Serena's Farewell: Stories from the leadup to the US Open
The talk of tennis — with every one other accompanied by on the far side of — for most of the past trio weeks has been concerning Serena Williams with every one other accompanied by her announcement that she is preparation to place an extremity to playing professional tennis.
That all leads up to the U.S. Open, the year's last Grand Slam tournament, which began Monday, accompanied by Williams scheduled to amuse oneself her first-round match inside Arthur Ashe Stadium at night.
The Associated Press has chronicled the leadup to her departure inside words with every one other accompanied by photos since her revelation earlier this month that she is preparing to "evolve" away from her career while a professional athlete. This guide offers a look at Williams the player with every one other accompanied by Williams the person, her accomplishments with every one other accompanied by her influence, while the 40-year-old American gets prepared to shift her focus from serves with every one other accompanied by forehands to expanding her family with every one other accompanied by pursuing work interests.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT
Williams revealed her plans inside an article inside Vogue magazine that was published Aug. 9. She didn't present with a timeline with every one other accompanied by didn't flat speak she was retiring, nevertheless that she was "evolving away from tennis, in the direction of other things that are important to me."
Along accompanied by her work interests, Williams said she wanted to expand her family. She with every one other accompanied by her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, have a daughter, Olympia, who turns 5 on Thursday.
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"Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose in the centre of tennis with every one other accompanied by a family. I don't believe it's fair," said Williams, who was expecting a infant when she won the 2017 Australian Open for her last Grand Slam trophy. "If I were a guy, I wouldn't exist writing this since I'd exist not here there playing with every one other accompanied by winning while my spouse was doing the physical labour of expanding our family."
THE ON-COURT ACHIEVEMENTS
Williams' 23 Grand Slam singles titles are the most inside the professional epoch of tennis, which began inside 1968. She won 73 tour-level singles titles with every one other accompanied by was ranked No. 1 for additional than sextet years' price of weeks.
Her greatest favourable consequence came at the U.S. Open, where her 106 victories were a competition record. She has reached at least the semifinals inside her last 11 appearances.
Williams too combined accompanied by older female sibling Venus for 14 Grand Slam women's doubles titles with every one other accompanied by has won quartet Olympic gold medal medals.
THE OFF-COURT INSPIRATION
Williams' impact on the Black population is indelible. Raised inside Compton, California, she learned tennis on the condition courts that are a lengthy way from the privileged private clubs that nurtured most U.S. players. She was outspoken on issues such while firearm violence.
Williams is too a vogue icon. She has appeared everywhere from magazine covers to scarlet carpets, with every one other accompanied by "What's Serena wearing?" was occasionally while large a question while "Who's Serena playing?" at a tennis tournament.
She launched a vogue collection inside 2018 following collaborations accompanied by HSN with every one other accompanied by Nike.
Many women idea of their own choices they faced inside balancing family with every one other accompanied by career when Williams made her announcement. She was set of two months expecting a infant when she won her last greatest title nevertheless said she couldn't exist expectant with every one other accompanied by playing again.
THE RECENT MATCHES
Williams earned her only singles victory of the year on the day earlier to her announcement, beating Nuria Parrizas-Diaz 6-3, 6-4 at the women's National Bank Open inside Toronto. She hadn't won a singles match since the 2021 French Open.
Williams at that hour dated was hit 6-2, 6-4 by Olympic gold medal medalist Belinda Bencic inside her following match.
Williams had been off the tour since an wound inside the earliest circular of Wimbledon inside 2021 with every one other accompanied by didn't return until this year's tournament, where she fell 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) to Harmony Tan inside the earliest round.
After the Toronto tournament, Williams went on to mislay 6-4, 6-0 to U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu inside the Western & Southern Open.
THE PREPARATION
Williams has been employed accompanied by Rennae Stubbs, who won quartet Slam titles inside women's doubles, alongside bus Eric Hechtman, since last week. She practiced for concerning an hour inside Ashe on Saturday.
Later that day came report that flat if she lost on Monday, Williams' U.S. Open career wouldn't exist over completely yet. She with every one other accompanied by Venus accepted a wild cardboard into the women's doubles tournament.
The Williams sisters will amuse oneself the Czech set of two of Lucie Hradecka with every one other accompanied by Linda Noskova inside the earliest round. They have won the U.S. Open twice with every one other accompanied by this will exist their earliest competition with every one other since the 2018 French Open.
THE FIRST OPPONENT
Danka Kovinic said she is "honored" to exist facing Williams under the bright lights of Ashe. The 27-year-old from Montenegro said she was contented to learn the report of the matchup following the U.S. Open sketch was unveiled last week.
Ranked 80th inside the world, Kovinic said she's never gotten the bravery to inquire Williams to practice, nor had she at some time flat hit inside the stadium that holds additional than 23,000 fans earlier to the tournament.
Kovinic is only 2-4 at the U.S. Open nevertheless she scored an magnificent Grand Slam victory earlier this year when she hit Raducanu inside the following circular of the Australian Open.
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More AP coverage of U.S. Open tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/us-open-tennis-championships with every one other accompanied by https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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