Serena Williams admits leaving tennis was a 'difficult' decision and 'not easy' after dedicating life to sport

Former world number one Serena Williams has admitted that it was hard for her to quit tennis to have a second child. The 42-year-old retired from the sport in 2022 September in order to extend her family with husband Alexis Ohanian.

Serena was recently quoted in a report for Byrdie Magazine where she admitted that it was tough leaving the sport where she was still ‘pretty good’.

“It's definitely not easy,” she said. “I love sports and being active. Leaving something I was still good at to be a mom was such a difficult decision. But I wanted another kid, so I had to do that. Now it's about finding balance and doing other things I've always loved.”

Serena further went on to talk about how she loves fashion and makeup and how playing tennis gave her a unique opportunity to try different styles while playing on the court.

“Showing up [like that] was great for me,” she said. “Tennis is different than other sports. Sprinters and gymnasts, for example, can wear a full face of makeup. With tennis, you can play for three hours and have sweat pouring down your face.
“So I had to find little ways to enhance my features. It started with the beads—that was a way to express myself. From there, I leaned into eyeliner and lipstick.” 

Serena is often regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of women’s tennis in the singles category, having won as many as 23 Grand Slam titles in her illustrious career.