Joanne O’Riordan: Serena’s swansong highlights lack of quick fix for mothers in sport

The show rumbles on in Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City. On Monday night Billie Jean King was ready for the beginning of Serena Williams’ swansong; Oprah Winfrey was ready to deliver her message on the big screen and Mike Tyson was sitting in the President’s box.

Some 25,000 fans stood, cheered, applauded and held up signs proclaiming We Love Serena. Arthur Ashe Stadium is, after all, the only place where tennis scuppers every best-laid plan. Think back to the 1990s when two proud black girls entered the stadium. Think back to when one of those girls, in braids and still a teenager, won the first of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles in 1999. Or how about when that same proud black woman was beaten in the semi-finals of the 2015 US Open by unheralded Roberta Vinci, upsetting the chance at completing the calendar slam?

Arthur Ashe Stadium really knows how to bring Cinderella stories to life and bring them back down to earth again. You pack for 14 days but could be tossed out after day one. Maybe Alicia Keys was onto something when she sang about that concrete jungle.

If anyone can tell you all about sporting highs and lows, personal tragedy, setbacks and resilience, it’s probably Serena Williams, who has announced that after an incredible run in tennis, she is transitioning out of the sport to concentrate on family and work on other ventures.

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Take a read through every single ode to Serena and there are some common themes, none more so than visibility. Serena and her sister Venus were revolutionary in a predominantly white sport, the same way Tiger Woods was in golf and Lewis Hamilton in Formula 1. Black women could see themselves in everything Serena did, both the good and not-so-good.

Take the constant scrutiny over her looks and power in today’s social commentary. Serena’s serves are powerful, her swings are loaded with strength, and her ability to chase down a ball is as technically incredible as powerful. But that’s not to use lazy social commentary. Serena was technically gifted; she could kill off opponents with gravitas and ground and pound.

More recently, Serena has been shining a new light on mothers in sports and work. She admits to being obsessed with her child, she admits to probably getting it wrong and she admits to missing her child while on the road. I’m sure she’d love for her tennis to do most of the talking, but Serena is at the forefront of fighting for mothers in sports. She’s highlighted how the seedings are unfair and how it’s not secure for female athletes who want to start a family. She’s stressed how if she was Tom Brady or LeBron James, she wouldn’t have to leave her job to start a family. There’s no easy or quick fix to all this, but by Serena standing up, she has inspired the likes of Allyson Felix to do the same.

What about the future of women’s tennis post-Serena? Yes, her domination stagnated growth, and the conversation around her being the greatest of all time can be questioned when talking about the lack of rivals. But notice how women’s tennis has changed.

Watch the full-cut, all-action, rip-the-return approach of Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina, the Wimbledon champion who was surprisingly beaten on Tuesday evening. Watch the aggressive style of tennis become the norm rather than the exception. Look at how the incredibly talented young black stars like Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka have attributed their success to the Serena legacy. Look at junior tennis numbers, the ever-increasing numbers of black players coming through who, along with their families, have used the Williams sisters as a template. Also, include how 10 of the top 30 Americans in this week’s WTA singles rankings are black or biracial.

That is what they would call the Serena Effect. She’s had her ups and downs, and she’s had people judging her, criticising her and outright hating her just for existing. She may not have been everyone’s favourite tennis player, but how she changed sporting and cultural norms and challenged our perceptions is admirable.

Women’s tennis is in a better place. It’s exciting and aggressive, and many players are walking around with that unbeatable Serena confidence. She revolutionised tennis and sport and ensured women were viewed as equal. The fact her next project is focusing on her venture capital business and investing in predominantly female-owned businesses speaks volumes, although she claims it’s a coincidence.

Sure, we can argue what the goat is, but it all comes down to how you define greatness. Serena transcended sport. The fact you can use one name shows how mainstream she is. Serena has had enough. She’s triumphant, moving forward and doing everything on her own terms.