This is an article to read with Europe's

The Final Countdown

as background music.

Serena Williams announced that the "countdown" to her retirement was "on" on Tuesday on Instagram and in an interview with

Vogue

magazine .

“There is a time in life when you have to decide to take a new route.

It's always a difficult moment when you love what you do so much.

And God I love tennis.

But now the countdown is on," explained the 40-year-old American, holder of 23 Grand Slam titles, saying she wants to "focus on her role as a mother, her spiritual goals to discover a new but so exciting Serena”.

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“I will savor the next few weeks,” added the youngest of the Williams sisters, without specifying the exact date of her retirement, which could take place after the next US Open (August 29 – September 11).

First win in over a year

On Monday, Serena Williams had won her first victory in over a year at the WTA 1,000 tournament in Toronto.

The American, who will celebrate her 41st birthday on September 26, won with courage against the Spaniard Nuria Parrizas-Diaz (57th in the world) in two sets (6-3, 6-4) after a disputed match, winning its first success of the year 2022.

His last singles victory on the circuit dates back to June 4, 2021 and his 3rd round victory at Roland-Garros, a few weeks before withdrawing at the start of the first round of Wimbledon due to a leg injury.

She was then absent for almost a year, not making her return to singles until the end of June at Wimbledon 2022 where she was beaten by Frenchwoman Harmony Tan.

Has a crowning of Margaret Court's record

Seven-time Major champion on grass and former undisputed world number 1, Serena Williams has now fallen to 407th place in the WTA rankings.

Her last Grand Slam title dates back more than five years, at the 2017 Australian Open. She has since run in vain behind a 24th coronation which would allow her to equal Margaret Court's record.

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  • Sport

  • Tennis

  • Serena Williams

  • U.S. Open

  • Retirement