The Legacy of Serena Williams

The ball whips across the court, Serena makes contact, the ball flies back in the direction it came from, but this time slams into the net. It’s over. Not just the long lasting game between Serena Williams and Ajla Tomljanović, but Serena’s career. Serena announced that the 2022 US open would be the end of her professional tennis career. Serena has 23 grand slam titles, 4 Olympic medals, and has played pro tennis since she was 14 years old. 

Her father, Richard Williams Jr., was her coach throughout her youth, and a portion of her professional career. Richard Williams was teaching his daughters how to play tennis, as soon as they could walk. He strategically moved his family around to allow Venus and Serena to succeed. The movie King Richard features many details regarding the raising of the Williams Sisters and their family. Serena’s professional career began shortly after Venus’s, who is a year older. Only a few years later, Serena won her first major at the 1999 US Open at the age of 17. Since that title win, she has won many more, sometimes alongside her sister Venus.  

In April of 2017, Serena announced her pregnancy after playing in the Australian open, and in September, gave birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. Due to her personal life conflicts and her beginning to reach the expected retiring age for pro athletes, Serena made a game changing announcement. Thousands of fans waited for her to unleash a wave of disappointment with her approaching retirement announcement. In the summer of 2022, Serena announced her decision to leave the professional tennis world, during a Vogue interview. She stated, “I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me”. So, her retirement was common knowledge by the time the US open rolled around. After her loss during the open, Serena made a speech, a goodbye speech. When asked if she would ever come back to tennis Serena replied with ““I don’t think so… but you never know”. 

An individual who witnessed this monumental event in person, is Miko McGuire (Ms.McGuire’s son). When asked about the atmosphere after her loss, Miko stated, “The atmosphere was pretty incredible. I think just like myself, not everyone was a massive tennis fan, but everyone knew the importance of the moment and was completely invested.” He continued, “It can be a pretty social atmosphere with fans talking to their neighbors or even walking around the grounds rather than sitting in their seats, but for Serena’s match everyone watched and cheered for every single point”. 

I also asked him what stuck with him from her goodbye speech, and he shared, “Two things that stuck out for me were her emotional thank you to Venus and the reactions of the fans”. Miko proceeded to share that after Serena walked off the court, and Medvedev, an incredible men’s tennis player came on the court next, the stadium practically cleared. Everyone was there to see Serena play.

From beginning her professional career, to 35 years later, Serena has been an idol, an aspirational woman, and the face of tennis. Serena has influenced the sport and so much more. She has constantly been a role model for young girls, and an incredibly respected athlete. She will be remembered, and missed, but there is a possibility she could return in the future.