Serena Williams has Nothing to Prove and Should Now Retire or Show True Sportsmanship

No doubt, Serena Williams is one of the Greatest Tennis Stars of All Time. Her records in past years have shown she is one to reckon with. S. Williams has the second-highest Grand Slam Titles, 23, of All Time in Women’s Singles – Margaret Smith Court on 24, Steffi Graf on 22, and Helen Wills Moody on 19.

If we consider only Open Era, Serena Williams has the highest Grand Slam Titles in Women’s Tennis. The 37-year-old Tennis Superstar has 72 Career Titles to her name. She ranks 5th on most Career Singles while  Martina Navratilova is on 167, Chris Evert on 157, Steffi Graf got 107 and Margaret Smith Court with 92. Serena Williams has 10 Grand Slam Titles in year 2000s and 13 Grand Slams from 2010 till date. She won 3 Slams out of possible four in the year 2015 (Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon Open). 

Here are the breakdown of Serena Williams 23 Grand Slam Titles: 7 Australian Opens, 3 French Opens, 7 Wimbledon and 6 US Opens. With all these achievements, she has nothing to prove to anyone about her abilities or how good she is. She has done so well in Tennis and her name will always remain on the lips of the lovers of the beautiful game and her fans. She is the G.O.A.T! 

Serena Williams becomes the Shallow of herself after Winning Australian Open 2017

After her last Grand Slam Title in 2017, Serena Williams has not come to the best we know her for. Since giving birth to her daughter, Olympia on September 17 2017, Tennis legend, Serena Williams, is yet to win a single Title. She has lost three straight Slam finals (Wimbledon 2018, US Open and Wimbledon 2019) since then. She just lost Rogers Cup final to Bianca Andreescu some days ago. Serena has had to retire or withdraw from all five of her non-Grand Slam events this year.

On Tuesday, Serena Williams withdrew from Cincinnati Masters as she was to play against Zarina Diyas in the first round on Tuesday after suffering back spasms this past weekend in Toronto. The American after withdrawing from Cincinnati Masters, said: “I am so sad to withdraw as it is truly one of the tournaments I most love to play.”

On Sunday also, Serena Williams retired after four games during the Rogers Cup final because of back spasms. Commenting, tearful Serena said, “I came to Mason on Sunday and have tried everything to be ready to play tonight, and was still hopeful after my practice this morning, but, unfortunately, my back is still not right.” In all, Williams has now pulled out of 6 of 8 events this year due to injury or illness.
Serena has come a long way in her career where I think she no longer owns anybody anything. I think it will be safe for her to retire now or show some level of true sportsmanship.

The beautiful legacy she has made is at stake if she doesn’t get it together on time. Although, injuries haven’t been on her side. She has been dealing with injuries in her last few games. At this point, she needs to decide whether to stay away from competitions and allow herself to recover and regain full fitness or retire totally. She has to calm down and understand she has been doing below her standards in the past two years. Serena is yet to win a single set in all the finals she has been to after Australian Open 2017.

It is no secret that Serena Williams wants to win a title to come back to her winning ways and perhaps break the record of having the highest Grand Slams in Women’s Singles Tennis. But, unfortunately, her body and fitness seem not to carry it again. She needs to understand that becoming a mother is not an easy job and her body truly needs to rest, recover and gradually get back to its fitness again. And this can only be a gradual process which requires her patience.

Therefore, if it is for her to retire, so be it. There are lots of young players out there that need the slots she underuses by withdrawing or retiring tournaments due to one reason or the other. She can take up a coaching role if she still wants to be in the game and help the future generation of Tennis prospects become successful like her.