Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Serena Williams finished her professional tennis career on Friday, Sept. 2 at the 2022 U.S. Open.
By Lauren Leese ’23
Staff Writer
After a 27-year long professional tennis career, Serena Williams played her last match at the 2022 U.S. Open. On Friday, Sept. 2, Williams competed against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic, who beat Williams 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
According to Tennis World, millions of spectators tuned in to watch the 23-time Grand Slam title winner’s final game. The match attained a new record for the most-watched ESPN tennis event ever, attracting 4.8 million viewers.
In a post-game, on-court interview, according to the U.S. Open website, an emotional Williams thanked her parents and her sister Venus for their support. “I just thank everyone that’s here, that’s been on my side [for] so many … decades,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t be Serena if there wasn’t Venus. … I’m just so grateful to every single person that’s ever said ‘Go, Serena!’ in their life. I’m just so grateful.”
Reuters reported that Tomljanovic, a longtime fan of Williams, described the match as the “most conflicted I’ve ever felt after a win.” She continued, “When it ended, it almost didn’t feel right. When she started talking about her family and everything, I got emotional because I can relate to having a strong bond with your family.” According to the U.S. Open website, on Williams’s legacy, Tomljanovic did not mince words: “She’s the greatest of all time. Period.”
In a Sept. 24 interview with Variety, Williams spoke about her decision to quit, but hinted that it might not be the ultimate end of her tennis-playing days.
“I always said I wanted to stop when I’m playing really good tennis and winning and beating good players. For me, it’s really about things I want to do spiritually and spending time with my daughter and family,” Williams said. “I feel like if I want to come back, I definitely can still come back.”
Mount Holyoke varsity tennis player Claudia Gonzalez-Vazquez ’25 spoke about her conflicting emotions regarding Williams’s last match — as well as Swiss tennis player Roger Federer, who played his last match on Friday, Sept. 23, according to the Olympic Games website.
“Watching Serena enter and exit the court was a really emotional moment for me. When she waved goodbye, I was so proud of her and heartbroken at the same time,” Gonzalez-Vazquez said. “When Roger Federer hugged Nadal at the end, my heart again shattered like it was glass,” she said of the latter.
“Serena Williams and Roger Federer were my idols growing up,” Gonzalez-Vazquez continued. “Serena Williams and her sister Venus inspired me by representing women and [people of color] in a sport that has [a] classist and predominantly-white background. … Roger Federer inspired me [in proving] that even a ball-boy could one day become a legend.”
“Living in a post-Serena and post-Roger world doesn’t seem real,” Gonzalez-Vazquez finished. “I’m still waiting for someone to wake me up and tell me it was all a dream and [that] I still have a chance to watch them play someday.”
“Living in a post-Serena and post-Roger world doesn’t seem real. I’m still waiting for someone to wake me up and tell me it was all a dream and [that] I still have a chance to watch them play someday.”
Kate Vavra ’26 shared how Williams inspired her as a Mount Holyoke varsity tennis player.
“Throughout [Williams’s last match], I felt an overwhelming sense of pride,” Vavra said. “Even when she lost, she still looked up and smiled at the crowd.”
By studying Serena’s technique, Vavra was able to improve her own game. “Serena’s serve inspired me to put more effort and power into my serve,” Vavra said. “Having a strong first serve has helped my game so much, and I win significantly more when my serve is on point.”
Vavra also noted that Williams’s commitment to both her family and tennis reassured her about her own future. “I really want to have children one day … [and] I also really want to build a career for myself and be successful in the workplace. I worry a lot that I won't be able to do both, but Serena has proven that it is attainable.”
Jaskirat Kaur ’26, another varsity tennis player, discussed what Williams meant to her as an athlete.
“She is by far my favorite athlete and part of the reason why I play tennis. It is incredible to see someone of color, like me, dominate the sport to the extent that she has,” Kaur said. “Although she lost, we got to see the same relentless spirit and determination she brings to every match. For me, she is one of the greatest tennis players in the history of the sport, and not just on the women’s side. Tennis will never be the same without her.”
Making good on her resolution to spend time with her family, Williams shared in a Sept. 23 Instagram post that she is now an assistant coach for her daughter’s soccer team.
No matter where Williams goes next, many feel that she left a lifelong impact on her sport and her fans. As Vavra said, “She really changed the game.”