Serena Williams

Playing in what she says is her last tournament, Serena Williams summoned her signature fire to the delight of the crowd.

[Gayle King](https://time.com/5551293/gayle-king-interview/) hosted. [Oprah Winfrey](https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2022/6177763/oprah-winfrey-titans/) narrated a video. After she finished off that first set with two aces and serve up the middle—in the 16th point of a back-and-forth game—that Kovnic lofted into the net, Williams double pumped her fists. [Billie Jean King](https://time.com/6089843/billie-jean-king-interview/) herself said a few words, recalling the first time they met, in 1988, when Serena was six years old. But she’ll need much more magic against a tougher opponent, second-seeded Anett Kontaveit of Estonia, on Wednesday. The second set moved more briskly for Williams. A first round exit wouldn’t have damaged her legacy. Open threw a surprise tribute for Williams on center court. Open history, with a total of 71,332 spectators for the combined day and evening sessions. It was loud and I could feel it in my chest,” said Williams. The old dominance was also on show: she won the last eight points of the match to take care of business against her first round opponent, Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, 6-3, 6-3. After this last Open run, Williams has announced that she is walking away from tennis—and that includes competing in doubles with her sister Venus.

Williams met a valedictory night at the U.S. Open with a win that was fitting, and with a second-round match on Wednesday, the farewell party at Arthur Ashe ...

Kontaveit, an Estonian who resides in London and has the English accent to prove it, has a powerful baseline game but has reserved her best performances for lesser occasions. But Gauff, like King and so many others, was watching Williams on a Monday when the Open set a night-session record on the grounds with 29,402 paying spectators. Once a Monica Seles fan, she soon became a Williams fan after Serena and Venus turned pro in the 1990s. And as Williams approached the end of this first-round victory that no one was taking for granted this year, many of the spectators rose to their feet as she prepared to return Kovinic’s serve on match point, holding their phones aloft to capture the moment. And now we have Serena and Venus, who have passed the torch to like Coco, which is just amazing for Black women. In her early comeback tournaments, she had looked late to the ball and late to the realization that time is undefeated. It was a surprise to Williams, who sat courtside in her chair as Gayle King and Billie Jean King took turns offering tributes. That’s a tough feeling to have and to leave knowing the more you do it, the more you can shine. The stadium, once fully exposed to the elements and swirling winds, now features a retractable roof that has changed the acoustics and the airflow even when the roof remains open. She was asked if the idea of retirement was now causing her less pain. But win or lose, Williams was getting the ceremonial treatment in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Williams met a valedictory night at the U.S.

Serena Williams signalled she is not quite ready for retirement advancing to the second round of the U.S. Open on Monday with a scrappy 6-3 6-3 win over ...

Playing in her 21st U.S. Open will indeed be her last tournament and expanded on that later in her press conference. president Bill Clinton, designer Vera Wang, director Spike Lee and others who packed into Arthur Ashe not expecting to see greatness but to celebrate it. “It’s extremely difficult still because I absolutely love being out there,” said Williams. Open as her final event. Williams indicated her intention to retire in a Vogue article in early August, saying she was “evolving away from tennis” but never confirming the U.S.

Serena Williams won her first-round match in the US Open in New York in what could probably be her last tournament before she retires.

Halep had not faced the Ukrainian in her career before, and her first meeting with Daria ended with Halep at the receiving end. With this win, Williams became only the fourth woman in the Open Era to win matches in her teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. Playing in the Louis Armstrong Stadium, Daria Snigur brought her best game to the court, winning the match in a thrilling three-set encounter 6-2, 0-6, 6-4.

Serena Williams has joked that the reception she received during her US Open first-round victory over Danka Kovinic could prompt a retirement U-turn.

