Opinion: Why it’s nice to see Serena Williams play

I’ve seen many generations come and go in tennis, and every time you see a great player retire it’s very difficult. But the news that Serena Williams is leaving tennis is particularly difficult because of what she stands for.

His presence and his political performance elevated the game. The technique, power and rhythm of his serve are unbelievable, they set the tone for the intensity of his game. I don’t care what happens after that; I’m just there to see you serve.

I’ve known Venus and Serena Williams since they were 7 and 6 years old. I met them in April 1988. We had about 1,200 children that day to a clinic in my hometown of Long Beach, California, near where the Williams sisters grew up, Compton. You could already see that they were special. And it was more than his form. I saw that they really listened, actively listened. You could see that they were really involved. They had incredible concentration.

I sent Serena out that day and told her, Don’t change a thing.

She’s the greatest of all time — or at least the greatest of her time, as each generation gets better. Serena changed the way tennis is played. In her time, the serves improved a lot in women’s tennis, and I think she’s the reason: she pushed the other players to improve. When you have great serve, it keeps you out of trouble. When she’s low, at 30-40 or 15-40, she can throw a few aces, and before you know it it’s deuce again.

In 1970, I was one of the original nine players who, with Gladys Heldman, created our own tournament. It was the birth of women’s professional tennis as we know it today. Then, in 1973, I founded the Women’s Tennis Association. We wanted any girl in the world who was good enough to have a place to compete – not just play, compete. We wanted to be appreciated for our accomplishments, not just our looks. And we wanted to make a living playing tennis.

And so Serena is living our dream. When I look at her, I think, “Thank you, God.” She has been an incredible representative, a fantastic leader helping women, especially women of color. She is not afraid to speak her truth.

She is extremely competitive. I’ve never seen someone who hates losing as much as she does – which I love. Champions can raise their game when it’s tight or when they’re down. Serena is totally that person.

She also has what I call the “it” factor. Serena has that factor in neon lights. You can tell she loves to entertain. She loves attention and knows how to deal with it. A lot of kids get that attention, and then you see them just give up. She moves forward with it.

Serena is very good at connecting with people through media and social media. That’s what kids like today. They like to know when you brush your teeth! She is very good at sharing her life with them. She has achieved a lot, and has also gone through some hardships, including the murder of her half-sister, the racism she endured as a black woman, and the complications she endured following the birth of her daughter. She can relate to a lot of different people, and people can relate to her because of what she’s been through. It doesn’t matter if you like tennis or not: you like Serena.

Every time I meet the other Original Nine women and we talk about the state of our sport, we say, “Isn’t this great?” They are living the dream. We are always looking for players who can help promote the sport, but more importantly, who can help promote equality and use tennis as a platform to change the way we think, change what we think is possible and make the world a better place. Serena brought the idea of ​​gender equality, inclusion and diversity. She inspired people to live their dreams.

In her article for Vogue, in which Serena announced her retirement – ​​which she calls “evolution” – there is a phrase that resonates with me. She said, “I’ve built a career by channeling anger and negativity and turning it into something good.” She is absolutely right. It’s okay for people to get angry as long as it’s about something important. But use your anger; turn it into something positive.

I’ll be rooting for Serena in the stands at the US Open this week. I think she could make an even bigger difference in the second half of her life than in the first. I feel like she’s just getting started.

Translated by Luiz Roberto Gonçalves