Hugh Jackman, Mike Tyson and Invoice Clinton watch Serena Williams’ ‘farewell’ match at US Open

The most well liked ticket in sports activities has given method to a star-studded crowd at New York’s Arthur Ashe Stadium, the place Vera Wang, Mike Tyson, Hugh Jackman, Anna Wintour and even Invoice Clinton are all readily available for the ultimate event of Serena Williams’ illustrious profession. 

Anthony Anderson, Spike Lee, Insurgent Wilson, Lindsey Vonn, and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor are additionally in attendance, as was Mayor Eric Adams. 

Having beforehand introduced her intention to ‘evolve’ away from tennis after this 12 months’s US Open (do not say ‘retirement’), Williams squared off with first-round opponent, Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic, in Queens on Monday evening.  

Williams couldn’t have picked a greater venue than heart courtroom in Flushing, the place she’s received six singles titles and a pair of doubles crowns in entrance of New York celebrities, lots of whom had been seen sitting collectively on Monday evening. 

Tyson was seen alongside retired tennis legend, Martina Navratilova, and her well-behaved lap canine, whereas Clinton was curiously seated subsequent to Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the well-known German-American intercourse therapist and speak present host. And naturally, Serena’s billionaire husband Alexis Ohanian was seated subsequent to one of many night’s largest celebrities, the couple’s five-year-old daughter, Olympia. 

Naturally, the demand to see Williams as soon as extra has soared. 

The common resale ticket worth for this 12 months’s US Open is up 68 p.c to $512 since Williams’ retirement announcement, in response to ticketing and advertising analytics firm, TicketIQ.

In the meantime, secondary-market ticket costs for Monday’s first-round match spiked 300 p.c, with the common ticket worth hitting $987 — a report since TicketIQ started monitoring the info in 2011.

Williams is not retiring a lot as reprioritizing.

As she not too long ago informed The Wall Road Journal from her luxurious Manhattan resort forward of her closing US Open, tennis is being minimized in favor of her five-year-old daughter, Olympia, and rising record of enterprise pursuits, which have more and more monopolized her time.

What she’s not doing — as she has maintained — is retiring.

‘I am not retiring, I am simply evolving away from tennis and doing one thing else,’ the 40-year-old Williams informed the Journal, echoing statements in Vogue earlier this month, when she introduced her plans to depart the skilled tour.

However whereas she’s refused to make use of the ‘R’ phrase to explain her transition, she admits tonight’s first-round match in opposition to Kovinic might very nicely be her final. On the very least, the 2022 US Open shall be her closing grand slam, and until she wins in Flushing on Monday evening, it might be her final likelihood to play in entrance of a packed crowd.

Win or lose, Williams is getting a farewell ceremony at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday evening, and the remainder of her week will most likely be fairly busy, both manner.

‘I most likely ought to retire, for just a few years not less than, however for some inane motive I am not,’ she mentioned.

At the moment, as any guardian to a five-year-old can attest, her schedule facilities round daughter Olympia. Meaning getting up together with her at 7am, no matter whether or not Williams is in coaching or not.

When requested about how Olympia impacts her routines, Williams mentioned: ‘She completely threw a wrench in it, and it is nice.’

Even earlier than changing into a mom, Williams was by no means large on breakfast, saying she’s by no means actually hungry within the morning.

Issues are altering considerably now that husband and billionaire Reddit co-found Alexis Ohanian has purchased the household a farm with some accompanying chickens.

‘So we received some chicks and so they grew up and now they’re chickens and I had a few of their eggs, and it was actually good,’ Williams mentioned.

After Olympia is settled within the morning, it is time for the limitless parade of calls and conferences that fill buyers’ days.

‘Get up and go to the workplace and now that all the pieces went digital, simply sit and take calls all day,’ Williams mentioned. ‘Normally when Olympia goes to high school, I simply go to work. I work-work-work after which I normally decide her up from faculty.’

Williams has huge enterprise pursuits, together with her personal enterprise capital agency, Serena Ventures, which raised a reported inaugural fund of $111 million final March. Moreover, she and sister Venus are each minority house owners of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, she’s half proprietor of a Nationwide Girls’s Soccer League Workforce, and he or she has her personal sustainable clothes line, S by Serena.

‘I wish to put money into issues the place I imagine within the founder,’ she informed the Journal.

When requested for a chunk of recommendation that has helped information her, Williams mentioned she at all times places ‘God first’ after which ‘all the pieces else falls into place.’

The choice to step away was inevitable for Williams, who has not received a serious singles event because the 2017 Australian Open, however that does not make it any simpler. Had been she a person, weighing enterprise and competitors can be a lot easier.

‘Consider me, I by no means needed to have to decide on between tennis and a household,’ she wrote earlier this month for Vogue. ‘I do not suppose it is truthful. If I had been a man, I would not be scripting this as a result of I would be on the market taking part in and profitable whereas my spouse was doing the bodily labor of increasing our household. Perhaps I would be extra of a Tom Brady if I had that chance.

‘Lots of people do not realize that I used to be two months pregnant after I received the Australian Open in 2017,’ she continued. ‘However I am turning 41 this month, and one thing’s received to present.’

One sudden drawback on her manner out the door: Progress.

Williams has struggled with age and accidents in recent times, however not too long ago informed Time that she feels she’s lastly beginning to hit her stride once more.

‘I can see my enchancment, and I am like, Dang, I will be good in January,’ mentioned Williams, who instantly dismissed the prospect of taking part in within the 2023 Australian Open. ‘I am not doing that.’

Realistically, one other Australian Open simply would not match into her life.

Williams desires to have one other youngster with Ohanian, largely to present Olympia the camaraderie of a sibling.

‘After I have a look at Olympia, I am actually not acting at my peak, by not attempting tougher to present her that sibling,’ Williams informed Time. Coming from an enormous household, and coming from 5, there’s nothing higher.’