After her epic three-hour, three-set Round 3 ouster from the women’s singles competition at the 2022 US Open, Serena Williams—23-time Grand Slam singles champion, former world No. 1, four-time Olympic gold medalist—spoke to Mary Joe Fernandez in an emotional post-match, on-court interview. Below is video of that conversation, as is the full text.
Serena fell to Australia’s unseeded Ajla Tomljanovic, 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-1. Read our match report here.
MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Serena, this has been your stage. This is your moment. What would you like to say to your family, your friends and all your millions of fans that are watching you around the world? (Applause.)
SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh my god, thank you so much. You guys were amazing today. I tried, Alija played a little bit better. Thank you, Daddy! I know you're watching. Thanks, Mom! (Tears Up.) Oh my god. (Applause.) I just thank everyone that's here that's been on my side, so many years, decades. Oh my gosh—literally decades!
But it all started with my parents. And they deserve everything. So, I'm really grateful for them. (Applause.) Oh, my god! These are happy tears, I guess. I don’t know! And I wouldn't be Serena, if there wasn't Venus. So thank you, Venus! (Applause.) She’s the only reason that Serena Williams ever existed, so I don’t know, I just … everyone from Jill to Isha to my sister Lyn, to my husband, to Olympia, to Jarmere. Everyone in that box Eric, Renee, Alexis, (Muffled.), Kristy, Derrick. It's been a fun ride. (Applause.) It's been the most incredible ride and journey I've ever been on, I mean, in my life. And I'm just so grateful to every single person that's ever said, ‘Go, Serena!’ in their life. I'm just so grateful, because—yeah, you got me here.
MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Well, on behalf of the whole tennis community, we thank you for letting us be part of this journey, and watching greatness for the last 25 years. It’s been remarkable. (Applause.) Before I let you go, the quality of this match was unreal. Is there any chance you’ll reconsider?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, I'm literally playing my way into this and getting better, I should have started sooner this year! I don't think so, but you never know. I don't know. (Laughs.)
MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Well, we hope so. You will be missed, but we will remember and have the best, best memories. Simply the best, Serena Williams. Congratulations on an incredible, extraordinary career.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Thank you, everyone!
Winner Tomljanovic also spoke post-match, earning well-deserved cheers after facing a tough opponent and raucous crowd. Seven words summed up her feelings about the icon she had just defeated:
“She’s the greatest of all time. Period.”
