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LONDON. — The following are reactions to former world number one tennis player Serena Williams announcing on Tuesday that she plans to retire from the sport following the US Open:
FORMER WORLD NO. 1 BILLIE JEAN KING
“When Serena steps away from tennis, she will leave as the sport’s greatest player. After a career that has inspired a new generation of players and fans, she will forever be known as a champion who won on the court and raised the global profile of the sport off of it.”
WTA CHAIRMAN AND CEO STEVE SIMON
“With this news, it is important to take a step back and think about everything that Serena has brought to our sport and what she has accomplished both on and off the court. She is one of the greatest champions, an entrepreneur, a mother, an investor in women’s business ventures and an inspiration to women and girls across the world. “It is impossible to capture what Serena means to the WTA Family and we wish her only great success and happiness as she evolves into the next stage of her amazing journey.”
FORMER WORLD NO. 1 JOHN MCENROE
TO USA TODAY
“She should do whatever she wants. She’s an icon. Her place in American society has gone to a place where she deserves it after everything she’s accomplished, everything she’s done.
“I don’t know the answer whether she wants to play again, I don’t think she needs to play again. She’s in that level where Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Tom Brady are. “She’s like one of the all-time greatest athletes in the history of any sport — male or female. It seems to be a great place in her life. She’s added a lot.
“Anyone that saw the movie (King Richard) realises where they came from and where she is now is unbelievable so she can spend the rest of her life going ‘not bad huh’?”
FORMER BRITISH NO. 1 GREG RUSEDSKI
TO SKY SPORTS
“She’s box office. She’s carried women’s tennis for the last two decades with her sister Venus as well, you’ve obviously had other great players around them, but she brings your non-tennis fan to the sport. — BBC Sport
Online Reporter