Serena Williams still torn between tennis and balance

Serena Williams tears up

Serena Williams has conceded that when she picks up a racket she still feels that she could be playing at the highest level.

Williams ‘transitioned away’ from the game after her brief but eventful 2022 US Open run.

However, she has openly admitted that she has mixed feelings about stepping away from the sport.

As time passes, Williams admits that she misses tennis less and less and enjoys a more balance life away from the WTA circus.

“I for sure feel more at peace now,” Williams told E!

“It’s interesting. I think I feel torn because I’m still able to play at a very, very, very high level.

“With that being said, I always wanted to leave the game playing at a very high level.

“I also wanted to walk away when I’m healthy and have a quality of life.

“But I’m inch by inch leaning away, inch by inch embracing it.

“I was playing earlier when I first retired because it was hard to do it cold turkey.

“But lately, I haven’t played so much. And I miss it. I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness. I gotta get out there’. But it’s hard for me to get out there.

“I did play the other day, and it’s just like, ‘There’s no way I shouldn’t be playing professional tennis’. Like, there’s literally no excuse.

“But I mean, I guess there is an excuse, right? It’s hard because when I’m playing I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m pretty good at this. I can continue to do this,’ which not a lot of people can say.”

Williams added that there isn’t any way she could enjoy the same work-life balance if she was still a touring pro.

“I’ve been playing tennis for literally my entire life,” she said. “My entire being and knowing is just what I’ve done.

“So now, I’m inch by inch finding my way. Obviously, I love other businesses that I’ve done. But just inch by inch leaning into that and leaning into my family and leaning into just having fun.

“I think it’s so important to do all those and still create that balance.”

Williams may have a sense of some unfinished business with tennis having ended her career with four losses in her last four Grand Slam finals.

Her last Major title came at the 2017 Australian Open, a tournament she played while pregnant with her daughter Olympia.

Williams returned despite a complicated birth and was close to her best but just couldn’t get over the line.

The pandemic appeared to draw a line under any serious attempts to return to full-time touring and her transition announcement was not a surprise.

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