After a 27-year professional career that saw her become one of the most prominent tennis players in history, American Serena Williams said goodbye to the world of tennis by taking part in the US Championship, the last of four Grand Slams, next week at Flushing Meadows.

Serena, who will celebrate her 41st birthday next month, put an end to speculation about her future earlier this month by announcing that a “countdown” has begun on her career, which will be her last participation in the Flushing Meadows Grand Prix in New York. York.

She wrote: “There are times in life when you have to decide to go in a different direction. It’s hard when you love something so much.”

“I have to focus on being a mother, on my spiritual goals and finally discovering a different but excited Serena. I will enjoy these next few weeks.”

Serena won her last 23 Australian Grand Slam titles in 2017 when she was pregnant with her daughter Olympia and the first was at Flushing Meadows in 1999 when she was seventeen at the expense of Swiss Martina Hingis and started a great career with her eldest sister Venus. .

Since her last coronation in 2017, she has not managed to add a single major title to equal the record of 24 of Australia’s Margaret Court after losing four Grand Slam finals.

She has also won 73 singles titles in her professional career, in addition to 23 doubles and four Olympic gold medals.