(Tennis news) 23 Gram Slam winner Serena Williams has refuted claims that she has retired from tennis, saying that her chances of returning are “very high” after previously indicating that she has evolved away from the sport and could step away. While she did not confirm if her participation at the US Open would be her last, the event featured lavish tributes and a heartfelt, tearful goodbye by Serena Williams after losing her third round match against Ajla Tomljanovic. 

Speaking at a press conference in San Francisco, Williams said “I am not retired. The chances (of a return) are very high. You can come to my house, I have a court. I still haven't really thought about (retirement). But I did wake up the other day and go on the court and (considered) for the first time in my life that I'm not playing for a competition, and it felt really weird. It was like the first day of the rest of my life and I'm enjoying it, but I'm still trying to find that balance." 

Williams is largely considered to be one of the greatest tennis players in history and has been careful not to use the word ‘retirement’ when she spoke about “evolving” away from tennis. She said “I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn't feel like a modern word to me. I've been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people. Maybe the best word to describe what I'm up to is evolution. I'm here to tell you that I'm evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me."

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