By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, August 23, 2022
Serena Williams plans to close the curtain on her glorious career at the US Open.
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John McEnroe believes we could see the Williams sisters depart the Grand Slam stage together.
In a Zoom call with the media to promote ESPN's US Open coverage, which starts on Monday on ESPN, McEnroe praised Venus Williams as "the greatest thing that's ever happened to [Serena]" and said he envisions 42-year-old Venus closing her career in New York with Serena.
"She's obviously an unbelievable player. And she has some varied interests as well," McEnroe said of Venus. "We don't know as much…
"Venus has been pretty tight-lipped for a long time. It's hard to know where exactly she's coming from. But I hope she's in a good place and she deserves to be. And I'd be surprised if she plays much longer. As a matter of fact, I would think that she would stop playing the same time Serena does."
After defeating Venus to capture her 23rd Grand Slam championship at the 2017 Australian Open, Serena credited Venus for inspiring her success.
“I really would like to take this moment to congratulate Venus, she’s an amazing person,” Serena said during the trophy presentation. “There’s no way I would be at 23 without her, no way I would be at one without her. She’s my inspiration, the only reason I’m standing here today, the only reason the Williams sisters exist. So thank you for inspiring me to work hard every time you won this week I felt I won too.”
Hall of Famer Chrissie Evert said former world No. 1 Venus Williams deserves her own official send-off to the sport.
"The thing about Venus, it's just lovely to see the support she's given Serena," Evert told the media. "She's always in the stands when Serena is playing big matches. And she's always shown a lot of class and a lot of grace off the court as well as on the court.
"I don't know to say she's been underappreciated, but I think, again, there's a little shadow cast on her because of Serena. Venus herself merits having a great send-off and her contributions to tennis as well."
Former world No. 1 McEnroe was asked about his portrayal in the movie "King Richard" and said the scene depicting him blowing off the young Venus and Serena is "incorrect" and that it did not happen.
"It's incorrect. I didn't walk away in disgust, refuse to see Serena. That's all I'm saying," McEnroe said. "I was there. Saw them.
"Why would I walk away after being told that I'm going to see two kids, 8 and 9, that are going to be future number ones, like, I refuse to see these kids, for what? Because I'm a hothead. But that's not correct."
To commemorate Serena Williams’ amazing career, ESPN2 will televise a 10-hour marathon of five of her memorable major finals on Thursday, August 25th, at 7 p.m. Eastern time.
In three of the five, her opponent is her sister Venus, twice at the Australian Open including her most recent major victory in 2017 and once at Wimbledon.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve