Tennis legend Serena Williams is planning to retire from tennis following the U.S. Open, which will begin later this month.

 

The soon-to-be 41-year-old is on the September cover of Vogue, where she penned an essay for the magazine.  “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.  I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me.  A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm.  Soon after that, I started a family.  I want to grow that family,” she explains.

 

 

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“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! One thing I’m not going to do is sugarcoat this.  I know that a lot of people are excited about and look forward to retiring, and I really wish I felt that way,” Serena continues.

 

 

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What’s next for Serena Williams? Serena and her husband have been trying for a second baby, “In the last year, Alexis and I have been trying to have another child, and we recently got some information from my doctor that put my mind at ease and made me feel that whenever we’re ready, we can add to our family.  I definitely don’t want to be pregnant again as an athlete.  I need to be two feet into tennis or two feet out.”

 

 

 

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For Serena’s full Vogue cover story, click here.

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