Four years ago, Serena Williams played her “final” singles match at the 2022 US Open. That was it. Arguably the best player ever to do it hand hung up her racket. It was over.
The 23-time major-winner told reporters that she was “evolving away” from the game. Well, things change. Indeed, while we all know Father Time is undefeated, he is going to have to wait a little longer to see the end of Serena’s career.
This week, one of the world’s most decorated athletes will play again as an official “wild card” entry in both the singles and doubles (with her sister Venus) fields at Wimbledon. This after recently winning the opening round of the HSBC Championships in the doubles draw (Serena’s duo had to withdraw after an injury to her teammate).
Now, All eyes will be on the 44-year-old mother of two at one of tennis’ most hallowed grounds.
It’s a stunning comeback, if only because the odds seem so long. But it’s also an inspiring one. It tells everyone watching, from her fans to her two young daughters at home, that we should always give ourselves permission to try the unthinkable, to laugh at the oddsmakers.
Those around tennis always remind us that it’s a young person’s game. Martina Hingis won the 1997 Australian Open when she was just 16. Michael Chang won the 1989 French Open when he was 17. Most tennis players retire by their early 30s. Some are able to stick around and win a little longer (see: my favorite, Novak).
But Serena is nearly 10 years removed from her last major trophy. (She is the oldest female major winner, taking the 2017 Australian Open title at 35.)
Yet, she still has an unquenched thirst.
If she wins Wimbledon, it will be one of the biggest sports stories in years. Following her journey over the next several weeks would certainly captivate the globe. But the impact of her comeback is not dependent on even a single point won.
The fact that she’s there at all is what matters. That we get to see her wear who knows what once more is all that matters. In this moment, Serena is telling her legions of followers that you can take on the impossible, you can try to do something the world says you can’t.
In that light, she’s already won!
“I thought I should really take this opportunity,” Serena told reporters ahead of her Wimbledon comeback. “Who knows if I’ll ever make it here again. This could be it.”
Those of us watching must also answer the question: do we have the same guts as Serena? While we may not be the tennis stars that she is, is there a big hurdle in our own lives that we can see but that we’ve also been avoiding?
Maybe our “comeback” isn’t about serves or volleys, but instead it’s about taking a risk on a new idea or picking up the phone to connect with that client who moved on a year ago. It’s never too late. That’s what Serena is showing us.
When you reach a certain point in your life, you want to make sure you’ve checked every box, leaving no stone unturned. That’s what Serena is doing in front of our eyes. When she finally hangs up her racket for good, she wants to know she gave the game everything she could.
We should do that, too.
There are always times when we have an instinct, a thought about how something could change our career. Maybe it’s a meeting with a boss or a side hustle with a coworker—whatever it is, the tennis GOAT reminds us not to let it pass.
“I have this great opportunity to showcase what I do, what I do best,” Serena said. “I think ultimately I was like, That is pretty cool, so I should do it.”
As a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, and 13-time New York Times Best-Selling author, Don Yaeger is one of America’s most provocative thought leaders. From walking into Afghanistan with the Mujahadeen to living with football legend Walter Payton, Don has spent three decades embedded with the world’s greatest "Greats." Now a sought-after executive coach and host of the Corporate Competitor Podcast, he translates the lessons of sports and business legends into actionable strategies for building a culture of greatness.
