Serena Williams says she’s walking away from tennis after U.S. Open
All-time tennis great Serena Williams on Tuesday said she's walking away from the sport after the U.S. Open, writing that she's in the midst of a "transition" from the court.
In an essay posted by Vogue, Williams said she has "never liked the word retirement" and that it "doesn’t feel like a modern word to me."
However, she said in no uncertain terms that she's about to leave the sport she's dominated for decades.
"I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people," she added.
"Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me."
Williams, who has a 4-year-old daughter, hinted that she wants to grow her family — while also bemoaning the societal pressures heaped on women.
Female athletes don't get the chance to be like quarterback Tom Brady, who just turned 45 and is still an elite player, according to Williams.
"Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair," she wrote.
"If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family.
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