
via Getty
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 05: Serena Williams of the United States shows her emotion to the crowd after winning her Women’s Singles semi-final match against Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine on day eleven of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 05, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

via Getty
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 05: Serena Williams of the United States shows her emotion to the crowd after winning her Women’s Singles semi-final match against Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine on day eleven of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 05, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Serena Williams is one of the most celebrated stars in tennis. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has claimed several records that will stand unrivaled for decades. There is no doubt that people loved and cherished her presence on the tour for the past 27 years. In fact, with the help of her splendid gameplay, she brought crowds of new fans to the WTA. However, do fans really want to see her return to the professional tour?
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Serena walked away from the sport after this year’s US Open, with a stadium full of emotional supporters. Will the same fans who went to the extent of buying highly-priced tickets just to see her perform her last dance welcome her again?
Serena Williams teased about returning to competitive action
The former world no.1 recently expressed her desire to make a comeback as and when her heart desires. She said, “I am not retired. The chances of a return are very high.” As a response to this, fans flooded the social media and most of them were angry at her for being inconsiderate and not understanding the weight of the word ‘retirement’.
I'll get a lot of hate but if she wants to make a return, she should actually practice regularly and improve her rhythm. Anything else is both a waste for her and for anyone who could've got the points and the paycheck (assuming she gets their WC in her first set of events back)
— Rudra (@tsitsipain) October 20, 2022
Why the hell would you announce your retirement then? Just say l’m going on hiatus 🤷♂️
— Ashish (@AshishOdysseus) October 20, 2022
People should know when to stop .
— Shakur DML (@Shakur_Dml) October 20, 2022
Dear Jameka, no one believes you anymore! https://t.co/nMzRCkcDa5
— Serena's snatched wig (@Danidilo2) October 20, 2022
Why is she lying on Beyoncé’s internet https://t.co/9VVcNnn8wJ
— 🤍LISA🤍 (@checkthetea) October 20, 2022
Whereas others figured that the seven-time Wimbledon champion deliberately delivered such a debatable statement. “What an attention seeker.” One wrote.
What an attention seeker
— sp (@Tennisf81224922) October 21, 2022
Maybe she just wants a send off like Roger had?
— Ania Zosia ⚡🌈💛💙 (@Anna_Niezgodzka) October 20, 2022
Just stay out! we don’t want to see you anymore 🙄
— Daz (@2016daz) October 20, 2022
Further, one fan mentioned how her inclination towards pocketing more endorsement money is making her utter such words.
He wrote, “Say it with me everyone- ENDOR$EMENT MONEY. She’s not going to train hard. She gets more for being ‘active’ than retired.”
Say it with me everyone- ENDOR$EMENT MONEY. She's not going to train hard. She gets more for being "active" than retired.
— Chelseaaaa (@ChelseaRulezzz) October 20, 2022
Though there were also people who came to her rescue.
lord free rena’s army from the shackles of her trolling https://t.co/Desnc6ZI9C
— lilian 🎾 (@serenas24thslam) October 20, 2022
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Williams broke the news of her leaving the sport through an essay in Vogue magazine. After shushing the rumors of her retirement for months, she made a comeback at Wimbledon and participated in the WTA 1000 events prior to the US Open. Therefore, the declaration was a shocker for the fans.
Serena’s last on-court appearance
The six-time US Open champion played her last match on 3rd September on the hard courts of the American majors. Serena first took down the Montenegrin professional Danka Kovinić in straight sets, and then locked horns with the former WTA world no.2 and the tournament’s second seed, Anett Kontaveit.
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The 40-year-old in a three-set long match out-muscled the Estonian ace and safeguarded her record at the Grand Slam. However, post that in the third round, she failed to outclass the Aussie Ajla Tomljanović and with that defeat, walked out of the sport.
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