CELEBRITY
Reactions trail Serena Williams’ impending retirement
Following are reactions to Serena Williams announcing on Tuesday that she plans to retire from the sport following the U.S. Open:
FORMER WORLD NUMBER ONE BILLIE JEAN KING
“When Serena steps away from tennis, she will leave as the sport’s greatest player. After a career that has inspired a new generation of players and fans, she will forever be known as a champion who won on the court and raised the global profile of the sport off of it.”
FORMER WORLD NUMBER ONE JOHN MCENROE TO USA TODAY
“She should do whatever she wants. She’s an icon. Her place in American society has gone to a place where she deserves it after everything she’s accomplished, everything she’s done.
“I don’t know the answer whether she wants to play again, I don’t think she needs to play again. She’s in that level where Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Tom Brady are.
“She’s like one of the all-time greatest athletes in the history of any sport — male or female. It seems to be a great place in her life. She’s added a lot.
“Anyone that saw the movie (King Richard) realises where they came from and where she is now is unbelievable so she can spend the rest of her life going ‘not bad huh’?”
FORMER WORLD NUMBER THREE PAM SHRIVER TO ESPN
“She has impacted tennis on the court and off the court. She’s taken tennis off the sports pages and into pop culture. She bridges people of all generations, diversity of background. She’s become a great spokesperson, a philanthropist and she’s matured before our eyes.
“Sure, she has had moments at the U.S. Open that were difficult for her and for us to watch but in the end she’s going to go down as one of the great athletes not just in tennis but in sports history.
“When you think about her longevity … winning majors as a teenager in the 90s and still competing in 2022, her record in the Olympics, in major doubles finals with Venus… I could go on and on.”
2021 U.S. OPEN CHAMPION EMMA RADUCANU
“She definitely changed the game. There’s not really been someone who has dominated like her in the women’s game. So I think she did change the game a lot in that respect.”
WORLD NUMBER 11 COCO GAUFF
“The legacy that she’s left through her tennis career is something that I don’t think any other player can probably touch. I think that the legacy that she will continue to leave throughout her life is something that can inspire many more generations.”
DENMARK’S 2018 AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPION CAROLINE WOZNIACKI
“I love you and so proud of you.”
AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER TAYLOR TOWNSEND
“Love you Serena! Thank you for the road you and @venuswilliams have paved to allow me to be here and make a life for myself and my son! You will be missed, but so excited to see what comes next.”
PHOENIX SUNS GUARD CHRIS PAUL
“The ultimate competitor!!! Congratulations on an impactful career @SerenaWilliams.”
–Reuters
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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