Serena Williams recently announced her retirement to the shock of many fans. And even though fans are sad to see her go, many are left wondering who the superstar athlete will pass the baton to.
Following a successful career, Serena Williams announced her retirement on the cover of Vogue earlier this week. Her plans to leave after she completes the U.S. Open later this month shocked fans. And according to Williams, the decision certainly wasn’t easy for her, either.
“There is no happiness in this topic for me.” she says, “It’s the hardest thing that I could ever imagine. I hate it. I hate that I have to be at this crossroads. I keep saying to myself, I wish it could be easy for me, but it’s not. I’m torn: I don’t want it to be over, but at the same time I’m ready for what’s next.”
And by “what’s next,” Williams means growing her family of three. She talks about how her daughter, Olympia, prays to be a big sister one day. And since she and her husband are open to adding another branch to their family tree, little Olympia may soon get her wish.
Aside from this, Williams mentioned that she also wanted to focus on other projects, namely Serena Ventures. Even though she says the company is “a small but growing firm of six people,” Serena Ventures has already been named one of 16 unicorn companies, valued at $1 billion.
Now that Serena Williams is retiring from the tennis world, other Black tennis stars have pretty big shoes to fill. Fortunately, quite a few contenders are ready to rise to the occasion. Here are the top five Black tennis stars to look out for:
1. Cori Gauff
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Cori “Coco” Gauff is a professional tennis player with a limitless career trajectory. This year, the 18-year-old earned a no. 5 world ranking in the doubles division and no. 11 in the singles division. But before that, she was making headlines at an even younger age.
In 2019, Coco Gauff competed at the Linz Open, where she won her first WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Tour singles title. This put her on the map as the youngest to hold a singles title on the tour since 2004.
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And before that, she put herself on the map when she won the opening round at Wimbledon against none other than Venus Williams.
2. Madison Keys
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Madison Keys is another rising star in the tennis world. Her incredible speed and agility contribute to why fans say she has the most powerful forehand in the industry.
At 27 years old, Keys has already accomplished quite a bit. In 2016, she ranked as the only American in the top 10 Women’s Tennis Association list, a feat only Serena Williams had attained nearly a decade prior.
Keys also competed as a semifinalist in the 2016 Summer Olympics. And one year later, she played in a Grand Slam tournament final at the U.S. Open.
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Since then, the athlete has won six WTA tournaments, five of which were at the Premier level. Plus, in 2019, she earned her proudest title at the Cincinnati Masters, a Premier 5 event.
3. Naomi Osaka
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Naomi Osaka is known for being the first person of Haitian descent to win a Grand Slam. The young talent is also the first Asian player to hold the no. 1 ranking in the WTA singles division.
Her track record in tennis is one for the books. She has won multiple awards, including “Sportsperson of the Year” from Sports Illustrated and an ESPY Award for “Best Female Athlete.”
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She even has the support of Serena Williams, who she lovingly calls her “mom.” Williams supports Osaka on and off the court, giving her advice and encouragement. And with a superstar athlete like Serena Williams in her corner, you can expect to see great things in Osaka’s future.
4. Sloane Stephens
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Sloane Stephens is a star talent with an extensive background in sports. Her father, John Stephens, was once a professional NFL running back. And her mother, Sybil Smith, is a former collegiate swimmer.
Stephens learned a lot about tennis from her stepfather, a competitive tennis player. But while he played the sport for fun, Stephens had greater plans.
At just 19 years old, she beat Serena Williams in the 2013 Australian Open. And in 2017, she became the U.S. Open champion after beating her opponent, Madison Keys in the final round.
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To date, Sloane Stephens has earned seven WTA titles. And if her track record is any indication of what’s to come, we’re sure to see more wins from her in the future.
5. Taylor Townsend
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Taylor Townsend is an up-and-coming force in the tennis world with an impressive performance record to prove it. In 2018, the young star earned the WTT Female MVP title for obtaining the highest percentage in the women’s singles and doubles division for the entire season.
But that’s not all — in 2012, she earned the ITF Junior World Champion title for ranking as no. 1 in the girls’ division. As a result, she became the first American to achieve this feat since 1982.
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Even giving birth to her first child in 2020 hasn’t stopped the talented Townsend from shining. At the 2022 French Open, she paired up with her peer, Madison Keys, to compete in the Grand Slam semifinals.
