Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and iconic tennis superstar for a generation, said Tuesday that “the countdown has begun” to her retirement from the sport.

The 40-year-old American wrote a cover essay for Vogue magazine and an Instagram post in which she set the stage for “evolving away from tennis.”

“There comes a time in life when we have to decide to move in a different direction,” she said on Instagram. “That time is always hard when you love something so much. My goodness do I enjoy tennis.

“But now, the countdown has begun. I have to focus on being a mom, my spiritual goals and finally discovering a different, but just (as) exciting Serena. I’m gonna relish these next few weeks.”


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