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Serena Williams Announces Professional Retirement From Tennis Days After DC Citi Open Visit

Tennis legend Serena Williams has announced her retirement after 27 professional years, the week after watching her sister Venus Williams compete in the Citi Open.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams

Photo Credit: si.robi - Williams S. RG18 (17)

Serena Williams first made headlines during a stop in Washington DC to watch her talented sister Venus Williams return to tennis singles for the first time in 11 months. Just days later, Serena officially announced her professional retirement from the sport in a penned statement with Vogue.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic Gold Medalist began her professional career in 1995. She has frequently been hailed as one of the most decorated athletes of all time, and in 2020 was named the greatest women's tennis player of all time by the Tennis Channel.

Her sister, Venus Williams, is also ranked as one of the greatest women's tennis players of all time, with seven Grand Slam titles, and has been ranked as No. 1 in the world in both women's singles and doubles.

Venus made her return to women's singles at the Citi Open, a renowned US tournament that finally returned for the first time to DC in three years after the COVID-19 pandemic. She ended the tournament with a loss to Rebecca Marino of Canada. 

The women's singles title in the Citi Open was claimed by Liudmila Samsonova, who topped Kaia Kenepi to secure the win.

Men's singles winner, Nick Kyrgios made history at the Citi Open, becoming the first player in tournament history to win the singles and doubles titles in the same year.

The US Open will be held in just a few short weeks, beginning Monday, Aug. 29, and running until Sunday, Sept. 11 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York.

To read Serena's full statement with Vogue, click here.

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