I don't know how I'm going to be a part of tennis as of right now. It's given me a platform that I never even thought I would have all because of tennis. That's what I needed to do and that's what I tried to do.” That's a tough feeling to have, and to leave knowing the more you do it, the more you can shine. I don't know, I'm just not even thinking about that. I think it's important because there's so many other things that I want to do, et cetera.” “I don't see myself not a part of tennis. I think I was really emotional in Toronto and Cincinnati. It was loud and I could feel it in my chest. “I was just thinking, like, Is this for real? “And I do feel different. I just was overwhelmed in a good way.

A steamy night in New York was weighted down with a ton of pre-match pomp and circumstance. But the champion pushed through and will play on.

She lost three games in a row to trail by 3-2 in the first set, uptight and short arming the ball. Williams simply hadn’t worked as hard at the game in the past couple of years as she once had, splitting her court time with mothering a 4-year-old daughter, and nurturing venture capital investments. Clearly, at some point in the past few weeks, Williams decided she wanted this match to be more than just a ceremony, and a terrible goodbye. “I have to go sweat in the sun every day when I could be at the pool with some lemonade.” She came out of the Arthur Ashe Stadium tunnel Monday night for the last big occasion of her career in a mock black evening-gown complete with cape and train — but she had on the black shoes of a boxer. “I’m terrible at goodbyes, the world’s worst.” Her tennis was guttural, louder than all of it, and the appreciative roars built from the crowd. “I’m out there to win a match.” “The atmosphere was a lot,” she said later. Williams has always had a special affinity for the Open — not just for the high hard bounces of its acrylic courts, but for everything else that’s hard about it. It was all so much: the ceremonial entrance, the blazing stadium lights and the weighty tributes to the all-time great made her seem prematurely a monument rather than a person. Still, maybe she could find the old inner vibration, the competitive rage that powered her to 23 Grand Slam titles.

Serena Williams overcame Danka Kovinic in a straight-sets victory to continue on in the US Open; the 40-year-old American has remained vague about when she ...

"I feel grateful that I can have that impact. I never thought I would have that impact, ever. I think it's important because there's so many other things that I want to do." "It was loud and I could feel it in my chest. "I just am so grateful that they see that. That's a tough feeling to have, and to leave knowing, the more you do it, the more you can shine.

Serena Williams is playing in her last tennis major. Here's how to watch the all-time great in action one last time.

Court was dominant at the Australian Open, winning 11 of her 24 titles there, but the US Open was her second-best event. Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam titles during her career, and six of those have come at the US Open. Below is everything you need to keep track of Williams' time at the US Open in 2022. Williams is one major title shy of tying Margaret Court for the most major wins by a tennis player. Williams is set to step away from tennis following the 2022 US Open. She is just 1-3 in four matches during the 2022 tennis season

The six-time champion at Flushing Meadows secured a strong first round win to mark the start of the likely last stop on her farewell tour before retirement.

The fastest serve of her career came during the 2013 Australian Open when she hit a blistering 128.6 mph. King retired from competition completely in 1990 but remained active in the sport. Fast forward to the 2021 tournament and even despite her dip in form, her serve continued to be devastating to her opponents. According to the WTA, the 40-year-old leads the way when it comes to a number of serve statistics. Williams’ serve is regarded as one of the best in the game. “Anyway, she serves, and I told her, ‘Don’t change a thing.’ Her serve is by far the most beautiful in the history of our sport.”

Serena Williams is now 40, and told the world that she was ready to concentrate on having a second child and her venture capital firm.

And why the daily program did not make mention of any other of the dozens of athletes in action, showing instead a montage of six images of Williams holding her six U.S. I’m going to be cheering for her,” Gauff said. Gauff’s original plan was to tune in on TV, but then she decided this was too important to miss. Open marks the final chapter of her storied tennis history.” “And now, she’s ...” It was a really good feeling,” said the owner of six U.S. In her first match at what is expected to be the last U.S. Williams will play in the second round of singles on Wednesday against No. After watching the victory over Kovinic, spectators held up blue, white or red placards that were distributed at their seats to spell out “We (Heart) Serena.” Maybe it was the significance of the moment. Former President Bill Clinton was in the stands. “When I walked out, the reception was really overwhelming.

