Serena Williams makes feelings clear on her retirement and whether she is planning for a tennis comeback

Serena Williams discussed retirement and how difficult it is to get out of something that has been a part of her life for years. Williams capped her career in 2022 and has since been keeping busy with her businesses, entrepreneurship, and family.

Serena Williams was a formidable presence on the tour, having broken multiple records during her competitive years. She became the only player to achieve a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles and is the most recent player to simultaneously hold all four major singles titles. The 44-year-old also etched her name among the sport’s elite earners, becoming the highest-earning female athlete of all time.

Williams capped her career with 23 Grand Slam titles at the 2022 US Open and shifted her focus to managing her eponymous venture capital firm, her clothing line, and her production company, Nine Two Six Productions. The Olympian has also invested heavily in sports teams, among other ventures, but has never really wrapped her head around giving up the sport she loved throughout her life.

In a recent conversation with Porter, Williams discussed missing her sport and whether she would make a comeback.

"Not as much as this time last year. No matter how prepared you are to retire, and particularly from doing something every day at such a high level, it’s hard. I really prepped myself the best way I could, but it’s something that’s still a little difficult."

She and her sister, Venus Williams, redefined the sport, bringing a new era of power and athleticism. The sisters were undefeated in the Major doubles finals and also became the only players in the Open Era to win both Olympic gold in singles and doubles.

Serena Williams recounted the days when she had to deal with criticisms of her body

Williams at the 2022 US Open - Day 5 - Source: Getty

Serena Williams may have made history with her tennis, but she was no stranger to body-shaming and related criticisms. In a recent conversation with Net-a-Porter, the 44-year-old shared that during her earlier years, when her fellow players were super lean and beautiful, according to the conventional definition, she didn't feel mentally okay.

"It was hard because when I was playing in the beginning, the first 15 years, my body was different," Serena Williams said. "I had big b***s; I had a big b**t. Every athlete was like super flat, super thin, and beautiful, but in a different way. And I didn’t understand as an athlete how to deal with that.”

“It does affect you mentally. Absolutely, you think you’re large for your whole life and you look [back] and you’re like, I was fit. Yeah, I had big muscles. I didn’t look like these other girls but not everyone looks the same," Serena Williams added.

Williams won four Laureus Sportswoman of the Year honors and was ranked the greatest women's tennis player of all time by several media outlets.