Tennis legend Serena Williams has announced her retirement from tennis while gracing the cover of the new Vogue.
In the article, Williams wrote: “I have never liked the word retirement. 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.
“A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family.”
She said there is “no happiness” in her decision, in fact, there’s “a great deal of pain.”
“It’s the hardest thing that I could ever imagine,” she added.
“I hate it. I hate that I have to be at this crossroads.
“I keep saying to myself, I wish it could be easy for me, but it’s not. I’m torn: I don’t want it to be over, but at the same time I’m ready for what’s next.”
She went on to reveal that she’s been trying to have a second child with husband Alexis Ohanian.
“Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family,” she wrote.
“I don’t think it’s fair. 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.
“We recently got some information from my doctor that put my mind at ease and made me feel that whenever we’re ready, we can add to our family.
“I definitely don’t want to be pregnant again as an athlete. I need to be two feet into tennis or two feet out.”
Social media has since been flooded with reactions from her celeb mates.
“Can’t wait to see what’s next friend,” actress Gabrielle Union shared on her Instagram Story.
Meanwhile Kim Kardashian dropped the goat emoji on Williams’ post.
Serena Williams is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Among her many accolades is the fact that she’s a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion.
I highly recommend you have a read of her Vogue article if you get the chance. It’s v. powerful stuff.
Congrats queen. <3
