Serena Williams claims she is ‘not retired’
Serena Williams has again hinted that her tennis career isn’t over after insisting that she isn’t retired and saying the chances of a return are “very high”.
The 23-time Grand Slam winner announced her decision to “evolve away” from the sport in an interview with Vogue in August.
Her appearance on home turf at the US Open the following month, where she was knocked out in the third round by Ajla Tomljanovic, was expected to be her final outing.
However, the 41-year-old has since dropped several suggestions that she isn’t done yet, and the American did so again at a conference in San Francisco for her investment company Serena Ventures.
“I am not retired,” Williams said, as reported by Sky Sports.
“The chances [of a return] are very high. You can come to my house, I have a court.”
Despite the hint, Williams did explain that there will be no imminent tournament appearance as she begins the next stage of her life.
“I still haven’t really thought about [retirement],” Williams said.
“But I did wake up the other day and go on the court and [considered] for the first time in my life that I’m not playing for a competition, and it felt really weird.
“It was like the first day of the rest of my life and I’m enjoying it, but I’m still trying to find that balance.”
Williams previously refused to rule out another Grand Slam appearance in August, telling the Today programme: “You never know. I’ve learned in my career, never say never.”
She later said in the wake of her US Open defeat that she “always did love Australia” when asked about a comeback, a nod to a potential appearance at the Australian Open in January next year.