Serena Williams wore a sparkly, black ensemble as she competed in the first round of the U.S. Open, winning against Danka Kovinić. Her daughter Olympia ...

"Olympia doesn't like when I play tennis," Serena told [TIME magazine](https://time.com/6208915/serena-williams-retirement-interview/) in a new interview, noting the child replied with a fist-pumping "Yes!" Open](https://www.eonline.com/news/1343530/how-andy-roddick-is-celebrating-serena-williams-historic-final-u-s-open-before-retirement) on Aug. [what does Olympia think about her stepping away from tennis](https://www.eonline.com/news/1343986/serena-williams-shares-daughter-olympias-reaction-to-her-retirement-from-tennis)? Open singles titles, but as Serena told [Gayle King](https://www.eonline.com/news/gayle_king) in a post-match interview, she "took four out because it was too heavy." [Serena Williams](https://www.eonline.com/news/serena_williams) and [Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. ](https://www.eonline.com/news/1309693/serena-williams-and-daughter-olympia-ace-their-red-carpet-fashion-with-matching-looks)served up a sweet mother-daughter moment at the [U.S. The athlete [noting](https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch3cs_ILylE/) the sparkles were "inspired by the night sky above center court." "I wanted to do it, but I just didn't have the time. It actually wasn't my idea, but I was so happy when she had them on. She asks to wear beads a lot. [Alexis Ohanian](https://www.eonline.com/news/1261217/why-alexis-ohanian-is-perfectly-fine-being-known-as-serena-williams-husband), sister Isha Price and mother Oracene Price.

Serena Williams overcame Danka Kovinic in a straight-sets victory to continue on in the US Open; the 40-year-old American has remained vague about when she ...

"I feel grateful that I can have that impact. I never thought I would have that impact, ever. I think it's important because there's so many other things that I want to do." "It was loud and I could feel it in my chest. "I just am so grateful that they see that. That's a tough feeling to have, and to leave knowing, the more you do it, the more you can shine.

Serena Williams has had more wonderful moments on a tennis court than perhaps any other player in history but she's also had some she'd like to forget - as ...

Afterwards Williams said: "I felt bad because I’m crying and she’s crying and she’s just won - I’m not sure if they were happy tears or if they were sad tears because of the moment. You will never umpire on a court of mine as long as you live. "I have a daughter and I have not cheated in my life.” The Arthur Ashe crowd, heavily in favour of Williams, began to boo the umpire. “You will never be on another court of mine as long as you live," Williams added in another tirade. Osaka produced a blistering performance and became the first player from Japan to win a major. Williams was bidding to win her 24th major when she faced the and up-and-coming Japanese star, who was contesting her first grand slam final at just 20 years old.

Tournaments take the timing of a player's singles matches into consideration when scheduling doubles matches, so, if Serena Williams has a singles match ...

Williams is also competing in women’s doubles at the U.S. After Monday’s win, Williams moved onto the second round in women’s singles at the U.S. Serena Williams won Monday night at the U.S. They have won 14 Grand Slam championships in doubles as a team, most recently at Wimbledon in 2016,” ESPN reported. 2 seed at the tournament, Anett Kontaveit from Estonia. Her next singles match will be at an as-yet-to-be-determined time on Wednesday; many tennis experts predict it will be scheduled for the prime-time session Wednesday night.

The tennis star reportedly opened up about her sinus issues back in 2007.

Williams announced her retirement earlier this month in an essay [published by Vogue](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/serena-williams-retirement-us-open-b2141483.html), where said that she wanted to focus more on her family, including her four-year-old daughter, Olympia, who she shares with husband Alexis Ohanian. However, he also expressed that “KT Tape doesn’t endorse the use of kinesiology tape on the face as it isn’t clinically tested”. [Terms of use,](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/user-policies-a6184151.html) [Cookie policy](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html) and [Privacy notice.](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html) “The last thing I want to do is go out on a tennis court and play (sister) Venus and be tired. That keeps you clear, keeps your chest clear and keeps everything clear,” she said. [Privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en) and [Terms of service](https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en) apply. During an interview with “I’ve got the working out part right, but I’m still working on ice in my drinks because I like my drinks cold all the time.” Playing tennis or pretty much doing anything every day is not easy when you have sinuses,” she told reporters in 2007 at the launch of a campaign for sinus medication, according to That’s not fun at all, especially against her, she’s so tough.” I’m a sinus sufferer. [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-serena-idUSN2742160020070507).

