Retiring legend Serena Williams has indicated she "will always have some sort of involvement" in tennis as she prepares for the US Open, in what will be the final Grand Slam of her career.
The 40-year-old has won 23 major singles titles, while also adding 14 doubles championships in a brilliant career, but will be hanging up her racquet after she plays in the tournament she has won six times.
Her first time lifting the US Open trophy came in 1999, but even after spending over two decades at the top level of the sport, Williams says she will continue to be active in tennis.
"I will never retire from something I absolutely love," the American told Meghan Markle on the Duchess' new Spotify podcast.
"I will always have some sort of involvement in it. Maybe not professionally, but I will always want to be involved in some form in tennis. Obviously, I’ve retired professionally, but it’s also an evolution."
Williams also outlined her plans for the future, adding: "I really want to expand my family, and you know I’ve been putting it off for so long.
"As a woman, there’s only so long you can put that off and other people out there, other men out there, can continue to play. My best is being a mom; I think I can do really good at that."
Fellow tennis legend John McEnroe has heaped praise on Williams ahead of the tournament at Flushing Meadows, commenting: "The way that she moves the needle when she plays, it's like Tiger Woods and golf.
"You can look at the accomplishments, she has the Grand Slam victories. Off the court, I know that she's had a lot of difficulties in her life that she talks about in her own documentaries, but she has come out the other end as this icon, global superstar.
"Her story alone, what she represents as someone who's an African-American girl who came from a tough situation, and became the greatest player that ever lived. What that represents for us, and maybe around the world, is an opportunity that it can happen to anyone potentially."
Reigning champion Sabalenka pushed by Linette at Madrid Open
Aryna Sabalenka got her Madrid Open campaign started with a 6-4 3-6 6-3 win over Magda Linette on Friday.
Sabalenka could not quite hit her peak form against Linette, but the world number two nevertheless got the job done after going the distance.
The Belarusian is hunting a record-equalling third title in Madrid, where she is the reigning champion, though she has not won back-to-back matches at a tournament since winning the Australian Open.
"It's not about being confident," Sabalenka said. "It's about how much you're ready to do to get it. It's about the hard work and to be ready, be ready for the big fights. I feel like confidence is not going to help you in those big matches. It's about staying there and fighting for it."
Data Debrief
Sabalenka (70 per cent, 56-24) is now one of five active players since 2020 to hold a winning percentage of 70 per cent or higher at WTA-1000 events.
Iga Swiatek, Simona Halep, Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula are the other players to feature on that list.
Rybakina continues clay winning streak with victory over Bronzetti
In-form Elena Rybakina has moved into the last 32 of the Madrid Open after a straight sets victory over Italian Lucia Bronzetti.
Number four seed Rybakina triumphed 6-4 6-3 on Friday and will next face either Marta Kostyuk or Mayar Sherif.
Rybakina was broken early in each set but ultimately had few problems getting over the line, converting four of her five break points to continue an impressive run of results after winning the Stuttgart Open last week.
She has now won five consecutive WTA matches and has 13 straight wins on clay courts to her name in a superb streak that started one year ago.
Data Debrief: Rybakina in elite company
Since the start of 2020, only two other players have claimed as many 13 consecutive WTA wins on clay, and they are Iga Swiatek and Simona Halep, so Rybakina is in elite company.
Rybakina's last defeat on this surface came in the 2023 edition of the Madrid Open, when she fell to Anna Kalinskaya in her first match, so this win represented a better start to her campaign in the Spanish capital.
World number one Swiatek sees off Xiyu in Madrid opener
World number one Iga Swiatek overcame Wang Xiyu with the minimum of fuss on Thursday to progress to the third round of the Madrid Open.
Swiatek has yet to win the title in Madrid, which is the only clay-court European event at which the Pole has not triumphed, but she got off to a flying start with a 6-1 6-4 victory over Xiyu.
"I love this place. I got to know the city a little better last year," Swiatek said. "So this time I feel more comfortable around."
Next up for the 22-year-old is a third-round tie against 27th seed Sorana Cirstea on Saturday.
Data Debrief
Swiatek has registered 150 match wins on the WTA Tour since the start of 2022. Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff are the next best with 108 wins each.
She also became the first player born this century to claim 50 combined match wins in Madrid, Rome and Roland-Garros, since the inaugural women's singles event at the Madrid Open in 2009.
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