Serena Williams, 23 times Grand Slam championofficially bids farewell to tennis.
The 40-year-old revealed her decision in her own words in Vogueit’s September publishes a cover story, explaining that ultimately she wants to have more children and that this is not compatible with the pursuit of her successful career. “If I were a man, I wouldn’t be writing this because I would be playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical work of growing our family,” she told Rob Haskell in the narrated interview. . “Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family.”
Williams and her husband, Reddit co-founder and tech investor Alexis Ohanian, welcomed their daughter Olympia in 2017. Williams previously explain that following her emergency cesarean delivery, she suffered complications, including a pulmonary embolism and hemorrhage at the cesarean site.
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“I was reluctant to admit that I had to stop playing tennis,” she continues. “It’s like a taboo subject. This happens and I start to cry. I think the only person I’ve really been there with is my therapist.
She goes on to say that she finds no joy in leaving tennis, nor any relief, as other players have reported feeling. “I’ll be honest,” Williams says. “There is no happiness in this subject for me. I know this isn’t a usual thing to say, but I feel a lot of pain. It’s the hardest thing I can imagine. I hate that. I hate having to be at this crossroads.
Williams adds that she prefers to refer to this period of her life not as “retirement” but as “evolution,” a word that feels more modern and more in line with how she views this next chapter. That doesn’t mean an ounce of competitiveness is gone from his body, though. In fact, she still thinks about the few records she still has to beat. “In my opinion, I should have played more than 30 Grand Slam tournaments,” she explains. “I had my chance after returning from giving birth. I went from a C-section to a second pulmonary embolism to a grand slam final. I played while breastfeeding. I played until the end postpartum depression.” She continues: “I did not present myself as I should have or could have. But I’ve come 23 times, and it’s very good. In fact, it’s extraordinary. But these days, if I have to choose between building my tennis resume and starting my family, I choose the latter.
