Here is Why Serena Williams Should Consider Retirement

03/01/2021

--by Sidney P. Brown

American tennis player Serena Williams will undeniably go down as one of the greatest athletes to ever walk on this Earth. Her long list of accomplishments and countless efforts both on and off the court will never be forgotten, especially not by African Americans.

Just look at some of her amazing career stats:

851-178 career record (85.2%-win percentage!)
23 Grand Slam singles titles (most in the Open Era, second most all-time)
7 Australian Open Titles, 7 Wimbledon Titles, 6 U.S. Open Titles and 3 French Open Titles
Ranked as the No.1 tennis player for 319 weeks (consecutively)

Williams has accomplished all of this and she has arguably become the best women's tennis player of all time at just 39 years old!

Sometimes, however, even the greatest of champions face heartbreaking defeats.

Earlier this year, Williams suffered a loss to Naomi Osaka, who is now ranked the No. 1 tennis player by the Women's Tennis Association, in the Australian Open semi-finals. Osaka, 23, would later be crowned as the Australian Open champion for the second time in her relatively brief career.

Serena Williams & Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open Semi-finals

Meanwhile, despite that loss, reports are that Williams still wants to compete for her 24th Grand Slam Title. She is determined to win it all again before she decides to put down her racket for good. Another win would tie the record set by Australian Margaret Court in the 1960s and early 1970s. Some have noted that Court set her records during a time when few ranked player bothered to travel to Australia to compete. seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe called it "rather absurd" to compare Williams's 23 with Court's 24, according to a Washington Post story

Maybe so, but in my opinion, Osaka is the next big tennis player. I think it is time Williams passed the torch and retires on a high note. Think back to Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali. Everyone knows that those two are the greatest to ever participate in their respective sports.

Although she can still compete at the top with the best of tennis players, Williams's age is catching up with her. Consider that she turned pro in 1995----that's 26 years ago. She does not have anything to prove to anyone. Moreover, I think it would help her career and cement her legacy by she retiring now.