Williams has one daughter, Olympia, with husband Alexis Ohanian, and she is looking to spend more time with her family following a glittering globe-trotting career.
The 40-year-old, in an emotional statement, said to Vogue, in which she appears on the front cover for September’s edition: “I’m turning 41 this month, and something’s got to give. I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me.
“I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people. Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution.
“But I’ve been reluctant to admit to myself or anyone else that I have to move on from playing tennis. Alexis, my husband, and I have hardly talked about it; it’s like a taboo topic. I can’t even have this conversation with my mom and dad. It’s like it’s not real until you say it out loud. It comes up, I get an uncomfortable lump in my throat, and I start to cry. The only person I’ve really gone there with is my therapist!”
Williams will arguably go down as the greatest tennis player in history, having won an astonishing 23 Grand Slam titles – with only Margaret Court having triumphed more with 24 according to the reports published in mirror.co.uk.
But despite her incredible achievements, Williams is keen to say her farewells quietly and isn’t “looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment”.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year. And I don’t know if I will be ready to win New York. But I’m going to try. And the lead-up tournaments will be fun,” she continued.
“I know there’s a fan fantasy that I might have tied Margaret that day in London, then maybe beat her record in New York, and then at the trophy ceremony say, ‘See ya!’ I get that. It’s a good fantasy.
“But I’m not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment. I’m terrible at goodbyes, the world’s worst. But please know that I am more grateful for you than I can ever express in words. You have carried me to so many wins and so many trophies. I’m going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis. And I’m going to miss you.”
The American, who was born in Michigan, has won seven Wimbledon titles, seven Australian Opens, six US Opens and three French Opens – with her last major triumph coming at Melbourne Park in 2017.
She has dominated the women’s game over the past 20 years, but the American believes she could have got even more out of her “extraordinary” career.
Williams added: “The way I see it, I should have had 30-plus Grand Slams. I had my chances after coming back from giving birth. I went from a C-section to a second pulmonary embolism to a Grand lam final. I played while breastfeeding. I played through postpartum depression.
“But I didn’t get there. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. I didn’t show up the way I should have or could have. But I showed up 23 times, and that’s fine. Actually it’s extraordinary. But these days, if I have to choose between building my tennis résumé and building my family, I choose the latter.
Williams has already committed to playing at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati next week as well as the US Open which gets underway later this month, and it appears that will be her final tournament.
As well as her 23 singles Grand Slam triumphs, Williams has won 14 doubles titles at the four showpiece tennis majors.
