Final Match
Serena Williams’ final tennis match on September 2nd, 2022 marked the end of her career.
PHOTO | Mike Stobe/Getty Images
Sept. 2 was Serenas final match as a professional tennis player, teary-eyed she waves to her fans in the stands.
The bright stadium lights illuminate the court, stands filled with spectators holding their breath. Silence fills the air, only the sound of the tennis ball being hammered back and forth and the squeaking of shoes can be heard. All eyes are on the woman in the sparkly black dress. The ball flies into the net, dropping to the blue floor. Serena Williams hangs her head, her tennis career has come to a close.
On Sept. 2 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Serena Williams played the third round at the annual US Open, in a quest to win her 24th Grand Slam title. The match lasted three hours against Australian tennis player Ajla Tomljanović in three tension-filled three sets, set one 7-5, set two 6-7, and set three 6-1.
“I’ve been playing tennis my whole life, so it is a little soon but it’s also happy because I mean this is what I want, it’s not sad tears,” Williams said in a post-match press conference.
Williams first started playing at the young age of three with her older sister Venus Wiliams. Williams’s first professional event was in October 1995, at the age of 14, at the Bell Challenge in Quebec City. Their father Richard Williams had them on a rigorous training schedule; 2 hour tennis lessons everyday. His goals for his youngest daughter in tennis were adapted into a film, “King Richard”, released last fall.
“I think it was a great opportunity to see how amazing African-American fathers are. A lot of Black men aren’t seen in that light.” Williams said. “A lot of people think that my dad was a different character. He wanted us to have fun first over anything. That’s the thing that I loved most.”
Earlier this year Williams stated that she would be “evolving” from tennis. Williams plans to focus on growing her family and her business ‘S by Serena’. While Williams still plans on being involved in tennis, she is still unsure about her future of the court.
“I’m ready to be a mom, explore a different version of this Serena, and technically in the world I’m still super young, so I want to have a little bit of a life while I’m still walking,” Williams said. “I don’t see a future without it but, what’s my involvement, I have no idea, but I do think I will be involved.”