Time for Venus Williams to retire she had a great career

[Amelie Mauresmo]

I don't understand Venus Williams she's a legend, a multi millionaire, a college graduate. Venus is smart, pretty, got a long going on for herself yet she still wants to compete. Why? Why is this great female tennis champion humiliating herself?


Doesn't Venus realize she is NEVER going to win a grand slam again in singles? Venus hasn't reached a grand slam final in over four years. Justine Henin retired because she realized she does not want to lose in the fourth round or early rounds of slams. Venus should see from Justine's example, a great champion has to accept the fact her time has passed at the top.

I am hoping this is Venus final year on the WTA tour she has NOT a force on the WTA Tour for over four years. Venus time is finished.

All of Venus rivals have retired such as Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce, Elena Dementieva, Anastasia Myskina. The only woman from Venus generation who is still a grand slam contender is her sister Serena.

Maybe, Venus just has a lot of pride but she can't help but see the writing is on the wall. Maria Sharapova destroyed Venus 6-1 6-3 and now leads their head to head series 5-3. Since Venus has returned to the WTA from illness she is 0-2 against Agnieszka Radwanska, 0-2 against Maria Sharapova 0-3 against Angelique Kerber. For a great champion like Venus, is she really happy losing to the best players and not beating them?

Is Venus thrilled about losing early in grand slams again? Since Venus returned to the WTA last year she has not gotten past the third round of a major.

It is sad to see a great tennis champion not realize her time is up she's not going to get back to the top 10 and she's not going to win grand slams.

Is Venus content losing in the third or second round of grand slams? She has to accept the fact time has passed she's 32 years old now and only getting older.

Venus had a great career but how can she continue to be humiliated on the court like this by the likes of Sharapova over and over again and again?

It is so sad to see a great champion not realize it is time for her to retire.

 

[PrinceMoron]

What is wrong with playing while you can still walk? Give up now and she will always regret it.

 

[Vanhool]

she wants to play doubles in 2016 olympics and needs to keep her ranking up to qualify for the team. if she takes time off, she may not recover her form. serena can't commit to a full time dubs schedule for her to qualify that way, so she needs to stay in the singles game. just guessing....

 

[NadalAgassi]

I like Venus but I agree. She will never be a contender for slams again at this point, and is in fact embarassingly uncompetitive for such a legendary champion. She should retire from singles play atleast, maybe focus on a doubles only career until 2016. She has lost too much speed, power, fitness, everything needed for top level singles play. Her match vs Sharapova looked like Sharapova vs Serena, except Maria is the Serena of that matchup when she plays Venus now (but will be put back into her role of simply Maria when Serena is on the other side).

 

[Prisoner of Birth]

I like Venus but I agree. She will never be a contender for slams again at this point, and is in fact embarassingly uncompetitive for such a legendary champion. She should retire from singles play atleast, maybe focus on a doubles only career until 2016. She has lost too much speed, power, fitness, everything needed for top level singles play. Her match vs Sharapova looked like Sharapova vs Serena, except Maria is the Serena of that matchup when she plays Venus now (but will be put back into her role of simply Maria when Serena is on the other side).

Here go the armchair experts again, telling all-time greats when it's time to retire. If they had your mentality, they'd be posting loser-posts like you instead of winning matches on the greatest stages of the world.

 

[90's Clay]

Ive been saying the same thing about a dozen OLD broken down guys on the men's tour yet I get flamed for it since they think I'm just flaming Fed for it.


If guys like Davydenko, Nalbandian, Hewitt, Haas etc.. stay around for years BEYOND their winning days, then Venus may as well stay and keep grabbing the easy paydays

 

[pvaudio]

I don't understand Venus Williams she's a legend, a multi millionaire, a college graduate. Venus is smart, pretty, got a long going on for herself yet she still wants to compete. Why? Why is this great female tennis champion humiliating herself?


Doesn't Venus realize she is NEVER going to win a grand slam again in singles? Venus hasn't reached a grand slam final in over four years. Justine Henin retired because she realized she does not want to lose in the fourth round or early rounds of slams. Venus should see from Justine's example, a great champion has to accept the fact her time has passed at the top.

I am hoping this is Venus final year on the WTA tour she has NOT a force on the WTA Tour for over four years. Venus time is finished.

