Serena Williams announces her retirement after the US Open: "I don't want it to end but I'm ready"

LONDON, 9 Aug. (dpa/EP) -

The American tennis player Serena Williams has announced that she will leave the courts soon, at 40 years old and after the US Open, in a decision that has left her "broken" because she does not want "it to end", although she acknowledges that "at the same time" is "prepared for whatever comes next."

"I'm broken. I don't want it to end, but at the same time I'm prepared for what comes next. I'm 41 years old and something has to happen," the tennis player announced in a letter written in Vogue magazine.

Serena Williams explained that in the last year she and her husband have "been trying to have another child", which she does not want to combine with the clues. "I definitely don't want to get pregnant again as an athlete. I need to have both feet in tennis or both feet out," she said.

This situation, says the American, is "the hardest thing" that can be imagined. "I hate it. I hate being at this crossroads. I still tell myself I wish it was easy for me, but it's not," she added.

"For the past year, Alexis and I have been trying to have another child, and we have recently gotten some information from my doctor that has put me at ease and made me feel that whenever we are ready, we can add a new member to our family. ", wrote.

Serena Williams acknowledges that she has "evolved beyond tennis" into "other things that are more important" to her. After a difficult season, the American had won again just at dawn on Monday against the Spanish Nuria Párrizas.

The tennis player does not know if she is "going to be ready to win in New York", where she has already lifted the US Open six times, which may now be her last competition. "But I'm going to try. And the previous tournaments will be fun," she assured. Furthermore, she acknowledged that she was "not ready to win Wimbeldon this year", where she was beaten in the first round.

"I know there are those who say that I could have tied Margaret (Court with 24 Grand Slams) that day in London, and maybe surpassed her in New York and at the title ceremony say 'So long!'", said Williams, who He has not been able to reach the Australian in titles.

The 23-time winner of a Grand Slam has been on the verge of being the most successful in history. "I get it, it's a good fantasy. But I'm not looking for a final ceremony on the track. I'm terrible at goodbyes, the worst in the world," she said.

"I don't know if I'll be able to read this magazine when it comes out knowing what it is, the end of a story that started in Compton, California, with a girl who just wanted to play tennis," Serena Williams concluded.