Friday September 2nd, 2022, Flushing Meadows, New York, United States was the stage the legendary tennis player and to many, the greatest female tennis player of all time – Serena Williams bowed out of the sport she dominated for over two decades. It was tears of joy as she acknowledged fans after losing her third-round match against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic.
The 40-year-old Serena became emotional in the post-match interview, thanking her late father, known as King Richard, for everything he did. She also went on to thank her sister the legendary Venus Williams, her husband, daughter and every other person who helped her along her journey. It was indeed a heartbreaking sight watching her on TV as she fought back the tears that were swelling in her eyes.
The defeat marked just the second time Serena lost a deciding third set at a major 6-1 or 6-0. She lost the third set 6-0 to Mary Joe Fernandez in the third round of the 1999 French Open. Serena had also not lost in the first week of the US Open in over two decades. During her career, she won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any player in the Open Era, and the second-most of all time.
She also won 14 major women’s doubles titles, all with her sister Venus, and the pair was unbeaten in Grand Slam doubles finals. This includes a non-calendar year Grand Slam between the 2009 Wimbledon Championships and the 2010 French Open, which granted the sisters the doubles world No. 1 ranking.
She won four Olympic gold medals, three in women’s doubles, an all-time joint record shared with her sister. She has also won two major mixed doubles titles, both in 1998. She is widely considered as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. And the arrival of the Williams sisters has been credited with ushering in a new era of power and athleticism in the sport.
You cannot talk about Serena without talking about Venus. In fact, when historians of the future look back on women’s tennis, they will most certainly point to one event that changed the course of the game more significantly than any other. When the Williams sisters emerged on the scene in the late 1990s as teenagers, the women’s game changed forever. The serve became more than getting play underway, it became a weapon—the underpinning of the new power game in women’s tennis.
Venus holds the fastest recorded serve, but Serena’s serve is not only powerful, but also consistent, effortless and precise. It has been called the best serve ever in the history of women’s tennis. In time, various injuries, illnesses and personal conflicts interrupted their play, as the sisters often generated speculation that their interest in tennis waned. Eventually, however, they would find their way back to the sport.
Throughout their careers, people constantly told Serena and her sister Venus that they weren’t allowed to do certain things. They were told that they had no business winning the most coveted tournaments in the game. Each time someone told Serena “no,” she went and proved them wrong beyond a shadow of a doubt. She also had to endure several racist slurs throughout her career.
One commentator had this to say about her. “Love is why Serena and her sister dared to change tennis history and accepted the spotlight in their wins and losses. Love is why she took great offense after being called a cheater. Love is why she’s giving herself one more chance, despite the physical limits of a 40-year-old body, to win the US Open instead of adhering to the old advice of how athletes should leave the game while they’re at the top of the sport.”
While she couldn’t win the US Open, her legacy still lives on. There is a generation of players who first saw themselves in tennis because they saw her. She changed who got to play the game. Not just in terms of race or socioeconomic background but also size and stature, and attitude. Some of her choices were controversial but she undoubtedly brought some much needed colour into a sport that for far too long limited itself to white uniforms, white players, white patrons, white umpires and white country clubs.
The Williams sisters have already created a legacy by inspiring more African-American children – especially those from low-income areas – to play tennis. The sisters have championed a tennis centre in the Anacostia neighbourhood of Washington, DC, devoting time and money to its development. Tennis students taking lessons at the Venus and Serena Williams Tennis Arena at the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center have on several occasions said how the sisters have inspired them.
Serena also used her popularity in the sport to draw attention to gun violence in the place she grew up. She called attention to the danger for Black people everywhere when they interact with the police. She has fought for pay equity, for purses and appearance fees to reflect the reality that watching women at the top of their game is as entertaining and compelling as watching men. She and Venus have proved that tennis isn’t a sport meant for only ‘white people.’ They proved that black heroine could also find widespread acceptance.
With her older sister Venus, they are well known for their commitment, generosity and charity work. Serena’s contribution to society is outstanding, and her hubristic personality is one to cherish. Her determination is incredible towards everything she does, which makes her a role model to society. Specifically young female tennis players are inspired by Serena, due to her dedication towards being the best that she can achieve.
Sadly though, all good things must come to an end, and for Serena Williams the end – or what seems like the end – of one of the greatest athletic careers in history has come to an end. Michelle Obama, Tiger Woods and NBA star LeBron James led the tributes as athletes and celebrities around the world poured in support for her. Will there be another Serena Williams, I doubt there ever will. But there certainly will be other players that will be inspired by her achievements and playing style.
