Serena Williams appeared to announce her retirement earlier this year, but the tennis superstar and businesswoman has now said the chances of her returning to the court are "very high."
Appearing at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference for startup companies, Williams discussed her future plans with TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief Jordan Crook, saying that she was "not retired," according to CBS News.
The topic came about when Crook mentioned the U.S. Open Williams competed in earlier this year. Many assumed it would be her last ever after writing an essay for Vogue suggesting she was retiring after the event. Williams told Crook that, after the match, she threw herself into her business, Serena Ventures.
"It was really great because I didn't really even think about the whole retirement — I still haven't really thought about it," she said. "But I did wake up the other day and I went on the court and I was like, 'Oh, for the first time I'm on the court and I'm not playing for competition.' And it was really weird."
Crook asked about the Vogue essay, noting that Williams wrote she was "evolving," not retiring, from tennis.
"Well, I'm not retired," Williams said.
"It sounded like you were on the fence about it at the U.S. Open," Crook responded. "I know you haven't thought about it ... but what are the chances we see you play again?"
"The chances are very high," Williams explained.
In September, Williams opened up about her decision to put down her racket during an appearance on the "Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," saying that although she had not completely dismissed the idea of returning to the sport, stepping back felt like the right decision for the time being.
"I think retirement is something that's super-earned, that people work really hard for," she said, according to People. "But I just feel like I'm at an age where I definitely have a lot more to give, there's a lot more I want to do, and so, I'm not going to be relaxing; there is so much more for me, and I feel it's more like an evolution of Serena."
Williams continued: "And there's so many things that I've been wanting to do for so many years, and I have such a passion for tennis for so long that I have never done it, but now it's time for me to, like, try to enjoy those things."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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