One of the greatest to ever do it on the ATP stage will hang them up for good after the US Open as Serena Williams announced her retirement from tennis earlier this week. It's not exactly a huge surprise given her downward spiral in quality over the last few years. It's clear Serena isn't the same player anymore, which is understandable given how long she's been playing the sport.
Her ex-coach, Rick Macci, the one who helped Williams become a household name in tennis, spoke out on her decision to call it quits. Via TMZ Sports:
“It doesn't surprise me,” Macci said. “Listen, Serena Williams is doing this on her terms. She has a lot of things going on. I'm just happy for her because she's making the decision and she's doing it on her terms.”
“It's not an injury, she's not hanging on too long or anything like that, but what I really like it's gonna end at the U.S. Open. That's where she won her first Grand Slam and people in New York love it. I think it's gonna be a must-see TV and knowing Serena, she's gonna go out with a bang.”
Can Williams win one more Major at Flushing Meadows? She's already captured six titles at the US Open in her illustrious career and as Macci said, it would truly be a storybook ending if she was able to.
But in all fairness, Serena Williams isn't at that high level anymore. She may still be powerful, but Williams doesn't have the stamina to keep up with the best of the best in today's game. She just played her final match in Canada at the National Bank Open, losing to Belinda Bencic in the second round.
Regardless of where Serena is at now, she is an absolute legend. The 40-year-old is making the correct decision and has impacted so many people along the way, including many players on the ATP Tour right now, who grew up idolizing her.
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