Billie Jean King has described Serena Williams as tennis’s ‘greatest player’ following the 23-time grand slam singles champion’s announcement that she will be retiring from the sport
Billie Jean King, the former women’s world No 1, has led tributes within tennis to Serena Williams, describing her as the sport’s “greatest player” following the 23-time grand slam singles champion’sIn a column for Vogue, the 40-year-old Williams described her intention to finish her playing career as an “evolution” away from tennis and indicated she could step away after the upcoming US Open.
“I don’t know the answer whether she wants to play again, I don’t think she needs to play again. She’s in that level where Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Tom Brady are. She’s like one of the all-time greatest athletes in the history of any sport – male or female. It seems to be a great place in her life. She’s added a lot.
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff, the current world No 11, hailed Williams as the very reason she took up the sport in the first place. “I grew up watching her. That’s the reason why I play tennis,” said Gauff after her first-round victory at the Canadian Open in Toronto on Tuesday. “Tennis being a predominantly white sport, it definitely helped a lot. Because I saw somebody who looked like me dominating the game. It made me believe that I could dominate too.
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