Serena Williams to take the court in Toronto after announcing plans to retire
Posted August 9, 2022 9:30 am.
Last Updated August 10, 2022 9:09 am.
Organizers of Canada’s annual tennis tournament are planning to celebrate a tennis legend on Wednesday night as Serena Williams takes to the court in one of the final events of her career.
Tickets for the National Bank Open second round match at Sobeys Stadium Toronto between Williams and Swiss player Belinda Bencic disappeared shortly after the all-time great revealed on Tuesday she plans to retire in the coming weeks.
“Ticket sales have gone through the roof, which doesn’t happen on a Wednesday, typically,” said tournament director Karl Hale. “The media requests have been significant to say the least, everybody wants to see Serena and talk to her. Even the players in the players’ lounge, everybody’s talking about Serena.
“(Wednesday) night, we’ll celebrate her for sure.”
In Vogue Magazine’s September Issue, the 23-time Grand Slam Champion says she is prepared to say farewell to the sport following the U.S. Open in September.
A must read. https://t.co/NSWDGHzsXK
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) August 9, 2022
“I’m terrible at goodbyes, the world’s worst,” pens Williams in the article. “But please know that I am more grateful for you than I can ever express in words.”
“You have carried me to so many wins and so many trophies. I’m going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis. And I’m going to miss you.”
Williams turns 41 in September and will go down as one of the most dominant competitors in the history of tennis. She has won more Grand Slam singles titles in the professional era than any other tennis player, woman or man.
She earned her first win of the season in Toronto on Monday, defeating Nuria Parrizas-Diaz in the opening round of the National Bank Open.
“I guess there’s just a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Williams following the match, hinting at her plans to call it a career. “I’m getting closer to the light.”
“I love playing though, it’s amazing. But I can’t do this forever.”
“I guess there’s just a light at the end of the tunnel.” ????
Following her winning match at #NBO22 yesterday, @serenawilliams hinted she was possibly gearing up to say farewell to tennis. pic.twitter.com/zD9y9EgGMT
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 9, 2022
It’s just the second tournament of the season for Williams, who made her return to competition at Wimbledon just over a month ago.
Before then, she last competed at the 2021 Wimbledon tournament, where she was forced to retire in the middle of her opening round match due to a torn hamstring suffered after slipping on the grass surface.
“I feel good, I felt like I competed well today. I think that’s what I needed to do, is just compete,” she said after Monday’s win. “Mentally, I’m getting there. I’m not where I normally am (or) where I want to be. Any match I play, whether I win or lose, helps me.”
The tournament in Toronto leads into the U.S. Open, the year’s last Grand Slam event, which begins in New York on Aug. 29.
With files from The Canadian Press
