TIME Calls Serena Williams ‘The Greatest’ As She Bids Farewell To Tennis

Earlier this year we shared that Serena Williams is ready to retire and settle down with more babies — revealing that she was “evolving away from tennis.” Honoring her legendary strides, TIME Magazine is calling her “The Greatest,” as she again bids farewell to the sport that she and her sister Venus Williams “changed forever, period.”

In a new cover feature with TIME Magazine, Serena Williams discusses what she gave the world. The magazine recognizes the 23 Grand-Slam-Title Winner as “the greatest female athlete of all time — perhaps the greatest athlete of all time.”

It should be noted that 10 of those 23 titles were won before she turned 30, when most players retire or fall behind in rankings.

Unapologetic and proud, Serena makes it be known what she and Venus have contributed to tennis over decades.

“We changed the game of tennis. We changed how people play, period. People never attacked. People never took balls early. People never served like this. People never had to play so hard to beat two Black girls from Compton.”

As for what is next, Serena says she’s ready to give her soon-to-be 5-year-old daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. more siblings. She says biology has tried to force her hand at retiring, and she’s accepted — stating, “There’s no anger. I’m ready for the transition.”