WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon took a moment to reflect on Serena Williams’ stunning career and noted it is “impossible to capture what Williams means to the WTA.” On Tuesday, Williams confirmed what some had been expecting to happen – she is retiring from tennis at this year’s US Open.
After being on the Tour for well over 20 years and accomplishing some of the greatest success ever seen in the history of the game, Williams is retiring from the game to focus on family and business. “With this news, it is important to take a step back and think about everything that Serena has brought to our sport and what she has accomplished both on and off the court.
She is one of the greatest champions, an entrepreneur, a mother, an investor in women’s business ventures and an inspiration to women and girls across the world. It is impossible to capture what Serena means to the WTA Family and we wish her only great success and happiness as she evolves into the next stage of her amazing journey.”
Williams picked the US Open as the place where she will retire
Williams sustained a leg injury at 2021 Wimbledon and she was out for a year before returning to singles action at this year’s Wimbledon. At Wimbledon, Williams didn’t make it far as she suffered a first round defeat to Harmony Tan.
Some fans were hoping to see Williams winning Wimbledon at the age of 40, after being out for a year. Williams acknowledged she was aware of what some of her fans were hoping and made it clear that she knows that now there are those who are hoping she goes out as an US Open champion.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year,” Williams wrote for Vogue. “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.”
