Stacey Allaster

Serena Williams says ‘countdown has begun’ to retirement

HOWARD FENDRICH, Associated PressAugust 11, 2022

Saying “the countdown has begun,” 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams announced Tuesday she is ready to step away from tennis so she can turn her focus to having another child and her business interests, presaging the end of a career that transcended sports. In an essay released Tuesday by Vogue magazine, and a post on Instagram — the sorts of direct-to-fans communication favored these days by celebrities, a category she most definitely fits — Williams was not completely clear on the timeline for her last match, but she made it sound as if that could be at the U.S.

Serena Williams aces AP Female Athlete of the Decade honors

HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Tennis WriterJanuary 2, 2020

Serena Williams dominated the decade, on the court and in conversation. There were, to begin with, the dozen Grand Slam single titles _ no other woman had more than three over the past 10 seasons _ and the 3 1/2 years in a row at No. 1 in the WTA rankings. And then there was the celebrity status that transcended tennis, making everything she did and said newsworthy, whether it was the triumphs and trophies and fashion statements or the disputes with tournament officials, the magazine covers or the Super Bowl ad with a message about women’s power, the birth