All of Venus rivals have retired such as Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce, Elena Dementieva, Anastasia Myskina. The only woman from Venus generation who is still a grand slam contender is her sister Serena.

Maybe, Venus just has a lot of pride but she can't help but see the writing is on the wall. Maria Sharapova destroyed Venus 6-1 6-3 and now leads their head to head series 5-3. Since Venus has returned to the WTA from illness she is 0-2 against Agnieszka Radwanska, 0-2 against Maria Sharapova 0-3 against Angelique Kerber. For a great champion like Venus, is she really happy losing to the best players and not beating them?

Is Venus thrilled about losing early in grand slams again? Since Venus returned to the WTA last year she has not gotten past the third round of a major.

It is sad to see a great tennis champion not realize her time is up she's not going to get back to the top 10 and she's not going to win grand slams.

Is Venus content losing in the third or second round of grand slams? She has to accept the fact time has passed she's 32 years old now and only getting older.

Venus had a great career but how can continue to be humiliated on the court like this by the likes of Sharapova over and over again and again?

It is so sad to see a great champion not realize it is time for her to retire.

Why? Why is Hewitt still at it? Davydenko? Because they LOVE the sport. Venus recently said something to the effect that she'd need to be wheelchair bound to resort to commentary. She loves the competition, and she knows she can't compete for big titles. She's said this already. She's in it because it's what she loves doing, whether she wins or not.

 

[NadalAgassi]

Ive been saying the same thing about a dozen OLD broken down guys on the men's tour yet I get flamed for it since they think I'm just flaming Fed for it.


If guys like Davydenko, Nalbandian, Hewitt, Haas etc.. stay around for years BEYOND their winning days, then Venus may as well stay and keep grabbing the easy paydays

None of those players other than Hewitt were other champions though. Even Hewitt is nowhere near the legend and all time great the great Venus Williams is. It must be hardest of all for someone like her to be relegated to journeywomen status and keep playing in that role for years after a decade of being a superstar. Most top 10 players get accustomed to a down period of their career, often towards the end, of being just top 100 players, but not usually a legend like Venus.

 

[Amelie Mauresmo]

Venus Williams is at a different level I find it hard to believe a great multiple slam champion who has 7 major titles is content losing in the third round. Venus is thirty two now she's not going to win anymore slams in singles.

Justine Henin quit, she realized she will never be happy losing early in a grand slam. Justine was smart she knew she did not want to be humiliated by her peers anymore so she retired and moved on. Venus needs to do the same thing gracefully quit.

Venus might love to compete but I don't think she likes losing this much to the best players.

Sharapova just overpowered Venus she made her look old and slow. Sharapova and the other top women are not afraid of Venus they know she is older now and slower she can't compete with the very best anymore.

 

[bluetrain4]

The fact that she's not a contender for Slams shouldn't be a consideration, unless it matters to her. Plenty of champions hang it up when they realize they can't realistically win Slams anymore. But, others play on, just because they like playing. Maybe they're delusional and they think that if things go just right, they might win a Slam again, but some play knowing that realistically, they won't win again.

So, if Venus can check her ego and play on even if the chances of her winning a Slam are incredibly slim, let her do it.

 

[kishnabe]

She is a champion and wants to compete. Sure she will lose playing a poor match in most tournaments. Though there are times she looks like her old self.

I think she will stay till she truly feels she can't compete on Grass. She still a force at Wimbledon....think she gonna win it this year.

 

[zam88]

I think she should quit or just play doubles... but i also think Hewitt should quit, Davydenko should quit, and Nalbandian should quit.

I thought it was time for roddick to quit, and he did.

If you're a former #1 and slam winner, have some respect for yourself when your career is (for all intents and purpose) over.


If Roger stops making semi-finals, i'll call for him to quit also.

I REALLY hope I don't have to come on here and post begging him to quit before he tarnishes his legacy in the same way Brett Favre, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaq did.

 

[Speranza]

I don't understand Venus Williams she's a legend, a multi millionaire, a college graduate. Venus is smart, pretty, got a long going on for herself yet she still wants to compete. Why? Why is this great female tennis champion humiliating herself? ............

The answer is within your question.

