Serena Williams is swinging her racket at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament held last month in Mason, Ohio. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Serena Williams, the 'Queen of Tennis' who has won 23 major singles titles, will participate in the US Open Tennis Tournament. Although recent performance evaluations suggest a low chance of passing the first round, this tournament is expected to be her retirement match, drawing significant public attention.
Williams will compete against Danka Kovini? in the US Open singles match, which opens on the 29th (local time) at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, USA.
Williams has not officially announced her retirement, but earlier this month she strongly hinted at leaving the stage on her social media (SNS). She said, "I enjoy tennis, but the countdown has begun. I need to focus on becoming a mother and on spiritual goals," adding, "I need to focus on discovering a different but joyful Serena."
Born in 1981, Williams is celebrating her 14th debut anniversary this year. She has won 23 Grand Slam tournaments and achieved over 100 victories in major singles and doubles competitions. She was also known as the Queen of Tennis, maintaining the world No. 1 ranking for more than 300 weeks.
However, her recent matches have been disappointing. She withdrew due to an ankle injury in the first round of Wimbledon last year and was eliminated in the first round of her comeback match at Wimbledon this June.
News of Williams’ farewell match has led major foreign media and the sports world to highlight her career, recognizing that she brought a significant turning point to women's tennis.
The Wall Street Journal stated, "Williams impressed upon female athletes that they must have stronger strength and competitiveness than anyone else to get what they want," and added, "She changed the culture that only focused on the external appearance of tennis champions, exerting great influence on the next generation of boys and girls."
Global tennis star Rafael Nadal also honored Williams as a legend in the sports world. He said, "Williams leaving the tennis world is a great loss," but added, "She deserves to have what she has achieved because she has put in enough effort, and now is the time for her to choose what she wants to do."
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