When Andy Murray answered “Serena” to a fan’s question about who he considers the GOAT (greatest of all time) in tennis, it was a breath of fresh air in debate that is getting as old as its main protagonists. Many tennis fans appear to have made it their hobby to cheer on their respective favorites online, all while belittling the achievements of any player other than their personal hero.
And while the debate is usually Roger (Federer), Rafa (Nadal) or Novak (Djokovic) – tennis fans have the habit of calling their idols by their first name – there’s a case to be made that Serena (Williams) is the greatest tennis player of all time. Williams won more Grand Slam titles in the Open Era then any other player, the last one while pregnant with her first child in 2017 (try matching that Roger/Rafa/Novak).
Williams’ list of achievements goes far beyond her 23 Grand Slam singles titles, however. She also has 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, 2 Grand Slam mixed titles and 4 Olympic gold medals to her name, speaking volumes of the dominance she achieved in her sport. Serena also matches (or exceeds) her male counterparts in longevity, which is saying much considering that Federer, who just turned 41, and Nadal (36) stubbornly refuse to call it a day. Williams made her professional debut in 1995 and almost 27 years later, she’s still playing on tour, contending with players less than half her age.
On August 9, 2022, Williams announced her retirement after this year’s U.S. Open, fittingly in a personal essay published in Vogue – not Sports Illustrated. “I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis,” Williams writes, saying that she never liked the word retirement. “Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair,” she writes, adding that she would continue playing and winning if she had a wife “doing the physical labor of expanding our family,” clearly hinting at her male contemporaries. Williams admits that she “feels a great deal of pain” leaving the sport while feeling ready for her next big goal in life, which is to grow her family.
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