Serena Williams Reflects On Life After Tennis, Says Stepping Away Has Not Been Easy
Serena Williams is navigating life after tennis with a mix of nostalgia and excitement for new ventures. In a recent interview on Today with Hoda & Jenna, the 23-time Grand Slam champion opened up about the challenges of stepping away from the sport she loves.
Despite her busy schedule as a venture capitalist and investor in new companies, the tennis legend and mother of two admitted that being away from tennis hasn’t been easy. Since giving birth to her second daughter last August, she has had time to ponder her next move off the court.
“It was all good when I was pregnant and now that I’m not anymore I’m like, ‘Ohhh I miss it so much!’“ she shared.
Emphasizing on how much of her life will always be tied to tennis, she stated, “I’m doing so many things with different businesses. But tennis obviously was my first love and it will always be my first love and it is something I will always be so passionate about.”
Reflecting on her time in the spotlight, Serena spoke fondly of the adrenaline rush she experienced on center court.
“I will never love anything as much as tennis, ’cause it’s like, you’re in the front of the world and you don’t even realize it because there’s so much pressure and there’s so much stress. But you’re walking out on center court every day and they’re there to see you. And there’s no adrenaline like that,” she reminisced.
Additionally, she expressed a longing for the fashion aspect of the game, including her iconic outfits.
“I miss the outfits I’m like, ‘Oh man. I want to wear these skirts again!’ But yeah, it’s not easy, I’m going to be honest. I’m not going to sit here and be, ‘Oh, it’s easy.’ No, it’s hard as, I don’t know how. But I still train and I still love it and I still get around and I still have fun,” she stated.
Acknowledging Serena’s influence beyond tennis, Hoda Kotb mentioned LSU star Angel Reese’s admiration for her as a “guiding light.” Serena was visibly touched by the compliment, emphasizing the importance of inspiring women across all sports.
“First of all, I watched her [in the Elite Eight] and I loved her outfit, that was the first thing I saw. I was like, ‘Oh, I had an outfit like that too!’” she said, adding, “It’s super-exciting to hear that and just inspire women in general and inspire this whole group of amazing, beautiful athletes that can look beautiful on their field, on the court and on the everything, and still be fierce. That’s what I was always about — how I can look beautiful and still be fierce at the same time.”
