US OPEN

August 29, 2022

Serena Williams

On-Court Interview

GAYLE KING: I think Serena said, Not today, not today. I've been coming to this tournament for so many years, but I don't know about you, today just felt different. It felt different because for many of us, we know that this will be the last time we see Serena Williams at the US Open.

I read the Vogue piece announcing her retirement. My first thought was, No, no, no. It's like when you're a little kid and you grab onto your loved one's legs and go, No, no, no, please no.

Then I read the entire article, and I said, She seems at peace. So if she's at peace, then I guess I'll get onboard.

Then I woke up this morning, and I went back to the, No, no, no, I'm not ready.

I started thinking, and maybe you did this, too, started thinking about the accomplishments she's done on and off the court, how she has changed the game in so many ways. She's changed the hue of the game, the complexion of the game for those who play and those of us who watch it. It just made me so, so proud.

So for those of you who have watched this game, we know she is really fun to watch, as we saw tonight. Just when you thought, Can she pull it out, maybe she can't, then she did.

I feel sorry for the person sitting next to me because they have no circulation, Serena (smiling).

Someone who understands what it feels like, who knows that Serena Williams is fun to watch, who knows what it's like to compete on this level, this is funny, we were walking backstage coming out, this person says, I don't have my credentials. Then they said, But the whole facility is named after you. I think you can get in.

Please welcome to the court, Billie Jean King.

BILLIE JEAN KING: Thank you, everyone. I'm wearing pink tonight because it's Serena's favorite color.

We first met in April of 1988, when she was six years old, and her sister was seven years old, at a clinic, tennis clinic, where we had 1200 kids in Long Beach, California. I'll never forget that day. Here are these two kids that come out. So we had them hit. Then I had Serena hit. Then I said -- now, remember, she's six years old -- I said, Can you serve?

She says, Yeah, I can serve.

I said, Can I see it, please? Can we all see it?

She says, Okay.

And mama Oracene was there. Anyway, she serves it. Serena serves, and I told her, Don't change a thing.

We saw that tonight. Her serve is by the far most beautiful serve ever in the history of our sport.

You are fearless. I love it. And you hate to lose. It is great. You've touched our hearts and minds to be our authentic self, to use our voices, to dream big. Thank you for your leadership and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially for women and women of color. Yes!

Most of all, thank you for sharing your journey with every single one of us. We love you. God bless you. And guess what, you're just beginning.

We wanted this to be a thank you and a celebration for Serena tonight. The tennis association has put on a tape. So many people wanted to be a part of this tape. But they decided they only wanted one voice. I know this person has a tennis court, I don't know if they've ever used it, but they're a big Serena fan. This is what she wanted to say to Serena tonight.

Roll tape, please.

(From tape.)

OPRAH WINFREY: What is there to say? The years went by in a blink. '98 feels like yesterday. You've given us so much, all we can do is thank you. Thank you for making the bright lights brighter and the Big Apple bigger. Thank you for showing us how to be graceful, powerful, fearless. Thank you for dressing to the nines and bringing your dancing shoes. Thank you for turning Centre Court into Center Stage. For bringing the house down.

Thank you for showing us what it means to come back and for never, ever backing down. Thank you for changing the face of the game, for inspiring the next generation. Thank you for thinking outside the lines and encouraging us to evolve. Thank you for showing us how to love the sport, and for always loving us back.

Just know whatever you do next, we'll be watching. With love, all of us.

GAYLE KING: That is so true: with love, all of us.

Without further ado, Miss Serena Williams, we would like you to come to center court. Come on up, Serena. Come on up, Serena.

It's so funny, Serena just said, I'm all sweaty.

I said, I don't care. I don't care.

Serena, you're like that Beyonce song: I'm one of one, I'm the only one, don't even try to compete with me.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes (laughter).

GAYLE KING: We're still processing. You've known about this for a while, this decision that you made, but we're still processing. It's only been three weeks for us.

When you got up this morning, did you feel a sense of relief? Do you still have confidence in the decision? Because watching you tonight, we're thinking you ain't ready either. What are you thinking, Serena?

SERENA WILLIAMS: First of all, thanks. I didn't expect any of this, so...

GAYLE KING: We're celebrating you, Serena Williams.

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I always just got to do the best that I can. I feel so comfortable on this court, in front of everyone here.

When I step out on the court, I just want to do my best that I can on that particular day. That's really all I can really do.

