Photo: Tasos Katopodis/GettySerena Williamssays never say never.The tennis legend sat down with sisterVenus Williamsin a conversation with actorBradley Cooperat the A+E Networks and the History Channel’s History Talks in Washington, D.C., over the weekend.In his role as interviewer, Cooper, 47, asked about Serena’s retirement plans after she announced in August that she’d be stepping away from tennis to focus on her family. The 23-time Grand Slam champ played what might be her final game ever at the U.S. Open earlier in September.“I just needed to stop,” Serena, 40, explained, according toVariety. “I always said I wanted to stop when I’m playing really good tennis and winning and beating good players. For me, it’s really about things I want to do spiritually and spending time with my daughter and family.““As a super hands-on mom, I can’t tell you how hard it was. I lost so many matches after I had [daughter] Olympia because it was so hard to be on the court,” she continued. “I feel like I’ve given so much of my life to tennis, my entire life, that it’s time to do something different for me and also work on other things.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Gotham/WireImageSerena then clarified that she has made the decision regarding her playing tennis for now, not forever. “I feel like if I want to come back, I definitely can still come back,” she said.Cooper also asked Venus, 42, and Serena about what it’s like to know they have changed the game of tennis.“For me, I want to do more,” Venus said. “You want to be better every moment. It’s never enough. If it was perfect, it still wasn’t perfect enough.“Serena, for her part, added: “When you’re on the inside, you can’t see it. It’s completely different when you’re involved.“Want to get the biggest stories fromPEOPLEevery weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/GettySerenalost what was likely the final matchof her legendary career at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sept. 2.After battling it out over three intense sets, the 23-time Grand Slam champion lost to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović.In her post-match interview, Serena got emotional as she thanked her parents, includingher father Richard Williams, the focus of the Academy Award-winning movieKing Richard.“Thank you, Daddy. I know you’re watching,” she said, tearing up. “Thanks, Mom. Oh, my God.““I thank everyone that’s here, that’s been on my side so many years, decades. Oh, my gosh, literally decades,” she added. “But it all started with my parents. And they deserve everything. So I’m really grateful for them.“Saying that she thinks her tears “are happy tears,” Serena went on tocredit her big sister Venusfor making her historic career possible.“I wouldn’t be Serena if there wasn’t Venus, so thank you, Venus. She’s the only reason thatSerena Williamsever existed,” she said.ShutterstockSerena previously made an appearance on Sept. 13 onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she was asked about her retirement.Fallon, 48, questioned, “There’s no chance of you pulling aTom Brady?” referencing theTampa Bay Buccaneer’s brief retirementearlier this year. The tennis champ responded, “You know what? Tom Brady started an amazing trend.““That’s what I want to say,” the athlete then laughed.After watching the interview, Serena’s husbandAlexis Ohanianjokingly called out Brady, 45, onTwitterfor putting the idea in her head.“Dude@TomBradyI’m trying to plan a family vacation over winter break here ….” he wrote.Ohanian, 39, penned a touching message for his legendary wife after the tennis championannounced she’d be “evolving away from” the sportin August.The Reddit co-foundershared a sweet photoof himself and the couple’s 4-year-old daughter along with a heartfelt tribute to Serena’s career and legacy.“I’ve seen over the last 7 years how much y’all love my wife — what she means to so many, worldwide,” wrote Ohanian. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Plenty of folks have told me ‘how Reddit changed their life,’ but the scale & impact of ‘how Serena changed my life’ stories absolutely dwarfs it.“He continued, “And that’s just the stuff I hear when people come up to me to say hi. You simply cannot overstate the breadth and depth of influence she’s had on so many people. As far as I can tell, she has no idea.@serenawilliamsdoesn’t think about it, or even realize it.”
Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty
Serena Williamssays never say never.The tennis legend sat down with sisterVenus Williamsin a conversation with actorBradley Cooperat the A+E Networks and the History Channel’s History Talks in Washington, D.C., over the weekend.In his role as interviewer, Cooper, 47, asked about Serena’s retirement plans after she announced in August that she’d be stepping away from tennis to focus on her family. The 23-time Grand Slam champ played what might be her final game ever at the U.S. Open earlier in September.“I just needed to stop,” Serena, 40, explained, according toVariety. “I always said I wanted to stop when I’m playing really good tennis and winning and beating good players. For me, it’s really about things I want to do spiritually and spending time with my daughter and family.““As a super hands-on mom, I can’t tell you how hard it was. I lost so many matches after I had [daughter] Olympia because it was so hard to be on the court,” she continued. “I feel like I’ve given so much of my life to tennis, my entire life, that it’s time to do something different for me and also work on other things.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Gotham/WireImageSerena then clarified that she has made the decision regarding her playing tennis for now, not forever. “I feel like if I want to come back, I definitely can still come back,” she said.Cooper also asked Venus, 42, and Serena about what it’s like to know they have changed the game of tennis.“For me, I want to do more,” Venus said. “You want to be better every moment. It’s never enough. If it was perfect, it still wasn’t perfect enough.“Serena, for her part, added: “When you’re on the inside, you can’t see it. It’s completely different when you’re involved.“Want to get the biggest stories fromPEOPLEevery weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/GettySerenalost what was likely the final matchof her legendary career at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sept. 2.After battling it out over three intense sets, the 23-time Grand Slam champion lost to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović.In her post-match interview, Serena got emotional as she thanked her parents, includingher father Richard Williams, the focus of the Academy Award-winning movieKing Richard.