Did Serena Williams retire? Why is she not playing at US Open 2024? Career and grand slams record

2024-08-20
8 min read
(Getty Images)

Tennis icon Serena Williams is one of the most successful tennis players of all time, winning six US Open titles in a storied career.

Her first triumph at Flushing Meadows came in 1999 – her maiden grand slam victory.

She picked up more titles at the tournament in 2002 and 2008 before winning three consecutive US Opens from 2012 to 2014.

Now 42, Williams has moved away from playing. In 2022, she said that she was "evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me" such as her young daughter who was born in 2017.

The Sporting News runs through Williams' career and her US Open record here.

MORE: Serena Williams' net worth

Is Serena Williams playing at the US Open 2024?

Williams is not playing at the US Open in 2024. Her absence marks the second consecutive year in which she will not compete at Flushing Meadows.

She last featured at the US Open in 2022, exiting in the third round. 

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When did Serena Williams retire?

Williams said she was "evolving away from tennis" in an article in Vogue magazine in August 2022, leading fans to assume that her subsequent appearance at the US Open would serve as her retirement tournament.

However, she also said that she had "never liked the word retirement" – and at a press conference two months later, she called the chances of her returning to action "very high".

"I am not retired," said Williams, adding that not playing for a competition "felt really weird". "You can come to my house; I have a court."

In February 2023, Williams said she was "at peace" with her decision and "leaning in" to her commitment to family life which she said had been the primary motive for her inactivity from tennis.

"I'm like, 'oh my goodness. I gotta get out there'," she added to E News. "But it's hard for me to get out there. I did play the other day, and it's just like, 'there's no way I shouldn't be playing professional tennis'. There's literally no excuse.

"But I mean, I guess there is an excuse, right? It's hard because when I'm playing I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm pretty good at this. I can continue to do this,' which not a lot of people can say." 

Serena Williams grand slam history

Williams has won 23 grand slam titles, which is the most of any player in the open era. Margaret Court won 24 titles, straddling before and after the start of the open era (in 1968). Serena also played in 10 finals which she didn't win.

Singles finals

Year Tournament Result Opponent
1999 US Open Win Martina Hingis (6–3, 7–6(7–4))
2001 US Open Loss Venus Williams (2–6, 4–6)
2002 French Open Win Venus Williams (7–5, 6–3)
2002 Wimbledon Win Venus Williams (7–6(7–4), 6–3)
2002 US Open Win Venus Williams (6–4, 6–3)
2003 Australian Open Win Venus Williams (7–6(7–4), 3–6, 6–4)
2003 Wimbledon Win Venus Williams (4–6, 6–4, 6–2)
2004 Wimbledon Loss Maria Sharapova (1–6, 4–6)
2005 Australian Open Win Lindsay Davenport (2–6, 6–3, 6–0)
2007 Australian Open Win Maria Sharapova (6–1, 6–2)
2008 Wimbledon Loss Venus Williams (5–7, 4–6)
2008 US Open Win Jelena Janković (6–4, 7–5)
2009 Australian Open Win Dinara Safina (6–0, 6–3)
2009 Wimbledon Win Venus Williams (7–6(7–3), 6–2)
2010 Australian Open Win Justine Henin (6–4, 3–6, 6–2)
2010 Wimbledon Win Vera Zvonareva (6–3, 6–2)
2011 US Open Loss Samantha Stosur (2–6, 3–6)
2012 Wimbledon Win Agnieszka Radwańska (6–1, 5–7, 6–2)
2012 US Open Win Victoria Azarenka (6–2, 2–6, 7–5)
2013 French Open Win Maria Sharapova (6–4, 6–4)
2013 US Open Win Victoria Azarenka (7–5, 6–7(6–8), 6–1)
2014 US Open Win Caroline Wozniacki (6–3, 6–3)
2015 Australian Open Win Maria Sharapova (6–3, 7–6(7–5))
2015 French Open Win Lucie Šafářová (6–3, 6–7(2–7), 6–2)
2015 Wimbledon Win Garbiñe Muguruza (6–4, 6–4)
2016 Australian Open Loss Angelique Kerber (4–6, 6–3, 4–6)
2016 French Open Loss Garbiñe Muguruza (5–7, 4–6)
2016 Wimbledon Win Angelique Kerber (7–5, 6–3)
2017 Australian Open Win Venus Williams (6–4, 6–4)
2018 Wimbledon Loss Angelique Kerber (3–6, 3–6)
2018 US Open Loss Naomi Osaka (2–6, 4–6)
2019 Wimbledon Loss Simona Halep (2–6, 2–6)
2019 US Open Loss Bianca Andreescu (3–6, 5–7)
(Getty Images)

Doubles finals

All doubles partnered with Venus Williams

Year Tournament Result Opponents
1999 French Open Win Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova (6–3, 6–7(2–7), 8–6)
1999 US Open Win Chanda Rubin and Sandrine Testud (4–6, 6–1, 6–4)
2000 Wimbledon Win Julie Halard-Decugis and Ai Sugiyama (6–3, 6–2)
2001 Australian Open Win Lindsay Davenport and Corina Morariu (6–2, 2–6, 6–4)
2002 Wimbledon Win Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez (6–2, 7–5)
2003 Australian Open Win Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez (4–6, 6–4, 6–3)
2008 Wimbledon Win Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur (6–2, 6–2)
2009 Australian Open Win Daniela Hantuchová and Ai Sugiyama (6–3, 6–3)
2009 Wimbledon Win Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs (7–6(7–4), 6–4)
2009 US Open Win Cara Black and Liezel Huber (6–2, 6–2)
2010 Australian Open Win Cara Black and Liezel Huber (6–4, 6–3)
2010 French Open Win Květa Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik (6–2, 6–3)
2012 Wimbledon Win Andrea Hlaváčková and Lucie Hradecká (7–5, 6–4)
2016 Wimbledon Win Tímea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova (6–3, 6–4)