‘It Was Nuts..’ – 41-Year-Old Serena Williams Rues Missed Opportunity at Olympics Owing to Intense Competition From Legends Like Venus Williams and Monica Seles

Serena Williams, the 23 times Grand Slam champion, is a fun-loving person. Needless to say, she gave her best when on the court. However, when things weren’t in her control; she just simply enjoyed herself. She has always been a free-spirited person not tied to tennis. Therefore, she was happy even when she failed to qualify for a major event. 

Williams recently opened up about what went inside her mind when, even though she was one of the best American tennis players, she couldn’t make up to the nation’s list for the Olympics. Here is how she dealt with the entire thing.

Serena Williams about how she felt

In an interview with the 12 times Grand Slam champion and founder of WTA Billie Jean King, Williams opened up about her 2000 Sydney Olympic experience. “Best Olympics of my life to this date. I didn’t qualify even though I had won the Open, and that’s how tough it was in America,” she expressed.

Thereafter, she added, “Like everyone was so good, it was like Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, Venus, and Capriati. I mean, it was impossible to break. It was nuts.”

“I didn’t qualify for the Olympics singles. So I just played doubles, and I was so happy because I got to go everywhere… It was an amazing experience to kind of just be.”

Read more: Despite Enjoying a Thumping Win Record, Serena Williams Once Turned Unexpectedly Salty Over a Shock Loss to Sister Venus – ‘Didn’t Make Any Errors..’

Williams turned pro in the year 1995 and was still in the nascent phase of her career when the Olympics arrived. She just had one majors title by then. However, even then, she used the opportunity she had and aced the doubles alongside her elder sister Venus Williams.

Her first singles gold medal in singles at the Olympics came in the year 2012. She defeated the five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova to mark her name on the London based Olympics. The other three of her four gold medals have come in the doubles format, with her sister, Venus Williams.

Williams marking the end of an illustrious career

The former World no.1 realized it was high time to let go of her tennis career. She made a comeback in the greens of London and announced her retirement tour. Williams enrolled for the WTA 1000 events and the Grand Slam of the American swing. 

She, after giving a subpar performance in both Canadian and Cincinnati Masters, stunned everyone in the US Open. The 41-year-old took down the second seed and then WTA no.2 Anett Kontaveit in the second round. Though post that she incurred a defeat and with that her over 27-year-long career ended.

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