Venus Williams fell to qualifier Greet Minnen from Belgium 6-1, 6-1 Tuesday night time at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was essentially the most lopsided defeat of the 4312 months outdated in her 24 performances at US Open. She was a shell of her former self. And naturally, a lot of the dialog afterward was about whether or not she ought to give up the game, however there are some things to remember.
Williams has earned the precise to retire on her phrases, so there should not be a difficulty whether or not she continues to play or not. Retirement is a private resolution and we’ve seen examples through the years the place one measurement doesn’t match all. Bjorn Borg truly retired on the age of 26 whereas Roger Federer was 41 years outdated. Ash Barty retired on the top of her profession 25 whereas Feliciano Lopez continues to be nearly working it out 42 age. The factor is, it is as much as every particular person participant.
AP Photograph/Jason DeCrow
Nevertheless, one issue that should even be taken into consideration is that for each wildcard entry a Venus-ranked participant receives to enter a slam, one spot is commonly taken away from a participant who can usually use a lift to to make his profession leap. -started. At what level does this feature disappear? Would Williams keep within the sport if she needed to undergo qualifying matches or play? ITF occasions?
However, it’s kind of unfair to make use of her first-round efficiency as proof that she ought to now not compete. Williams was pressured to withdraw from Cleveland earlier than the sport US Open attributable to an harm that clearly hampered her motion on the sphere in opposition to Minnen. A greater barometer for whether or not a participant ought to name it a profession is when he can now not compete when he’s at one of the best stage of well being his physique can provide him at his age. It’s nicely documented that Federer caught round, rehabbing and present process surgical procedures simply to get the prospect to compete at one of the best stage his post-prime physique would permit. Ultimately he got here to the conclusion that he could not do it any longer.
In my interactions with former skilled gamers, there has all the time been a typical theme in a technique or one other on the subject of retirement. And that’s, when the blood, sweat and tears they put into it outweigh the enjoyable they get from enjoying, it is time to let it go. It is clear that Venus nonetheless enjoys enjoying the game, and kudos to her, as many gamers have been burned out by skilled sports activities lengthy earlier than her age.
As for her future, Venus playfully talked about it with the media: “I would not inform you, so… I do not know. I do not know why you ask that (smiles).”