Serena wey don win 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, dey one behind Australian Margaret Court's all-time record. Di American dey also play di doubles ...

For US tennis fans, ESPN na di place to watch dis summer US Open matches. Nigerian and Ghanian tennis fans fit watch di 2022 US Open Grand Slam for Supersport. Serena Williams go play her second round match for di 2022 US Open on Wednesday.

As it turned out, it was not the final farewell for the legendary tennis superstar as she claimed a fine win, but Reem Abulleil reflects on a night the American ...

Even in the best of times, deep inside you know there are going to be moments pretty soon where it’s not going to be all shiny and beautiful and rose petals and you’re not going to be in the Garden of Eden for too long. There were some big misses from his side so that’s when I felt he was going to be very tight to finish the match, it was very tough for him, so I figured I should just hang in there and keep going,” said the Dutchman after the win. I feel like an idiot for thinking that I could win this thing, win the US Open. And it’s part of the reality that we players have to deal with.” - Tsitsipas on the reality of life on tour. 1 ranking in two weeks’ time and he admits the prospect of that played with his mind. Plus, he was just killing me on the court, he was literally killing me. “I experienced a loss to Ashleigh Barty in Melbourne 6-0 6-0. “It’s one of the few times in my career that I felt lost. The contest was basically a series of standing ovations from the 23,000 capacity crowd, all dedicated to Serena. It was a really good feeling,” said Serena in her press conference. Queen Latifah was in the stands wearing a Serena ‘GOAT’ hoodie. Not to mention the long shiny train she had attached to her dress for her walk-on.

Business experts think Serena Williams' impact off the tennis court could be just as big as her play on it.

31 on Forbes [' world's 50-highest paid athletes ](https://www.forbes.com/athletes/)list. Her older sister, Venus Williams, is the next highest earning female athlete ever with more than $43 million playing tennis, according to the [Women’s Tennis Association (WTA)](https://www.wtatennis.com/players/230220/venus-williams). "I think she can easily establish herself as a billion-dollar mogul in the fashion and media space within the next three years," Moses said. Open might be her last tournament in both an article on [Jarrod Moses](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarrod-moses-18481378/), a marketing professor at Columbia University in New York, and founder of the sports and marketing agency, [United Entertainment Group (UEG)](https://www.uegworldwide.com/), thinks Williams can easily join the likes of [Tom Brady](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2022/05/10/tom-brady-fox-sports-analyst/9714644002/) with a multimillion-dollar sports network commentator deal. As tennis great Serena Williams takes the court again on Wednesday for likely her last U.S. "She knew that this was in her plans all along." The pair believe Williams has always been fiercely passionate about creating her own narrative. [US Open draw takeaways: Serena Williams could make a run; Rafael Nadal gets ideal matchups](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/open/2022/08/25/us-open-draw-takeaways-highlights-serena-williams-rafael-nadal/7894619001/) [Serena Williams and the never-ending struggle to balance work, family](https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2022/08/16/serena-williams-tennis-retirement-family/10331340002/) [Serena Williams' case as the women's tennis GOAT isn't as airtight as you think ](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/dan-wolken/2022/08/25/serena-williams-goat-us-open/7875476001/) [Nadia Vanderhall](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiavanderhall/), the CEO at The Brands And Bands Strategy Group.

There are many reasons an athlete may choose to retire from sport, such as injury, illness, fitness or family. But a combination of better training, nutrition ...

