VS’is a champion as we rarely do. For two decades, Serena Williams has imposed her pace and style on tennis courts around the world. If she was inevitably on the decline for a while at almost 41 years old, the American managed the feat of overtaking Steffi Graf in the number of victories in grand slam tournaments during the Open era. With a total of twenty-three cumulative successes from 1999 to 2017, but also four gold medals at the Olympic Games, she helped shift women’s tennis into its modern era and made several generations of sportswomen dream.
“The countdown is on”
After another difficult year in competition, like her elimination in the first round of Roland-Garros by the Frenchwoman Harmony Tan, Serena Williams revealed some clues about her epilogue. In the magazine vogue and on her Instagram account, she thus indicated her intention to soon end her sports career, in particular to devote herself to her family. “There comes a time in life when you have to decide to take a new route. It’s always a difficult moment when you love what you do so much. And God I love tennis. But now the countdown is on. While she didn’t specify a date or last tournament, all roads seem to lead to the next US Open, which will take place from August 29 to September 11, 2022 at Flushing Meadows.
Serena Williams will remain a special player no matter what, who for almost 25 years has remained at the top level and faced competition from Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters or even her sister, Venus, who, for his part, has still not hung up the racket at 42 years old. Its historic coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, is perhaps the one who best underlines how much his player has counted in the history of the little yellow ball. “She changed tennis! She brought an athletic dimension that there was not at all. She opened the doors, with her sister Venus, to a whole generation of players because it was a white sport. She invented tennis bullying because she has a presence that makes others fear her. For a very long time, it was impressive, ”explained the Frenchman to AFP.
An icon that goes beyond the world of tennis
His thirst for victories was inexhaustible. With twelve grand slam titles over the past decade, Serena Williams has conceded only crumbs to the competition. It was also her trademark when she was at 100% physically: stifling her opponent and giving her very little respite in the exchanges. In 2012 in particular, she sent Maria Sharapova 6-0 6-1 in the final of the London Games. And if Serena Williams did not want to stop after surpassing Graf’s record, it was because she was simply aiming for another: that of Margaret Court, with 24 grand slam victories in all eras. But this quest came up against several obstacles, and in the first place a body tired by all these battles.
And it is not only in its sporting dimension that Serena Williams has allowed tennis to evolve. Fashion icon and muse, like her fabulous contract with Nike, the American is one of the highest paid sportswomen of all time. “She brought the business to women’s tennis. Before her, the business was very small, and with her, it has become huge because she has such an aura… She has become such a marketing object that huge contracts are now possible for players,” concludes Patrick Mouratoglou.
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It remains to be seen where Serena Williams is in the hierarchy of other legendary sportswomen. In front or behind mythical figures like Nadia Comaneci, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Allyson Felix, Marie-José Pérec or even Martina Navratilova? By its longevity and its successes over several decades, difficult not to install the American at the top of this pantheon. In any case, we know that it will be extremely complicated, if not impossible, to imitate her, as she has marked the history of sport beyond the tennis courts.