
via Reuters
Tennis – Wimbledon – All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain – June 29, 2021 Serena Williams of the U.S. reacts after sustaining an injury before retiring from her first round match against Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

via Reuters
Tennis – Wimbledon – All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain – June 29, 2021 Serena Williams of the U.S. reacts after sustaining an injury before retiring from her first round match against Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
Disgruntled, disappointed, and heartbroken, a tearful Serena Williams walked off the court on Tuesday, retiring from the 2021 Wimbledon Championship. Fans witnessed their star fall to the ground in pain after she slipped during her first-round match. Eventually, the game was called off, and the American had no option but to retire.
It’s been a tough year for the junior Williams, with barely any appearances on court. Regardless, she was considered one of the favorites to win the tournament. Hence, this hurt everyone a little harder.

via Reuters
Tennis – Wimbledon – All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain – June 29, 2021 Serena Williams of the U.S. reacts after sustaining an injury during her first round match against Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
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Rewind and restart
Even though the American picked herself up from the ground, the real challenge now is for her to pick up her career. While the duration of the injury is still uncertain, the severity of it was immensely disturbing. However, before disaster could strike, Serena was dominating the game. She looked sharp, agile, and went on an all-out attack. She rightly proved that age really is just a number after all.
Watch this story: 10 game-changing moments at the Olympics
Serena has already announced her withdrawal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and fans are left worried; when will they see her next? Or worse, will they see her on-court ever again?
Serena has enough time to prepare for the hard-court season at the Canadian Open. However, her choice of involvement is what concerns many.

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Tennis – Wimbledon – All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain – June 27, 2021 Serena Williams of the U.S. during a press conference Pool via REUTERS/Florian Eisele
Fans hope Serena Williams will come back stronger
After her exit from the Australian Open earlier this year, an emotional Serena hinted at bidding goodbye to the court. When asked about the same in detail, she said, “I don’t know. If I ever say farewell, I wouldn’t tell anyone”.
Serena’s legacy is so huge that not only her fans but even her opponents were left disappointed after her withdrawal. From the likes of Osaka and Halep, everyone expressed how they felt watching the American go down in the manner she did.
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via Reuters
Tennis – Wimbledon – All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain – June 29, 2021 Serena Williams of the U.S. reacts after sustaining an injury before retiring from her first round match against Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
However, this legacy is beginning to be tarnished with recurring losses, surprise exits, and withdrawals for personal reasons. There is no doubt that the 39-year-old still has it. But the question is, does she still want it?
The American ‘legend’ will forever have her name in the history books of the game. However, as of now, it is the future that stays in doubt.
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While fans debate and discuss what’s next for Serena, the real question might just be, is there a next after all? Or is this it? The worry grows, the plot thickens and the questions remain unanswered.
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