But having the [right psychological support](https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/55/22/1243) can prevent mental health problems in athletes, and also give them the right coping mechanisms to deal with the stresses of high level competition. As we learn more about training, ageing, nutrition and supporting athletes, there’s no doubt we will only continue to see more athletes extending their careers. [polarised training](https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2015/12000/Current_Scientific_Evidence_for_a_Polarized.34.aspx), which favours moderate-intensity training. For example, sleep is now known to be extremely important for an athlete’s performance. This may require adjustments to protein intake depending on the changing demands of exercise. It’s well known that as we age we need to maintain our muscle mass differently. Other notable athletes still competing at the highest level of their sport after 40 include English cricketer James Anderson (who is 40) and American surfer Kelly Slater (who is 50). All of this leads to less But a more structured approach is now favoured by many athletes and coaches. The main benefit of this approach is that it’s Williams, who is 40, joins a host of other professional athletes who have continued to compete well beyond the There are many reasons an athlete may choose to retire from sport, such as injury, illness, fitness or family.

The night session featuring her match set a record and spawned the second-highest single-day attendance.

The U.S. Throughout the day, 71,332 fans filtered in and out of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, according to USTA data provided to Front Office Sports. It was the second-highest attendance number of any day in U.S.

The tennis star, playing at the U.S. Open for the last time, helped establish a new generation of designers and built a bridge between couture and the ...

She talks about turning her focus to family and business ventures: “I probably should retire, for a few years at least, but for some inane reason I’m not.” Serena Williams, 40, said that the U.S. Early in Ms. In 2019, she returned to the French Open in a cape, designed by Virgil Abloh for Nike, emblazoned with the French words for “mother,” “champion,” “queen” and “goddess.” Open for the last time, helped establish a new generation of designers and built a bridge between couture and the court. The tennis star, playing at the U.S.

Serena Williams dominated tennis for the better part of two decades. Her athleticism and aggressive style changed the way the women's game is played.

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After announcing her plans to "evolve" from tennis, many celebrities flocked to see Serena Williams' first-round match at the U.S. Open against Danka ...

Jackman and Furness sat close to one another while they watched the game. Open for the first time in 1999. And with Williams winning 6-3, 6-3 over Danka Kovinic at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, what a great game to be at. Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution," she continued. Alexis Ohanian and Olympia were spotted getting into the match. [her plans to evolve away from tennis](https://www.today.com/news/sports/serena-williams-stepping-away-from-tennis-rcna42189) in a first-person essay for [Vogue](https://www.vogue.com/article/serena-williams-retirement-in-her-own-words). Laverne Cox wore a black face mask to the first round of the U.S. Anthony Anderson wore a blue navy suit to the U.S. Ruth Westheimer sat next to Clinton in the stands and appeared to be deep in conversation. Lindsey Vonn sat next to the couple for some of the evening. “I have never liked the word retirement. “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.

Serena Williams wore a custom Nike outfit bedecked in diamonds for her first match at her last U.S. Open.

The suit caused a kerfuffle among officials, who are apparently living decades in the past, and was banned from the French Open. In her hair, jewels were nestled and glistening throughout in a subtle crown of sorts. Dripping in diamonds from head to toe in a custom set by Nike, designed in part by the athlete herself, Williams emerged to a roaring crowd in an outfit inspired by competitive figure skating.

In August, she announced her retirement from tennis in the pages of Vogue magazine, what some still consider the fashion industry's bible, or at least its most ...

