Serena Williams took her final bow on Friday following her elimination from the U.S. Open. The 23-time Grand Slam champion lost her last match to Australia’s 29-year-old Ajla Tomljanović in a three set battle 7-5, 7-6 (4), 6-1.
The tennis icon turned professional at the ripe, young age of 14 and was coached by her father alongside big sister, Venus. Throughout her career, she and Venus teamed up in doubles to win 14 Grand Slam championships; another saga that ended with their final doubles match last week.
Williams thanked her big sister following her match on Friday, “I wouldn’t be Serena if there wasn’t Venus, so thank you, Venus. She’s the only reason that Serena Williams ever existed,” she said.
Over her 27-year career, Williams has won 23 Grand Slam trophies including six U.S. Open, three French Open, seven Australian Open and seven Wimbledon titles. In addition to her singles titles, Williams also won 14 doubles titles and two mixed doubles titles. She also won four Olympic gold medals, winning the singles gold in London 2012, and three doubles gold medals in Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
Following her loss on Friday, she thanked a slew of people including the record-breaking crowd at Arthur Ashe stadium. “It’s been a fun ride. It’s been the most incredible ride and journey I’ve ever been on, I mean, in my life. I’m just so grateful to every single person that’s ever said, Go, Serena, in their life. I’m just so grateful,” she said. “You got me here.”
Throughout last week, Williams was consistently asked if she would be retiring following her departure from the U.S. Open, if and when it happened, and she dodged a definitive answer. On Friday, however, she seemed more confident in her response.
“Clearly I’m still capable,” she added. “It takes a lot more than that. I’m ready to, like, be a mom, explore a different version of Serena. Technically in the world I’m still super young, so I want to have a little bit of a life while I’m still walking.”
While Williams shared in July that she would be evolving away from tennis in her retirement announcement, she still plans to stay involved in the sport to some extent.
“For me, tennis has been such a huge part of my life, I can’t imagine not being involved in tennis,” she said. “I don’t know what that involvement is yet. But I feel like it’s provided me with so many opportunities. Through that, it’s provided other people with so many amazing opportunities. I think it means so much to me in my life, and I’ve had so many amazing moments, that I don’t see a future without it.”
It is hard to imagine a tennis era without Serena Williams in it. She has changed the game and left a legacy that is unlikely to be matched by any players in the current era of the sport. She has received praise from athletes across many different sports like Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Alex Morgan. Greatness has been recognized in Serena by competitors and fans across the world and that will live on for years to come.