Serena Williams to retire after US Open

The GIST: As mentioned, after a 27-year pro career, tennis legend Serena Williams announced her plans to retire after the US Open later this month. The GOAT’s on-court days may be winding down, but her incredible off-court impact is just beginning.

On-court career: Serena’s decades of dominance overwhelm her trophy room and include 23 Grand Slam titles (one shy of tying the all-time record), 73 singles tournament wins and an astounding 319 weeks as the WTA No. 1.

• She’s also nabbed four Olympic medals and is the only player to have completed a career Golden Slam (winning all four Grand Slams plus Olympic gold) in both singles and doubles. And the list goes on and on.

The impact: Words fail to do Serena’s legacy justice. She blazed business trails for women investors and BIPOC founders. She changed tennis fashion. She endured racism and sexism and faced those sad realities with an eye toward change.

• She opened up about the health complications she experienced giving birth to her now four-year-old daughter, Olympia, and later inspired the WTA to change their rankings system for mothers who take a leave of absence from the tour.

• Serena wrote in yesterday’s announcement that she hopes “women athletes feel that they can be themselves on the court” because of her. Mission accomplished.

What’s next: In the immediate future, today’s Canadian Open Round of 32 matchup vs. Belinda Bencic. Then it’s off to the Western & Southern Open next week before her final appearance at the US Open, which begins on August 29th. Clear your cal.

• As for off the court, her next steps will be more focused on family. We’ll let her have the final word: “I have never liked the word retirement…maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution.”