She allowed it to participate in her success, to feed off her greatness. Her womanliness is a matter of personal conviction. Despite her long tenure at the top of her game, Williams didn’t change the fashion economy. She went through the grueling and unnerving experience of mounting a runway show which, to be clear, is not for the cowardly. But she nudged the industry along so that it has become a bit more welcoming, a tad more inclusive, a smidgen less restrictive in its archetypes. And even now, despite all the social media posting, cultural politicking and identity parsing, it remains a substantial acknowledgment to be truly seen by a [trillion-dollar](https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2019/2/the-economic-impact-of-the-fashion-industry) industry with tremendous cultural clout. In August, she announced her retirement from tennis in the pages of She wore cornrows and a fascinator to a British royal wedding. And not to get into the fine details of the magazine business, September remains the month devoted to fashion in all its glory. And when she won, she twirled — a bit of girlish choreography that silently admonishes a culture that too often denies Black women lightness, freedom and whimsy. To be on the cover is to signify fashion. Williams is the magazine’s September cover girl, and she stares down readers in a sea blue Balenciaga gown with a rippling train that caresses her curves like the tide washing over beach rocks.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion refused to put a date on her retirement after an impressive performance in front of a record Flushing Meadows crowd in US ...

"I think when I walked out, the reception was really overwhelming," Williams added. "It was loud and I could feel it in my chest. Williams will now meet Estonian second seed and world number two Anett Kontaveit in the second round on Thursday. That's a tough feeling to have, and to leave knowing, the more you do it, the more you can shine. I think it's important because there's so many other things that I want to do." I'm going to stay vague because you never know."

An average of 2.7 million people in the US tuned in to ESPN on Monday night to watch what could have been the last singles match of Serena Williams's ...

Fortunately for the network -- and tennis fans -- the 23-time Grand Slam champion prevailed in the first round at the US Open, The audience was the biggest ever for the first day of the tournament, according to ESPN. An average of 2.7 million people in the US tuned in to ESPN on Monday night to watch what could have been the last singles match of Serena Williams’s decorated tennis career.

It was fitting for Serena Williams to say goodbye to tennis in the pages of a fashion magazine. Williams announced her retirement from the sport in the ...

Williams returned to the US Open the following year in a one-shoulder dress Abloh designed with the Nike swoosh and the word logo — his [signature air quotes](https://hypebeast.com/2017/9/virgil-abloh-quotes-trademark) were around the word logo — emblazoned on the chest with a tulle skirt. She also [sits on the board](https://investors.poshmark.com/governance/board-of-directors/person-details/default.aspx?ItemId=e556fe69-f3b6-49f2-87b1-b1c5f31a72e9) of Poshmark, an e-commerce marketplace specializing in selling secondhand fashion and home goods. For the first time, Williams walked a designer runway that wasn’t her own. [September 2022 issue](https://www.vogue.com/article/serena-williams-retirement-in-her-own-words), Williams was on the cover of the [February 2018 issue](https://www.vogue.com/article/serena-williams-vogue-cover-interview-february-2018) of Vogue with her daughter, then-4-month-old Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. Williams tapped Versace again for her appearance at the 2019 Met Gala, opting for a voluminous yellow Atelier Versace gown with pink floral appliques floating on its hem up to its billowing sleeves. Williams saw Andre Agassi compete in a pair of jean shorts and told Nike she wanted to try a similar look for herself — kicking off a series of looks that pushed boundaries. At the time, athleisure was still a new trend, and not a very popular one. It was fitting for Serena Williams to say goodbye to tennis in the pages of a fashion magazine. “I actually only wore this outfit two times because it really was all about the fashion, and less about the tennis, and I was like, no, I want to do well. And she appeared on the [April 2015 issue](https://www.vogue.com/article/serena-williams-april-cover-caroline-wozniacki) for her first solo cover. For the Williams sisters, wearing their hair braided with beads was part of being a regular Black girl. The idea that a tennis player should wear white goes back to the Victorian era, when it was believed white

Serena Williams now can say she has won a U.S. Open match in her teens, her 20s, her 30s and her 40s.

