23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams has once again reiterated that she isn’t planning her farewell tour just yet.
The former world No.1 hasn’t played a match on the tour since losing to Bianca Andreescu in the final of the US Open. A roller coaster season has seen the American win 25 out of 31 matches played in eight tournaments. However, she is still yet to win a title of any sort since becoming a mother back in 2017. Despite the lack of silverware, the 38-year-old insists that she will not be walking away from the sport in the near future.
“I love what I do, and when I’m out there I feel like I’m the best at what I do,” she said. “I know what it takes to work hard. When I wake up and I’m not feeling that way is when I know I need to do something different.”
Williams is the third oldest player to have a professional ranking on the WTA Tour after Hungary’s Greta Arn (40) and sister Venus (39). She credits her longevity on the tour to the developments in technology. She is the oldest woman to reach a major final in the Open Era.
“Athletes across the board, basketball, tennis, football … they’re playing into their 40s,” she states. “That would have never have happened a decade ago or 20 years ago. I’m part of a new generation that was really fortunate to work with better technology, equipment and shoes.
“And, even knowing how to take care of your body. So, your body, even though it’s at a certain age, it actually feels like it’s much younger.”
Serena Ventures
Williams opened up about her future in the sport at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Detroit. An event that is described as having the ‘future captains of technology, entertainment, finance, fashion, food and philanthropy gathering in one place.’ She was invited to be a guest speaker do to her achievements off the court as well as on them. Earlier this year Williams launched Serena Ventures. The firm focuses on investing in businesses that embrace diversity as well as other factors.
“We often try to invest in companies that aren’t about being the biggest company in the world,” she explains. “I love investing and I felt like I’ve always invested in myself and my career.”
There is no doubt that the current world No.9 will not be short of things to do whenever she does walk away from tennis. In September she produced her own show for New York Fashion Week. Which took place just three days after the US Open final. Those attending included Kim Kardashian West, LaLa Anthony, Tarana Burke and Vogue editor Anna Wintour.
Despite her successes both on and off the court, Williams admits that it hasn’t always gone to plan. However, she believes the key is having a positive mindset and working hard.
“I wasn’t the best player, I wasn’t the most talented, I’m not the tallest girl,” she said. “You don’t have to be the smartest, you don’t have to have the most funds, you don’t have to have the most open doors. It’s about the attitude that I’m going to be the hardest worker and I’m not going to let anything stop me, and I’m not going to give up.”
So far in her career, Williams has won 72 WTA titles and spent 319 weeks as world No.1.
