Serena Says Farewell
It is hard to walk away from something you love. Serena Williams is arguably one of the greatest female athletes to exist, and her career has shown just how phenomenal her skills are. At age 41, Serena has accomplished being a 5-time Wimbledon singles champion, gained 23 grand slam singles titles, and has a record of 72 wins and only 20 losses her entire career, which has never been done by any tennis player before. But, to the shock of many, her retirement is drawing her career to an end. This decision is a statement in the community because Serena Williams is much more than just a tennis player. She is first a mother and a public icon who has had a tremendous impact on everyone, from kids to adults. Serena states in her Instagram post that she needs to focus on being a mother to her daughter Alexis Olympia and maybe even have more kids coming soon.
After Serena was pregnant the first time around, she had major complications due to her history of blood clotting, which can be genetic. After giving birth via a c-section, Serena had multiple blood clots in her lungs and a hematoma in her abdomen. As a result, she needed surgery that severely hindered her from getting to be hands-on during the first few weeks with her new bundle of joy and getting back to the sports she loves. Vogue stated that Serena could not get out of bed for six weeks following these surgeries. In addition, motherhood was hard for Serena with having post-partum for the first few months, which is not talked about enough in the community. These complications, among other reasons, are why Serena did not have another baby while playing tennis. It took a severe toll on her mind, body, and soul, but with determination, she overcame these setbacks and returned to tennis to continue dominating the courts.
Serena has overcome every obstacle put in her way, and if she happens to fail, she gets back up to try again; she’s a fighter. Though her retirement means we will not see her compete anymore, but instead the public will get to see her enjoying life and taking care of herself and her family. We will still get to hear from the Greatest of All Time herself. You can look forward to seeing Serena potentially coach or watch her daughter become a protége, even though Serena says she will not force her daughter to play tennis. I think it’s a great possibility that Olympia will want to follow in her mother's footsteps. It is not easy being a woman in sports, but Serena makes it look like a walk in the park. She is admired by many because she shows resilience and strength even when it comes to retiring. It requires tremendous strength on her part to know when it is time to step down as an athlete, and I believe that it’s the hardest part.
