On January 5, 2018, Serena Williams made the unexpected announcement of her withdrawal from the Australian Open. The decision meant she would not be defending the title she had triumphantly won while being pregnant the previous year.
During the 2017 Australian Open, Williams kept her pregnancy a well-guarded secret. She secured her 23rd grand slam title by defeating her sister Venus 6-4, 6-4 in the final. The victory was particularly remarkable as she was expecting her first child at the time.
In September of the same year, Williams gave birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia. Despite her incredible achievements, she chose to delay her return to competitive tennis following the childbirth.
Williams tested her fitness in an exhibition match on December 30, 2017, in Abu Dhabi against Jelena Ostapenko. The match ended in a 6-2, 3-6, 10-5 defeat for Williams. It was this experience that prompted her decision to sit out the Australian Open, the first grand slam of the new year.
Reflecting on her decision, Williams stated, “After competing in Abu Dhabi, I realized that, although I am super close, I’m not where I personally want to be. My coach and team always said only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way. I can compete, but I don’t want to just compete, I want to do far better than that and, to do so, I will need a little more time.”
Craig Tiley, the tournament director of the Australian Open, praised Williams, acknowledging her champion spirit and the efforts she had put in to play in the tournament. He emphasized Serena’s desire not just to compete but to give herself the best chance to win. Tiley revealed that Serena had pushed her decision until the last moment, demonstrating her dedication to the sport.
While expressing disappointment at her absence from the 2018 Australian Open, Tiley conveyed best wishes to Williams and anticipated her return to the court later that year. He eagerly looked forward to welcoming her back to the Australian Open in 2019.
Despite her withdrawal from the 2018 Australian Open, Serena Williams continued her tennis journey. Over the following years, she reached four more grand slam finals but did not secure another title before ultimately retiring from professional tennis in 2022.