Serena Williams not ready to relax after final tennis match as she ‘has a lot more to give’

Serena Williams says she “will not be relaxing” after playing what is likely to be her final competitive tennis match, and can now find time for “things that I’ve been wanting to do for so many years”.
The global tennis phenomenon said that her reported “retirement” from the sport was “more of an evolution of Serena” and it was time for her to explore her other passions.
The 23-time Grand Slam winner bowed out of the third-round of the US Open tournament earlier this month after losing in three sets to Ajla Tomljanovic.
Speaking about her tennis career on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, she said: “I think retirement is something that is super earned and that people work really hard for.
“I feel like I’m at an age where I definitely have a lot more to give and there’s a lot more that I want to do so I’m not going to be relaxing, there’s so much more for me.
“I feel like it’s more of an evolution of Serena.”
She added: “There’s so many things that I’ve been wanting to do for so many years and I’ve had such a passion for tennis for so long that I’ve never done them.
“Now it’s time for me to start to enjoy those things.”
Serena’s sister and fellow tennis great Venus joked after their exit from the US Open doubles that she would try to convince her sibling to “evolve back”.
“I know for Serena and I, we have had and lots of wins and even though she’s evolving away from the sport, she might evolve back for doubles.
“Maybe I can get her to play. I don’t even know if I will play doubles again.”
Teased by Fallon about a possible return to her sport, similar to that of NFL legend Tom Brady, she responded: “Tom Brady started an amazing trend. That’s what I want to say.”
In an interview with Tennis365, doubles great Bob Bryan paid tribute to Serena.
“She has got to be one of the greatest competitors to every play,” Bob said. “She hates to lose. Every time she steps out there she finds that extra gear. Early on (against Danka Kovinic) she hit a few doubles faults and it wasn’t looking very good, but she just kinda reached back and found that will.
“It was the loudest match I’ve ever seen and she used the energy from the crowd. She rose to the occasion. She has not been playing well, but I thought for a set and a half she played great.”
READ MORE: An ode to the great Serena Williams and why her screams, complaints, cries and fights mattered
Latest
-
News
Serena Williams opens up on Will Smith’s Oscar slap
Serena Williams says that we are all human and make mistakes in the heat of the moment.
-
Tennis News
Nick Kyrgios escapes conviction despite pleading guilty to assaulting ex-girlfriend
Nick Kyrgios saw the common assault charge against him dismissed.
-
Davis Cup
Great Britain braced for ‘complicated’ Davis Cup qualifier in Colombia
Matches will be played at an altitude of 2,600 metres and with pressureless balls.
-
WTA Tour
Heather Watson ends her quarter-final drought with win in Thailand – ‘It was just survival of the fittest’
Heather Watson will now face Chinese seventh seed Xinyu Wang.
-
Tennis News
Toni Nadal shares thoughts on fans’ hostility toward Novak Djokovic as well as Rafael Nadal’s future
Toni Nadal on why Novak Djokovic has so many detractors.
-
Tennis News
Stunning LTA numbers confirm tennis participation is booming in Britain
New figures have revealed that there has been a 47 per-cent increase in tennis participation in clubs and parks across Britain.
-
WTA Tour
Aryna Sabalenka’s 2023 tennis schedule: Where is she competing next and her season so far…
A look at Aryna Sabalenka’s possible tournaments for the 2023 season.
-
News
Serena Williams welcomes Tom Brady to ‘retirement world again’ as she opens up about her final match ‘regret’
“Sad to see you go,” Serena Williams told Tom Brady.
-
Tennis News
Elina Svitolina urges IOC to ‘stick to banning Russian and Belarusian athletes’ for Paris 2024 Olympics
Elina Svitolina wants a united front when it comes to sanctions imposed against Russia and Belarus.
-
Tennis News
Marion Bartoli latest to criticise Elena Rybakina’s coach Stefano Vukov – ‘I just can’t take that any more’
Marion Bartoli basing her opinion on Elena Rybakina’s coach Stefano Vukov on incidents she witnessed herself.