Serena Williams has officially retired from tennis after losing in the third round of the US Open on Friday night. Williams finished her career with 23 Gram Slam singles championships, the most in the Open Era and the second most of all time behind Margaret Court who has 24. Court recently spoke to Britain’s Daily Telegraph and said she admires Williams for what she has done in tennis. However, Court doesn’t believe Williams feels the same way.
“Serena, I’ve admired her as a player,” Court said, per ESPN. “But I don’t think she has ever admired me.” Court believes she isn’t beloved in the tennis world because of her Christian beliefs. The 80-year-old from Australia opposes same-sex marriages, which are proposed in the country. Court also defended what she’s done in her career despite playing mostly in the amateur era.
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“Serena has played seven years more than I did,” Court said. “I finished in my early 30s. People forget that I took two years out. I first retired … when I was 25, thinking I would never return to tennis. I got married, had a baby, but then had one of my best years, winning 24 out of 25 tournaments.” Court went on to say that she had a better record than Williams after both became mothers in their careers. “I came back after two babies,” she said. “After having the first baby, I won three out of the four Slams. “Serena hasn’t won a Slam since” having a baby.” The last Grand Slam title win for Williams was at the Australian Open in 2017 when she was eight weeks pregnant with daughter Olympia.
Of the 24 titles Court won during her career, 11 came in during the Open Era. Overall, Court won 64 major titles, the most in tennis history. Williams has won 39 major titles, which include singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Court said the era Williams played in is easier than it was in her day.
“I would love to have played in this era. I think it’s so much easier,” she said. “How I would love to have taken family or friends along with me. But I couldn’t. I had to go on my own or with the national team. People don’t see all that. We didn’t have psychologists or coaches with us. It’s a whole different world.”
