"Her impact goes far beyond the 23 Grand Slams, endorsements, and twirls" - Popular magazine deputy editor pays tribute to Serena Williams
Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slams during her professional career and is regarded as one of the most influential athletes of her generation.
In an August article for Vogue, the American announced that she would evolve away from the sport. She played her final match at the US Open the following month.
Ericka N. Goodman-Hughey, the deputy editor of ESPN Magazine, noted that Williams' impact goes well beyond her achievements on the court. She added that Williams would continue to make an impact post-retirement.
"Serena is a remarkable athlete and human. She has forever changed how we look at the game of tennis, women’s sports, and pay equity. However, her impact goes far beyond the 23 Grand Slams, endorsements, and twirls. As she evolves away from competitive tennis, we will continue to see and feel how powerful she is with the change she’ll continue to make in the world," said Goodman-Hughley.
"Serena Williams is the GOAT of GOATs" - Ericka N. Goodman-Hughey
Due to the ambiguity of Williams' retirement announcement in August, ESPN had to be extremely thoughtful in their approach to the print edition of the magazine, revealed Goodman-Hughey. She also opined that Williams was the "GOAT of GOATs."
"When Serena Williams’ Vogue cover dropped in August — we thought, ‘oh boy. Buckle up!’ Serena is evolving away from the sport, and this will be a larger-than-life moment'," she said. "We weren’t sure if “evolving” from the sport meant Serena was retiring or doing more of a Tom Brady thing. So, the approach to a print issue that honored Serena’s legacy had to be thoughtful."
"Serena is the GOAT of GOATs. Her career is decorated with top tennis accolades earned throughout her career on the court and extraordinary off-the-court achievements," she added.
The ESPN deputy editor went on to speak about how she could relate to Serena Williams' journey, saying it "always felt personal."
"Serena’s journey to greatness always felt personal for me in so many ways. I’ve grown up with her; I’ve seen myself in her every step of the way. But, in particular, rereading “On the Road to 23” by Alyssa Roenigk and Howard Bryant’s beautiful tribute to her farewell are standouts. Overall, recalling Serena’s triumphs and trophy hoists was special for me," Goodman-Hughey concluded.