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Serena Williams says she has “not retired” from tennis and will likely return to the sport in the future, the latest sports star to spark a comeback after indicating she would end her legendary on-court career this summer after the US Open to focus on she. family.
Serena Williams said the chances of her returning to tennis are “very high”.
key facts
“I’m not retired,” Williams said last week when speaking about her investment company, Serena Ventures, at a TechCrunch conference in California.
Williams said the chances of her returning to the sport are “very high,” joking that you can go to her house and see that she “has a court.”
The comments apparently go back to Williams’ announcement of her retirement earlier this year, when the athlete told her Fashion she was “walking away from tennis” after the US Open.
Although the star did not formally announce his retirement, his comments were widely interpreted and reported as a farewell and Williams received tributes befitting the retirement of an athlete considered one of the best in the world.
Williams is far from the only athlete to return after prompting, or even entering, retirement and this year, NFL star Tom Brady changed his retirement plan and announced he would return to competition for a 23rd season.
Other athletes have also made stellar comebacks, including basketball legend Michael Jordan, who came out of retirement and won three more NBA titles after returning, and swimmer Michael Phelps, who did not retire and won five gold medals in the 2016 Olympics.
pivotal appointment
Williams said he “didn’t even think” about retirement when he started his company and just “jumped right into it.” “I haven’t really thought about it yet,” she added. “I went to the court the other day and for the first time in my life [realized] that I’m not playing for a competition and that felt really weird. It was like the first day of the rest of my life and I’m enjoying it, but I’m still trying to find that balance.”
big number
23. That is the number of Grand Slam singles titles Williams has won, the most of any athlete in the Open era.
Forbes Rating
$260 million. That is Forbes’ Williams’ estimated net worth estimate as of June 2022. Williams is one of the highest-earning female tennis players in history and one of the richest self-made women in America. She has earned $94 million in prize money over her career, double that of the closest female athlete, she has more than a dozen corporate partners and has increasingly focused her attention on investing, primarily through Serena Ventures.
Tangent
Tennis ace Roger Federer, the sport’s all-time financial champion, also announced his intention to retire this summer. He is one of the highest paid athletes in the world and Forbes estimates that the Swiss player has earned approximately $1 billion over the course of his career from endorsements and other business endeavors, before taxes and agent fees.
additional visualization
Other readings
Serena Williams says goodbye to tennis on her own terms and in her own words (Vogue)
Inside Serena Williams’ plan for Ace Venture Investing (Forbes)
Serena Williams retires as a tennis icon and one of America’s richest self-made women (Forbes)
Are we missing out when athletes retire at the top? (New York)
New Mental Health Wellness Site Co-Founded by Selena Gomez and Backed by Serena Williams’ Venture Capital Firm (Forbes) Launches
