Serena Williams announces retirement from tennis

Tennis legend Serena Williams has announced her retirement from tennis and the upcoming US Open will be her last appearance in the sport.

Serena said she will be "evolving away" from the sport after US Open. The veteran tennis star, who is going to enter the final Grand Slam of the year via protected ranking, is still chasing a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.

Writing for Vogue, Serena, who last won a major title in 2017, said she is moving towards "other things that are important to me", adding she does not like the word "retirement".

In an accompanying Instagram post, she wrote that "the countdown has begun".

"There comes a time in life when we have to decide to move in a different direction. 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 exciting Serena. I'm going to relish these next few weeks," Serena wrote on Instagram.

After a length injury lay-off, the 40-year-old tennis star made her singles return at Wimbledon in June but suffered a first-round exit.

"Unfortunately I wasn't ready to win Wimbledon this year. And I don't know if I will be ready to win New York. But I'm going to try," she wrote.

Serena, who has won the winners' trophy in three categories of the US Open: Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles, said she is "terrible" at goodbyes and is not looking for a final on-court moment but just wants to relish the coming few weeks.

"I know there's a fan fantasy that I might have tied Margaret that day in London, then maybe beat her record in New York, and then at the trophy ceremony say, "See ya! I get that. It's a good fantasy. But I'm not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment.

"I'm terrible at goodbyes, the world's worst. But please know that I am more grateful for you than I can ever express in words," added Serena, who is just one title behind Margaret Court's 24 major trophies.

On Monday, she clinched her first singles victory in 14 long months, as she defeated Spain's Nuria Parrizas Diaz to reach the second round of the National Bank Open in Toronto.

Serena, who turned pro in 1995, has bagged 73 titles in the singles category across competitions, 23 in doubles, and two in mixed doubles.

The US Open is scheduled to begin at New York's Flushing Meadows on Aug. 29 and will go on till Sept. 11.