this summer.

She returned to the sport early in 2018 following the birth of daughter Olympia the previous year having been pregnant when she won her last slam title at the Australian Open.

“I’m turning 41 (in September), and something’s got to give,” she wrote in Vogue.

“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 admitted the decision to leave tennis is a hard one, saying: “It’s the hardest thing that I could ever imagine. I hate it. I hate that I have to be at this crossroads. I keep saying to myself, ‘I wish it could be easy for me’, but it’s not.

“I’m torn. I don’t want it to be over but, at the same time, I’m ready for what’s next.

“I don’t know how I’m going to be able to look at this magazine when it comes out, knowing that this is it, the end of a story that started in Compton, California, with a little black girl who just wanted to play tennis.”

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    Mute Fred Johnson
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    Jul 8th 2016, 5:15 PM

    Noooo!. Why must Federer age. The rest of them are grunting plebs by comparison whose forehands look like they’re shovelling cement.

    Hopefully his two sons take up tennis and dominate for an age.

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    Mute Joan Ryan
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    Jul 8th 2016, 5:18 PM

    He looks like a right eejit in that blazer.
    Murray all they way for me, otherwise Rafa.
    Roger had his twin daughters playing on the practice courts at the weekend. Looks like they are more likely to take over from him, and I know how much you love women’s tennis Fred!

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    Mute Fred Johnson
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    Jul 8th 2016, 5:22 PM

    Your reverse snobbery is on show Joan.

    His sons are younger, i shall wait for them to take over his mantle.

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    Mute Joan Ryan
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    Jul 8th 2016, 5:33 PM

    Nothing to do with snobbery in either direction.
    He just looks like an eejit in the blazer…

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    Mute Seán O Sullivan
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    Jul 8th 2016, 5:28 PM

    Murray’s to lose now lads

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    Mute John Reese
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    Jul 8th 2016, 7:45 PM

    Fed is legend and showed great sportsmanship after

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    Mute Ken Pepper
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    Jul 8th 2016, 6:05 PM

    Come on Tim !!!!

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    Mute Stephen Keane
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    Jul 8th 2016, 10:43 PM

    Would love to see Raonic beat Murray.

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    Mute James Darcy
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    Jul 9th 2016, 2:32 AM

    Nah let Murray beat him might be the last time the BBC get to call him a Brit

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    Mute Anthony Toby Kielthy
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    Jul 9th 2016, 5:16 AM

    As a lover of all sports , probably the greatest sportsman I’ve seen , longevity, style , panache , brilliance , a lot of compliments are worthy for Federer, dignity probably the most apt !

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    Mute Name
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    Jul 8th 2016, 6:53 PM

    Poor old Roger. Time to hang it up lad. Your final chance has gone.

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    Mute Jason Clifford
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    Jul 8th 2016, 7:40 PM

    Time to hang it up??? He just lost a grand slam semi final in 5 sets. It’s not like he was beaten in the first round

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    Mute The Guru
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    Jul 9th 2016, 1:48 AM

    Only a matter of time before Raonic wins a major. His game has come on massively the last year or so and he’s improving the mental side too.

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    Jul 9th 2016, 8:22 AM

    Jason, the way I see it is this. He’s only won 2 slams this decade. One of which was the first one. That’s a lot of losses. Simply put, he’s never going to win another one, so why continue to lose? Djokovic slipped up and he still couldn’t take advantage. Continuing past this year, will eventually result in much earlier losses thus diminishing his lofty reputation. I’ll be surprised if next year isn’t his last on tour.

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