GAYLE KING: But you felt the crowd with you tonight. I know you did.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, the crowd was crazy.

GAYLE KING: We are still with you.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It really helped pull me through.

GAYLE KING: Did that help you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah. I was really calm, Yes, I got this.

GAYLE KING: So many of us read the essay in Vogue. If you haven't, you should. It's very clear when you read it, but for those who haven't, what made you decide now at this time that it was time for you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's been such a hard decision.

GAYLE KING: Was it a hard decision? I was wondering.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's been a very hard decision. I think when you're passionate about something and you love something so much, it's always hard to, like, walk away. Sometimes I think it's hard to walk away than to not. That's been the case for me.

I've been trying to decide for a little while what to do.

GAYLE KING: You clearly still love this game. It's part of your DNA, yeah.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I do. Also I love it because it keeps you fit. That's a bonus (smiling).

But I was just, like, All right, well, I think now's the time. I just have a family. There's other chapters in life. I call it evolution.

GAYLE KING: Serena, you said do not use the R word. Look at Olympia. You said you don't want to use the R word, retirement. You said, Call it an evolution.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah.

GAYLE KING: What now will winning look like for you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: So, yeah, I have my VC company, Serena Ventures. We invest in a lot of people, we invest in women, people of color, and men as well. We invest in everyone. I really wanted to spend more time at home working on my spiritual life. That was really important to me.

Yeah, it's like Serena 2.0. I'm still going to get crazy, I'm still going to be intense. I'll still be around.

GAYLE KING: Can you tell us something about your outfit? I heard you had six layers to represent the six wins.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes. I have six layers to represent the six wins, but I took four out because it was too heavy (laughter). So now I have two layers.

GAYLE KING: What do you want people to think about when they hear your name? When they hear 'Serena Williams', especially young girls in Compton, what do you want people to think about?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I just want people to think how hard one tries.

GAYLE KING: Somebody said, G.O.A.T., Serena.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Okay (laughter). That's okay. That will do (laughter).

But, yeah, it's so important to give your all no matter what you do, no matter how many obstacles you face. I've been down and out so many times in the public eye. I've had to come back. You just never give up.

It sounds cliché, but that really means something. No matter what you're going through out there, I just want people to be inspired by my story. I'm from Compton, California, you know?

GAYLE KING: Shout-out to Compton.

SERENA WILLIAMS: And I made it.

GAYLE KING: Later this week you're teaming up with your sister Venus. We would call it the tennis version of 'Sister Act'. Is this something y'all will continue to do or is it a one-and-done?

SERENA WILLIAMS: C'mon, we're laying it all out here. For me at least. I can't speak for my sister. It's going to be so fun playing doubles with her. It's going to be crazy. We haven't done it in so long. I'm really looking forward to it.

GAYLE KING: And Olympia is turning five. September 1st.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah.

GAYLE KING: You talk very lovingly and candidly about your desire to have another child. What are you most looking forward to in your life at home?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I look forward to waking up and just being like, Okay, I don't have to run to the court today. I look forward to just being a mom. She's such a good girl. I just want to be a good mom to her.

GAYLE KING: Two more things. This one is a quote. Alexis, you'll like this quote. This is a quote I read the other day from a fan who said, You simply cannot overstate the breadth and depth of the influence she's had on many people. As far as I can tell, she has no idea.

That was from Alexis Ohanian. Is he right?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Absolutely. I'm just me. I'm just Serena. I feel like I just blend in with the crowd sometimes. I just am here being the best that I can.

GAYLE KING: Serena, you will never blend in with the crowd.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I feel like I do.

GAYLE KING: Did you see your body in that Vogue cover? Va-Va and Voom. It's hard to imagine tennis without you. As Oprah said in the tape, Love from all of us. You will so be missed. What can we do for you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Just keep coming out and supporting me as long as I'm here, and know that I love you so much and I'm so excited to be here. So, so, so much.

GAYLE KING: That we can do.

Before we go, we have one more surprise for you, one more surprise. Crowd, are you ready? We've been working really hard on this, Serena. Really, really hard.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, boy.

GAYLE KING: Are you ready?

('We Love You, Serena' spelled in the crowd.)

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, my God, I love it. This is crazy.

GAYLE KING: All over the stadium it says, We love you, Serena. Thank you, Serena. Good luck. Good luck.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Thank you.