“Her opponent has to go up against her — and all of New York City.” “That’s what matters most, is to do things on her own terms.” I don’t know how I’m going to be a part of tennis as of right now. That’s a tough feeling to have, and to leave knowing the more you do it, the more you can shine.” Regardless of what happens in singles, Williams also has doubles to look forward to, with her sister, Venus; they have won 14 Grand Slam titles as a team. Another win will only increase the attention, and ardor, of tennis fans and turn up the volume on talk about whether this could be another turn-back-the-clock U.S. [Williams is not the player she once was](https://apnews.com/article/rafael-nadal-novak-djokovic-naomi-osaka-serena-williams-entertainment-2eda94bfa32dde4a1b0665a0a59e31c8), she got past a patchy start Monday to find her rhythm in the second set. That’s somewhat of a scary prospect for Kontaveit and, if Williams wins again, any future opponents in a section of the draw that doesn’t include anyone with serious U.S. 2 seed in the women’s bracket, Anett Kontaveit, it sure is fun to think about what could be. “I absolutely love being out there,” Williams said following her 6-3, 6-3 victory over 80th-ranked Danka Kovinic on Monday night. And it sure should be fun to watch what happens next. [Serena Williams](https://apnews.com/article/us-open-tennis-championships-serena-williams-sports-new-york-253a845308e234c1cf9fbd0bc13cb40d) now can say she has won a U.S.

RETIRING tennis icon Serena Williams namechecked F1 record-holder Lewis Hamilton first ahead of other superstar names.

The US Open provides Williams a chance to solidify her legacy by tying Margaret Court's all-time singles record of 24 Grand Slam titles. "I mean those three are legends." Hamilton quote-tweeted the interview, replying with a heart emoji as he said he was "honoured" to be held in such high regard by a fellow great. "Roger, Rafa, Novak," Williams continued. "I think The 23-time Grand Slam champion has already cemented her own place in sport's Hall of Fame but picked Hamilton first when quizzed on which stars she considers legendary.

In what might be her last US Open tournament, the tennis icon showed up with a twinkling, bejeweled textured ponytail. By Gabi Thorne. August 30, 2022.

[headband](https://www.allure.com/gallery/best-spa-headbands-for-washing-face-skincare). On August 29, the GOAT came ready to compete and win (which she did) on the first day of the US Open in a sparkly ensemble that included gems in her [ponytail](https://www.allure.com/story/braided-medusa-ponytail-hair-trend). [September 2022 Vogue issue](https://www.vogue.com/article/serena-williams-retirement-in-her-own-words), it felt like the end of a glorious era.

More than 1000 singles matches into her illustrious tennis career, Serena Williams's first matchup against Anett Kontaveit certainly could be her final one.

I think the atmosphere is going to be amazing. “I can’t imagine what [Williams] must feel, having this kind of atmosphere around her and just finishing — I know she’s doing a tournament, but I feel [Monday] it was, like people did so much work to show appreciation to what she’s done. I think it’s going to be one of those matches this year that I haven’t had too many where I just have no pressure on me … I think that’s the role I play is definitely support with everyone else in my family.” I was really rooting for her to win [Monday],” said Kontaveit, the highest-ranked player ever from Estonia. But the elder Williams insisted she has stayed out of Serena’s decision to “evolve away” from the sport the siblings revolutionized.

They will face off in a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday, a venue that feels like home to Williams even if it has not always been a haven.

Kontaveit and Shelby Rogers, her American partner, could also face Williams and her sister Venus in the second round of the women’s doubles tournament. For Anett, I think the key is to just go out and try to play her best tennis but also enjoy the moment. “I think her ball speed, serve and return is really up to her prime time,” Beltz said of Williams. It’s going to be a big challenge, a great challenge, but I think she wants that challenge and wants to embrace it.” This will be Kontaveit’s first match with Williams but not the first match Beltz will coach against Williams. Though Kontaveit reached the final of the Qatar Open in February, this has been a trying season. “She was not fit, but she’s very close again to get this back and is playing better in practice really well now. “I couldn’t get a ticket,” Beltz said. But it’s great to face a champion, I think. Kontaveit, a prodigy who won the Estonian women’s singles title at age 13, received instruction from her mother Ülle Milk in her formative years. “I think it’s such a great opportunity.” More novelty lies ahead on Wednesday night in the second round of the U.S.