US Open
Williams feels no anticipation of farewell – “Hate it”
Have a wildcard for the doubles at the US Open: Serena Williams (l) and her sister Venus. photo
© Lionel Cironneau/AP/dpa
At the upcoming US Open, all eyes are initially on Serena Williams. For the 23-time Grand Slam tournament winner from the USA, a circle closes when she says goodbye.
It will be the emotional highlight of this year’s US Open, but Serena Williams fears the moment when the time to say goodbye has irrevocably come.
“I’m not happy about this topic, I feel a lot of pain,” said the American: “It’s the hardest thing I can imagine, I hate it, I hate being at a crossroads.”
For what was probably her last appearance, the 40-year-old chose the US Open, where she won the first of a total of 23 Grand Slam titles in 1999. The home crowd will give her an unforgettable farewell, perhaps in her opening match on Tuesday night (1:00 a.m. CEST/Eurosport) against Danka Kovinic from Montenegro. Night session, almost 24,000 spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium – all eyes on Williams. Just like later in doubles with sister Venus, there was a wildcard from the organizer.
Resignation announcement in the fashion magazine “Vogue”
After Serena’s resignation announcement, which she announced in the fashion magazine “Vogue”, there was a rush for tickets. Regular $35 tickets for the opening night are said to have sold for up to $7,000 on the black market. Chris Widmaier, spokesman for the American tennis association, compared the Williams effect to a “tsunami”.
Williams doesn’t want to disappoint the fans at their 21st US Open, even if the mother of a four-year-old daughter has long since passed her peak in sport. She doesn’t know if she can win the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, she said, “but I’ll try”.
It would be sensational. Your last big triumph was five and a half years ago. “Viewed from the outside, it’s about time,” said national coach Barbara Rittner of the German Press Agency: “You wish her not to get a pack, as was the case recently.”
“Successes and self-confidence”
But even if: Williams is guaranteed respect in the tennis circus at all times. Not only for defending champion Emma Raducanu, Williams, who is twice her age, is “probably the best tennis player of all time”. For Rafael Nadal she is “a legend”, and world number one Iga Swiatek admires Williams’ triple burden as a professional player, mother and businesswoman: “I would be happy if I could do it someday.”
With her successes and self-confident demeanor, she also inspired the black population in the USA. US tennis hope Coco Gauff revealed: “Growing up, I never thought I was different because the number one in the world was someone who looked like me.” Can Williams really let go of tennis? Shortly before the start of the tournament, she flirted with a possible return. “You never know. I’ve learned in my career never to say never,” she said.