“THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME! Serena Williams is the GOAT.”

Tim Clayton – Corbis / Corbis via Getty Images
Fans are celebrating Serena Williams’s historic career as the tennis legend looks toward retirement after 27 years of dominating the court.
After a loss to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic at the US Open in New York on Friday, Williams thanked her family for their support, especially expressing her love for her sister Venus. “I wouldn’t be Serena if there wasn’t Venus,” Williams said. “She’s the only reason Serena Williams ever existed.”
With that, Williams’s run ended at the tournament, which is expected to be her last. Many celebrities and fans posted tributes to Williams on social media and thanked her for her impact on both sport and pop culture.
“thank you @serenawilliams for transcending sports for black athletes, female athletes and every athlete,” Olympic gymnast Simone Biles tweeted. “such a pleasure to watch, thanks for being an inspiration.”
Twitter: @CocoGauff
Coco Gauff, the 18-year-old tennis star who is heading into the US Open’s fourth round, shared an old photo showing a poster of Williams on her bedroom wall.
“Serena, THANK YOU,” she tweeted. “It is because of you I believe in this dream.”
Twitter: @ziwe
Twitter: @MichelleObama
“25 years. Champion. Shero. Legend forever,” Oprah Winfrey posted on Friday.
Twitter: @TigerWoods
In a vulnerable essay for Vogue last month, Williams announced she plans to move away from the sport to focus on having another child.
“I’ve been reluctant to admit that I have to move on from playing tennis,” she said. “I’m terrible at goodbyes, world’s worst. … You have carried me to so many wins and so many trophies. I’m going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis. And I’m going to miss you.”
Twitter: @QueRedux
Mike Hewitt / Getty Images
Over the decades, Williams has become widely known as one of the most influential tennis players and dominant athletes of all time, holding 23 Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals. Her first major title was in 1999, when she was 17 years old.
Data shared by Twitter showed she was the most tweeted-about female athlete of all time. After the US Open match on Friday, fans posted some of their favorite moments throughout the athlete’s journey, from her 2007 Australian Open win to her Sports Illustrated cover in 2015.
Twitter: @DerrickAshimwe
Twitter: @DonLew87
“THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME! Serena Williams is the GOAT,” one tweeted. “Not listening to no arguments about it i’m so sorry thats mother of all mothers,” said another.
Twitter: @TheTweetOfGod
Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images
Twitter: @niggaolas
Twitter: @atkinsonfasho
Tomljanovic, who won the match on Friday, shared her own gratitude for Williams during her court interview. “I love Serena as much as you guys do,” she said. “I just thought she would beat me, you know?”
“I thank everyone for everyone who’s been on my side for years, decades,” Williams said in her tearful concession speech. “These are happy tears. It’s been the most incredible journey I’ve ever been on in my life.”
News
“As a child, I struggled to understand why my father didn’t love me” – When Serena Williams’ father Richard opened up about his dad’s abandonment
Serena Williams’ father Richard once opened up about his struggle to cope with his own father’s abandonment of their family….
Serena Williams Says She Feels “So Guilty” When Doing Something “On My Own” Apart From Her Daughter
“I’ve set really good boundaries, but then after work, I’m going right to my daughter.” Serena Williams is a proud parent…
JUST IN: Serena Williams’ Ailing Father Richard’s Heartwarming Message for Daughter Will Leave You in Tears
Richard Williams gave Venus and Serena Williams wings to soar, using a tennis racket as their launchpad. Not only as their father and…
Serena Williams bursts into tears as she reveals the terrifying fear she had during pregnancy that she will never forget
“This time I went in with a plan… I literally thought about it as a Grand Slam: How can I succeed?” said…
‘Price is Right’ model reveals how Drew Carey’s one gesture ‘changed the history of television’
Carey has achieved a lot in his time as the host of the show, including his co-workers’ respect. Drew…
Michael Jackson in 1978: A turning point in his legendary career. See how he changed
Michael Jackson’s journey to becoming the “King of Pop” is one of the most celebrated stories in music history. While…
End of content
No more pages to load