“Thank you, Daddy. I know you’re watching,” she said, tearing up. “Thanks, Mom. Oh, my God.““I thank everyone that’s here, that’s been on my side so many years, decades. Oh, my gosh, literally decades,” she added. “But it all started with my parents. And they deserve everything. So I’m really grateful for them.“Saying that she thinks her tears “are happy tears,” Serena went on tocredit her big sister Venusfor making her historic career possible.“I wouldn’t be Serena if there wasn’t Venus, so thank you, Venus. She’s the only reason thatSerena Williamsever existed,” she said.ShutterstockSerena previously made an appearance on Sept. 13 onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she was asked about her retirement.Fallon, 48, questioned, “There’s no chance of you pulling aTom Brady?” referencing theTampa Bay Buccaneer’s brief retirementearlier this year. The tennis champ responded, “You know what? Tom Brady started an amazing trend.““That’s what I want to say,” the athlete then laughed.After watching the interview, Serena’s husbandAlexis Ohanianjokingly called out Brady, 45, onTwitterfor putting the idea in her head.“Dude@TomBradyI’m trying to plan a family vacation over winter break here ….” he wrote.Ohanian, 39, penned a touching message for his legendary wife after the tennis championannounced she’d be “evolving away from” the sportin August.The Reddit co-foundershared a sweet photoof himself and the couple’s 4-year-old daughter along with a heartfelt tribute to Serena’s career and legacy.“I’ve seen over the last 7 years how much y’all love my wife — what she means to so many, worldwide,” wrote Ohanian. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Plenty of folks have told me ‘how Reddit changed their life,’ but the scale & impact of ‘how Serena changed my life’ stories absolutely dwarfs it.“He continued, “And that’s just the stuff I hear when people come up to me to say hi. You simply cannot overstate the breadth and depth of influence she’s had on so many people. As far as I can tell, she has no idea.@serenawilliamsdoesn’t think about it, or even realize it.”
Serena Williamssays never say never.
The tennis legend sat down with sisterVenus Williamsin a conversation with actorBradley Cooperat the A+E Networks and the History Channel’s History Talks in Washington, D.C., over the weekend.
In his role as interviewer, Cooper, 47, asked about Serena’s retirement plans after she announced in August that she’d be stepping away from tennis to focus on her family. The 23-time Grand Slam champ played what might be her final game ever at the U.S. Open earlier in September.
“I just needed to stop,” Serena, 40, explained, according toVariety. “I always said I wanted to stop when I’m playing really good tennis and winning and beating good players. For me, it’s really about things I want to do spiritually and spending time with my daughter and family.”
“As a super hands-on mom, I can’t tell you how hard it was. I lost so many matches after I had [daughter] Olympia because it was so hard to be on the court,” she continued. “I feel like I’ve given so much of my life to tennis, my entire life, that it’s time to do something different for me and also work on other things.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Gotham/WireImage
Serena then clarified that she has made the decision regarding her playing tennis for now, not forever. “I feel like if I want to come back, I definitely can still come back,” she said.
Cooper also asked Venus, 42, and Serena about what it’s like to know they have changed the game of tennis.
“For me, I want to do more,” Venus said. “You want to be better every moment. It’s never enough. If it was perfect, it still wasn’t perfect enough.”
Serena, for her part, added: “When you’re on the inside, you can’t see it. It’s completely different when you’re involved.”
Want to get the biggest stories fromPEOPLEevery weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.
Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty
Serenalost what was likely the final matchof her legendary career at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sept. 2.
After battling it out over three intense sets, the 23-time Grand Slam champion lost to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović.
In her post-match interview, Serena got emotional as she thanked her parents, includingher father Richard Williams, the focus of the Academy Award-winning movieKing Richard.
“Thank you, Daddy. I know you’re watching,” she said, tearing up. “Thanks, Mom. Oh, my God.”
“I thank everyone that’s here, that’s been on my side so many years, decades. Oh, my gosh, literally decades,” she added. “But it all started with my parents. And they deserve everything. So I’m really grateful for them.”
Saying that she thinks her tears “are happy tears,” Serena went on tocredit her big sister Venusfor making her historic career possible.
“I wouldn’t be Serena if there wasn’t Venus, so thank you, Venus. She’s the only reason thatSerena Williamsever existed,” she said.
Shutterstock
Serena previously made an appearance on Sept. 13 onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she was asked about her retirement.
Fallon, 48, questioned, “There’s no chance of you pulling aTom Brady?” referencing theTampa Bay Buccaneer’s brief retirementearlier this year. The tennis champ responded, “You know what? Tom Brady started an amazing trend.”
“That’s what I want to say,” the athlete then laughed.
After watching the interview, Serena’s husbandAlexis Ohanianjokingly called out Brady, 45, onTwitterfor putting the idea in her head.
“Dude@TomBradyI’m trying to plan a family vacation over winter break here ….” he wrote.
Ohanian, 39, penned a touching message for his legendary wife after the tennis championannounced she’d be “evolving away from” the sportin August.
The Reddit co-foundershared a sweet photoof himself and the couple’s 4-year-old daughter along with a heartfelt tribute to Serena’s career and legacy.
“I’ve seen over the last 7 years how much y’all love my wife — what she means to so many, worldwide,” wrote Ohanian. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Plenty of folks have told me ‘how Reddit changed their life,’ but the scale & impact of ‘how Serena changed my life’ stories absolutely dwarfs it.”
He continued, “And that’s just the stuff I hear when people come up to me to say hi. You simply cannot overstate the breadth and depth of influence she’s had on so many people. As far as I can tell, she has no idea.@serenawilliamsdoesn’t think about it, or even realize it.”
source: people.com
