Serena Williams is officially retiring from the sport of tennis soon, and so with her matches numbered, fans are making sure to relish every opportunity they get to see the icon play.
On Wednesday as Williams took center court for the Round of 32 in the Canadian Open, the crowd welcomed her with a rousing ovation, ensuring that she feels their love and admiration for the incredible career she had.
Serena Williams was greeted with a standing ovation at the Toronto National Bank Open 🙌
(via @@Arunthings)pic.twitter.com/dztPfmrTYI
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 11, 2022
Serena Williams is retiring after the US Open, which starts near the end of August and finishes mid-September. She is still searching for her 24th Grand Slam title, and while it would be a storybook ending if she gets it in her last major tournament, it is clear she is already at peace whatever happens.
Article Continues BelowIn her retirement announcement through an essay with Vogue, Williams didn't want to use the word retirement and instead said she is “evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me.” She also spoke about her legacy and how empowering women has been really important for her.
“I don’t particularly like to think about my legacy. I get asked about it a lot, and I never know exactly what to say. But I’d like to think that thanks to opportunities afforded to me, women athletes feel that they can be themselves on the court. They can play with aggression and pump their fists. They can be strong yet beautiful. They can wear what they want and say what they want and kick butt and be proud of it all,” Williams wrote.
Serena is one of the best athletes the world has ever seen, and while her career is ending soon, she'll always be remembered for being a pioneer and trail blazer.