After winning 23 Grand Slam titles, Serena Williams is engaged in what may be her final tournament at the US Open.
The 40-year-old announced this month she plans to turn her focus to family and her business interests as she prepares to step away from professional tennis.
Williams eliminated No 2 seed Anett Kontaveit in the US Open’s second round on Wednesday to ensure she will play at least one more singles match.
One of the most accomplished athletes in the history of her sport, Williams has seven titles apiece at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, six US Open wins, plus three at the French Open, across a career remarkable for its peaks and its longevity. She also owns 14 Grand Slam doubles championships, all won with her older sister Venus.
She has done plenty outside of tennis, too.
That includes forays into business with investment firm Serena Ventures and entertainment, with acting roles and an executive producer role on King Richard, the film about her father that was nominated for five Academy Awards.
She launched a fashion collection in 2018 after collaborations with HSN and Nike, made multiple appearances on the red carpet at the annual Met Gala in New York, and appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine.
All the while, Williams has not let the public forget she is a Black American woman who embraces her responsibility as a beacon for her people.