Serena Williams announces she will ‘evolve away from tennis’ after upcoming US Open

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena Williams waves to the crowd after winning the Australian Open in 2017. It was her 23rd grand slam singles title, breaking the record for the most titles by a woman in the Open era of professional tennis.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena plays tennis in 1992. She and her sister spent their early years playing tennis in Compton, California, just outside of Los Angeles. They later moved to a tennis academy in Florida.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena sits with her father and sister Venus as Venus answers questions from the press in 1994. Venus turned professional at the age of 14. Her sister followed one year later when she was the same age.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

The Williams sisters and the Jensen brothers, Luke and Murphy, play an exhibition in New York’s Times Square in 1997. It was part of the lead-up to the US Open.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena, left, walks past Venus as they played against each other in the second round of the Australian Open in 1998. It was Serena’s first grand slam tournament. Venus won the match 7-6, 6-1.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena plays at the French Open in 1998. She made it to the fourth round.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena won her first grand slam singles title in 1999, when she defeated Martina Hingis to win the US Open. She was the first Black woman to win a grand slam singles title since Althea Gibson in 1958.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

The sisters teamed up in doubles to win Olympic gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. They would also win doubles gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena, left, and Venus stand with tennis great Billie Jean King after Venus defeated Serena to win the US Open final in 2001. It was Venus’ fourth grand slam singles title.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena plays against Janette Husarova at the French Open in 2002. Serena would go on to win the tournament for her second grand slam singles title, and she followed it up with three straight titles at Wimbledon, the US Open and then the Australian Open in 2003. It became known as the “Serena Slam.”

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena poses with the trophy after winning her first Wimbledon title in 2002. She was No. 1 in the world at the age of 20.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena serves during the Australian Open in 2003. She defeated her sister Venus in the final that year.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena signs autographs after a match in Key Biscayne, Florida, in 2004.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Venus and Serena sit with Vogue’s Andre Leon Talley and Anna Wintour at a New York fashion show in 2008. Serena once studied fashion design at the the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena cuts a ribbon at the opening of the Serena Williams Secondary School in Matooni, Kenya, in 2008. That year, she established the Serena Williams Foundation to help underprivileged children around the world.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena plays at Wimbledon in 2008.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams attends a book signing in London in 2009.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams is honored in 2009 as one of Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams screams at a line judge who called her for a foot fault during a semifinal match at the US Open in 2009. Williams lost the match and was fined a record $82,500. She was also placed on probation for two years.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams laughs as women from the Kamba tribe dress her in traditional regalia to inaugurate a school she funded in Kenya’s Wee village in 2010.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams demonstrates a proper backhand during a clinic held in Washington, DC, in 2011. That year, she underwent emergency treatment for a hematoma related to a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in her lungs.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams plays against Victoria Azarenka at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2013.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams celebrates after winning the US Open in 2013. It was her fifth US Open title and her 17th grand slam singles title.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams jumps with the trophy after winning the US Open in 2014.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams dances with men’s champion Novak Djokovic at the Wimbledon champions dinner in 2015.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams is congratulated by her sister Venus after she defeated her at the Australian Open to win her 23rd grand slam singles title in 2017.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams serves during a French Open match in 2018. A controversy erupted at the tournament when Williams wore a catsuit in her first grand slam match since becoming a mother. Shortly after the tournament, the French Tennis Federation instituted a dress code that critics denounced as racist and sexist.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams waits for the trophy ceremony after she lost to Naomi Osaka in the US Open final in 2018.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams plays at the US Open in 2019.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams walks the runway with her daughter, Alexis Ohanian Jr., during a fashion show launching her clothing line S by Serena in 2019.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams won the 2020 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. It was her first title since becoming a mother in 2017. She donated her $43,000 prize money to Australian bushfire relief.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams plays Osaka in the Australian Open semifinals in 2021.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Wiliams winces in pain during a first-round Wimbledon match in 2021. She was forced to retire from the match due to the injury.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams poses with her daughter and husband at a premiere of the film “King Richard” in 2021. The film is based on Williams’ father and how he raised his girls to become tennis champions.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams walks the runway during an Off-White fashion show in Paris in February. It was shortly after the death of the brand’s founder, Virgil Abloh.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Williams is joined by her sister Venus and “King Richard” star Will Smith at the Producers Guild Awards in March.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

The Williams sisters take a selfie backstage at the Academy Awards in March.

Tennis legend Serena Williams

Serena waves to fans after she lost in the first round of Wimbledon in June.