"I was just very proud, to be able to be a part of it and witness history" - Kim Clijsters on Serena Williams' farewell match at 2022 US Open
Serena Williams' final career match took place at the 2022 US Open, where the American lost to Alija Tomljanovic in the third round. Former tennis player Kim Clijsters, who was in attendance at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, is proud to have witnessed that historic moment.
While it is not clear if that match marked the end of Williams' career, she was subjected to a rousing reception at the New York Major in September.
In a conversation on The Craig Shapiro Tennis podcast, Kim Clijsters reminisced on the beautiful farewell that the former World No. 1 received during her last match. Clijsters expressed happiness at witnessing such a massive moment in the history of tennis.
"I was just very proud of our sport, and to be able to be a part of it and witness history. And yeah, really exciting," Clijsters stated.
The Belgian conveyed that she was delighted to see Williams at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships even though the player showed signs of a lack of proper preparation for the event.
"I think, you know, she came out. We knew she wasn't ready like she probably knows that but she wants to start somewhere and if she knew already maybe then it was going to maybe her last few months on tour, yeah ofcourse, she wants to be at Wimbledon right? Like why not?," she asserted.
"It's not easy to deal with" - Kim Clijsters on the attention and pressure on Serena Williams ahead of her farewell match
News of Serena Williams' farewell match caused a flare-up of buzz among tennis fans and the media. All eyes were on the 23-time Grand Slam champion when she hit the Arthur Ashe Stadium on September 3.
While a lack of match fitness affected the 41-year-old in the match, Kim Clijsters feels that the added pressure might have restricted the American from performing at her best.
"Everything was focused on that. It's not easy to deal with I think, when you know, all of a sudden, all of the attention is on you. I'm sure she can use it all as a motivation and she has such a great team of people around her. But I mean like, it's so important to kind of draw your boundaries," she expressed during the podcast.
While Serena Williams could not bring her best to the court, Clijsters praised the American for her efforts during the match. She said:
"What I loved was seeing her passion came out, right! The fight, even when she wasn't playing at her best. Her being able to change her level from maybe playing a few weaker points but then to step up and hit two aces just like that, it was so incredible to see"