[arista]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/62484286

Reported on Times Radio DAB Live 5AM

[Serena Williams,
the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion,
one of the greatest tennis players of
all time and a sporting icon, is set to retire.
It is difficult to imagine tennis without the
American legend, who has won
all there is to win during her 27-year career.
From a purely sporting point of view,
Williams will be remembered as one
of the game's greatest competitors;
an athlete who possessed the purest
serve in the women's game and
a never-fading desire to win.]

She had a long run.

[Niamh.]

A true legend and inspiration to women and girls everywhere

[bots]

what a magnificent career she has had

[Cherie]

a powerhouse for womens tennis

[Alf]

She was only 1 Grand slam title behind Margaret Court. She may as well carry on and try to break the record.

[Nicky91]

Originally Posted by Alf

She was only 1 Grand slam title behind Margaret Court. She may as well carry on and try to break the record.

her last chance for that will be soon then at the US Open

although there is more chances of her exiting in round 1 than her winning that slam

[UserSince2005]

such a hard worker, she makes me proud to be african.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Always disliked her

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Always disliked her

I'm sure she's devastated

[thesheriff443]

I haven’t watched a full game of her’s.
Done incredibly well, and I’m sure she will go on to be successful in other areas

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I'm sure she's devastated

Yes she comes across as an uncaring type

[Mystic Mock]

She will always be my favourite female Tennis player.

She'll be a huge loss to the Sport in general imo.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Alf

She was only 1 Grand slam title behind Margaret Court. She may as well carry on and try to break the record.

Sadly she's not at that level anymore.

[Alf]

She didn't play in a particularly strong era. Her sister was competition at the start but she fell away and was only really competative on grass. Henin was probably her biggest competition and Henin while good, isn't an all time great.

Navratilova had to compete against two all time greats in her career in Chris Evert and then Steffi Graf.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Alf

She didn't play in a particularly strong era. Her sister was competition at the start but she fell away and was only really competative on grass. Henin was probably her biggest competition and Henin while good, isn't an all time great.

Navratilova had to compete against two all time greats in her career in Chris Evert and the Steffi Graf.

proper womens legends

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Alf

She didn't play in a particularly strong era. Her sister was competition at the start but she fell away and was only really competative on grass. Henin was probably her biggest competition and Henin while good, isn't an all time great.

Navratilova had to compete against two all time greats in her career in Chris Evert and then Steffi Graf.

Tbf Maria Sharapova was a rival to Serena for awhile until the scandal broke out.

[GoldHeart]

Serena Williams is an amazing tennis player , like mentioned above she's an inspiration. She's achieved so much .

I'm not a big sports fan , but i'm always happy when people like Serena & her sister Venus work so hard & it pays off, when i think of tennis i think of the William sisters . I know sports has a cut off point as they get older , so hopefully she'll enjoy her retirement & i'm sure she'll find ways to stay busy whilst being at her leisure aswell .

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

Tbf Maria Sharapova was a rival to Serena for awhile until the scandal broke out.

Again Sharapova had a few moments but only won 5 Grand slam titles whereas Graf won 22, Navratilova won 18 and Evert won 18.

In Serena's era Venus and Henin won the next most to her they both won 7. I think to be considered an all time great you have to have won at least 10.

Navratilova is the Queen of Wimbledon with the most victories there and Evert is the a queen of the French open with the most victories there. Serena and Steffi Graf are not the Queen of any grand slam tournament but they're probably the two best all rounders.

[bots]

the general standard of competitive tennis for both the mens and ladies games has improved so much in the modern era that its impossible to compare with times gone by. All you can say is that particular tennis players were the best in their own era

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

the general standard of competitive tennis for both the mens and ladies games has improved so much in the modern era that its impossible to compare with times gone by. All you can say is that particular tennis players were the best in their own era

I agree with this.

Steffi is my all time favourite player but I don't think she would have been able to contend with the power of Serena - Steffi's game was very different.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

the general standard of competitive tennis for both the mens and ladies games has improved so much in the modern era that its impossible to compare with times gone by. All you can say is that particular tennis players were the best in their own era

The mens era over the past 20 years is the greatest era for men with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all in the same era, they're 3 of the greatest players ever all in the same era which is what I'm saying about Navratilova's era in the women's game.

The general standard in pretty much all sports improves as equipment and technology improves.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

I agree with this.

Steffi is my all time favourite player but I don't think she would have been able to contend with the power of Serena - Steffi's game was very different.

Of course Steffi would contend with Serena. Steffi was a superb athlete. You could also say that Serena couldn't cope with Steffi's athleticism. That girl could move.

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Alf

Of course Steffi would contend with Serena. Steffi was a superb athlete. You could also say that Serena couldn't cope with Steffi's athleticism. That girl could move.

I said she couldn't contend with the power - she would have never have faced anyone in the women's game at the time who hit a ball as hard as Serena did.

I absolutely know what Steffi could do - as I said she is my favourite ever female player and her fitness and the ability to grind out a shot from nothing were amazing but the raw power of Serena coupled with the newer rackets etc would have been, in my opinion, a different league to anything Stffi faced.

If Serena had to play a serve/volley game of tennis, I agree Steffi would wipe the floor with her (Serena relies on her power and strength and doesn't have a particularly intelligent game like Steffi did always being able to pull off an impossible shot), but Serena's serve alone would best Steffi's - far more power and consistency than Steffi had - even though she remains one of the best returners of serve in the game.

Its all subjective anyway but I can have my opinion and although I would love to be bias towards Steffi, I believe Serena would have beaten her.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

I said she couldn't contend with the power - she would have never have faced anyone in the women's game at the time who hit a ball as hard as Serena did.

I absolutely know what Steffi could do - as I said she is my favourite ever female player and her fitness and the ability to grind out a shot from nothing were amazing but the raw power of Serena coupled with the newer rackets etc would have been, in my opinion, a different league to anything Stffi faced.

If Serena had to play a serve/volley game of tennis, I agree Steffi would wipe the floor with her (Serena relies on her power and strength and doesn't have a particularly intelligent game like Steffi did always being able to pull off an impossible shot), but Serena's serve alone would best Steffi's - far more power and consistency than Steffi had - even though she remains one of the best returners of serve in the game.

Its all subjective anyway but I can have my opinion and although I would love to be bias towards Steffi, I believe Serena would have beaten her.

Steffi actually won more Grand slam titles than she probably should have because had Monica Seles not been stabbed, those two would have had one of the great sporting rivalries of the 1990s.

That rivalry had just started and Seles had just taken over as number 1 when she was stabbed by that crazy, jealous Steffi fan. Seles was never the same player again when she finally came back.

[Nicky91]

i never supported Serena


i've so far from current tour players, always liked Jessie Pegula, for a long time i also didn't have huge expectations for her, but now she hit top 10 i kinda want her to win couple more titles

and i also don't find it a embarrassment for american tennis that she is now best ranked american player, when she has been mostly very consistent in terms of going deep in tournaments, apart from recent Citi Open early exit but understandable considering whats been going on in her life, with her mom on the ICU with some unknown illness



Simona Halep i just love for the right and the wrong reasons, whenever she loses she can lose sometimes in some of the more funny, entertaining ways, and btw Simona respecting Serena is also something really great, having been #2 behind her for such a long time as well in the rankings



as for who has new Serena potential, i still confidently say Iga Swiatek, and from america possibly Cori Gauff if she can perfect her game a lot more, and if she can get her **** together, Raducanu also has potential to improve a lot into a dominant top 5 force as well as already having that sort of ''star status potential'' what the WTA also needs for marketing purposes