BY AFP

After Friday’s exit at the US Open, Serena Williams thanked her for an incredible tennis career, to many of the best in history, summing it up in one sentence at the end of her press conference: “I’m grateful to be Serena”.

The American, winner of 23 Grand Slam titles, bid farewell to the sport at nearly 41 years old after an emotional third-round loss at the US Open.

QUESTION: Will he reconsider his decision to retire?

RESPONSE: “I don’t think so… but you never know”

Related: Serena Williams retires: I thrived away from tennis

Q: What would it take for him to come back?

A: “I don’t know. I didn’t think about it. But I’ve always loved Australia (where the next Grand Slam will be played, in January 2023). I’ve come a long way since Wimbledon last year. So I’m still not sure if this is my last time or not. no. It took a lot of work to get to this point. And it’s clear that I’m still capable. But there’s a lot more. I’m ready to be a mother, to explore another version of Serena. Technically, I’m still very young (41 years old at 26 September). So I want to enjoy life as long as I can walk.”

Admiration

Michelle Obama, LeBron James and Tiger Woods congratulated “legend” Serena.

— LeBron James, NBA star: “It’s been an honor to follow on your journey. I just want to thank you for being an inspiration to so many people.”

— Oprah Winfrey, television personality: “25 years. Champion. Hero. Legend forever.”

— Tiger Woods, one of the greatest golfers in history: “You really are the best on and off the court. Thank you for inspiring us all to pursue our dreams. I love you brother!!!!!!”

— Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States: “Congratulations on an amazing career. How lucky we are to watch a young woman from Compton grow into one of the greatest athletes of all time.”

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— Coco Gauff, young American tennis player promises: “Serena, THANK YOU. You are the reason I believe in this dream. The impact you have on me is beyond any words we can muster and for that I say thank you, thank you, thank you GOAT!” (Best Player of All Time).

— Michael Phelps, Olympic Swim Gold Medal Winner: “It’s amazing to see Serena not only change tennis, but more importantly, help empower the next generation. His achievements in tennis speak for themselves, but one of the things I admire most about him is that he doesn’t give up.”

outside of tennis

Serena is not only the most dominating tennis player of the last half century, but also an icon who sits at the same table as Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey or Michelle Obama, whose aura and influence inspire black women in the United States.

Williams’ remarkable 27-year career, during which she amassed 23 Grand Slam titles, opened many doors for her in various fields.

Hers is a story about a girl who grew up in 1980s Compton, then a gang paradise near Los Angeles, where whistling balls weren’t really round and yellow.

Both Serena and her older sister, Venus, developed their tennis talents under the patronage and demanding guidance of their father, Richard, who saw them as “the next two Michael Jordans of women’s tennis.”

As Arthur Ashe had done before in men’s tennis or Tiger Woods in golf, Williams broke down racial barriers to show that black athletes could not only compete but succeed and even revolutionize the discipline hitherto monopolized by whites.

“I grew up watching the game. He is the reason why I play tennis”, admits African-American tennis player Coco Gauff, the last Roland Garros finalist at the age of 18.

– Entertainment, fashion and pop culture -“As a black tennis player, I see myself differently. He spoke and dressed differently. It is presented differently. But when he was out on the court, he could compete with anyone,” recalls Williams a few years ago.

Serena transferred that success to other fields, becoming a female entrepreneur with a fortune estimated by Forbes at 260 million dollars.

The tennis player makes the worlds of entertainment, fashion and pop culture his other fields of play and expression.

In 2016, she appeared in the video for Beyoncé’s single “Sorry” and hip hop and R’n’B stars, from Kanye West to Drake to Snoop Dogg, have mentioned her in their lyrics.

On television she starred in the popular series “Law and Order” and on The Simpsons with Venus Jimmy Fallon invited her several times to the symbolic ‘Tonight Show’ and the HBO network dedicated the documentary miniseries “Being Serena” to her.

Last year, publisher DC Comics turned him into one of its superheroes, “Wonderous Serena”, in a comic titled “Serving Up Justice” made available for digital format.

– Break the barrier -In other circles, Serena Williams is also close to figures like the Obamas or Meghan Markle, who invited her to her wedding to Britain’s Prince Henry, when she wasn’t seen on the red carpet like this year’s Oscars.

At the gala where he shocked the film world with his slap on Chris Rock, Will Smith won the best actor statuette for his role as the father of Serena and Venus in “King Richard.”

Williams has also been on the cover of magazines such as Vanity Fair, posing naked while seven months pregnant, and Vogue, a publication she announced this month that the countdown to retirement had begun.

His great interest in fashion led him to participate in Fashion Week fashion shows and became an inspiration for designer Virgil Abloh. On the field, he also stands out for his original costume, even if that means breaking the rules and drawing criticism, but he is not the target of sexist and racist attacks.

A fierce fighter on the track, Williams has also supported movements like “Black Lives Matter” and “MeToo” and denounced gender pay inequality.

Her position earned her a few passionate words of respect from Michelle Obama this month: “Serena, thank you for all you have done to break down barriers and be a positive light in this world. We all see you wearing the crown of greatness with the humility, grace and integrity we can all aspire to.”