Williams stays alive on court, 'Vague' off it

NEW YORK • Serena Williams is leaving tennis but her love affair with the sport will continue, assured the 23-time Grand Slam winner on Monday, after reaching the second round of the US Open, which could be her competitive swan song.

Having signalled her intention to retire in a Vogue article earlier this month, saying she was "evolving away from tennis", the former world No. 1 has not quite been able to bring herself to say definitively that Flushing Meadows is indeed where she will take her final bow.

"I've been pretty vague about it, right," said a smiling Williams, after her scrappy 6-3, 6-3 win over Montenegro's Danka Kovinic - a match that set an all-time night-session crowd attendance record of 29,402. "I'm going to stay vague because you never know."

But when the American departs from the WTA Tour for good, she will not be walking away from tennis, which she says has given her "everything".

"I love the sport and I feel like it's given me so much," the reflective 40-year-old added. "It's given me a platform that I never even thought I would have. I don't see myself not a part of tennis.

"I don't know how I'm going to be a part of tennis as of right now. But I just feel like we've come too far together to just not have anything to do with it."

While Williams has dominated the women's game for over two decades, she also has many other interests. She has been a fashion designer, an actress and a venture capitalist by backing early-stage companies.

She was also an early investor in MasterClass, one of 16 unicorns - companies whose market value exceeds US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion) - to receive funding from her firm, Serena Ventures.

There are certain to be more business opportunities to grow out of tennis, but Williams' greatest impact and connection to the sport is likely to continue to be as a leader speaking out on diversity, racism and other social issues.

The veteran has been unable to define what her future tennis role might be, but the serial winner is aware of the impact she has had off the court but never dwelt on it.

"I don't think I've even taken a moment to realise any impact," said Williams. "I understand it, but I don't really meditate or think about it. I'll have plenty of time soon to do all that.

"I never thought I would have that impact, ever. I was just a girl trying to play tennis in a time where I could develop this impact and be a voice."

Kovinic put up tame resistance, perhaps overawed by the partisan support at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but Anett Kontaveit will be a big step-up in the second round for 605th-ranked Williams.

The second-seeded Estonian has said she cannot wait for the "unique experience" today.

World No. 2 Kontaveit, who swept past Romania's Jaqueline Cristian 6-3, 6-0 in her first-round match, said: "I'm really excited. I was really rooting for her (Williams) to win today. I've never played against her. I mean, this is the last chance.

"Better late than never. I think the atmosphere is going to be amazing. I'm really looking forward to it. I think it's going to be one of those matches this year that... I just have no pressure on me. I'll just get to enjoy and play as good as I can on the day."

Calling her upcoming opponent the "greatest player of all time", Kontaveit added: "She's always fighting. She's always giving 100 per cent. I'm just going to take it as a real unique experience. I'm not sure if I'll ever experience something like this again."

In yesterday's other first-round matches, Poland's world No. 1 Iga Swiatek got her campaign off to a rousing start, thrashing Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-0.

American eighth seed Jessica Pegula also eased past Swiss Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-2.

REUTERS

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