The very aspects of her as a person that made it possible to become a multi millionaire, a college graduate etc... THEY are the same things that keep her there playing now. You don't understand, because you haven't achieved that which she has. Nor will you, or I, understand how much it took her to achieve those things.

But rest assured, in her eyes she is NOT humiliating herself, nor in mine, or in many others. However, it isn't in our eyes that she needs to be concerned with, it is purely how she sees herself that is of importance.

 

[Speranza]

What is it with people here living vicariously?

These sports people should quit when THEY feel it is the right time to, not when you or I sat in our armchairs feel they're not as good as they used to be, and are an embarrassment.

Until you lived in their shoes, you've no idea. Thus, you never will have.

 

[SLD76]

I felt this way 4 years ago. I guess she hangs on to play doubles with serena.

I don't understand Venus Williams she's a legend, a multi millionaire, a college graduate. Venus is smart, pretty, got a long going on for herself yet she still wants to compete. Why? Why is this great female tennis champion humiliating herself?


Doesn't Venus realize she is NEVER going to win a grand slam again in singles? Venus hasn't reached a grand slam final in over four years. Justine Henin retired because she realized she does not want to lose in the fourth round or early rounds of slams. Venus should see from Justine's example, a great champion has to accept the fact her time has passed at the top.

I am hoping this is Venus final year on the WTA tour she has NOT a force on the WTA Tour for over four years. Venus time is finished.

All of Venus rivals have retired such as Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce, Elena Dementieva, Anastasia Myskina. The only woman from Venus generation who is still a grand slam contender is her sister Serena.

Maybe, Venus just has a lot of pride but she can't help but see the writing is on the wall. Maria Sharapova destroyed Venus 6-1 6-3 and now leads their head to head series 5-3. Since Venus has returned to the WTA from illness she is 0-2 against Agnieszka Radwanska, 0-2 against Maria Sharapova 0-3 against Angelique Kerber. For a great champion like Venus, is she really happy losing to the best players and not beating them?

Is Venus thrilled about losing early in grand slams again? Since Venus returned to the WTA last year she has not gotten past the third round of a major.

It is sad to see a great tennis champion not realize her time is up she's not going to get back to the top 10 and she's not going to win grand slams.

Is Venus content losing in the third or second round of grand slams? She has to accept the fact time has passed she's 32 years old now and only getting older.

Venus had a great career but how can she continue to be humiliated on the court like this by the likes of Sharapova over and over again and again?

It is so sad to see a great champion not realize it is time for her to retire.

 

[hoosierbr]

Venus had some moments against Sharapova which disproves anyone's belief that she can't compete with the best anymore. Sharapova is playing out of her mind at the moment, making shots consistently that she almost never does and won't again after she comes down off her high. The fact that Venus pushed her some and made it anything other than routine, which Sharapova herself acknowledged, is telling.

Venus' biggest issue has always been her forehand. That let her down at crucial moments. That's mainly a lack of confidence which throws her rhythm off. Playing doubles is good for her since she gets more match practice. Notice when Sharapova's antics got under her skin in that second set and Venus cold-cocked a few forehand winners and broke?

Venus has been written off before and keeps coming back. Why? She and her sister are just that good and at another level than almost everyone else.

All tennis fans should know by now to never count out a Williams sister. If Venus gets hot then watch out Wimbledon.

 

[edmondsm]

I think she's still a threat at Wimbledon. She's been down before and come back to win at there.

 

[JustBob]

What is it with people here living vicariously?

These sports people should quit when THEY feel it is the right time to, not when you or I sat in our armchairs feel they're not as good as they used to be, and are an embarrassment.

Until you lived in their shoes, you've no idea. Thus, you never will have.

Exactly. These "Player 'X' should retire" threads are idiotic.

 

[DRII]

I think she's still a threat at Wimbledon. She's been down before and come back to win at there.

Venus' best chance is to play on a court where she can rely solely on her offense; since she only seems capable of about 35% of the defense we've seen from her in the past.

But even then she needs her serve, which she did not have since she's been in Australia this year.

Venus was playing with no serve and no speed yet still had some modicum of a chance to win the 2nd set vs Sharapova last night; which tells me some are over inflating Sharapova's level at the moment...

 

[TMF]

Venus' best chance is to play on a court where she can rely solely on her offense; since she only seems capable of about 35% of the defense we've seen from her in the past.

But even then she needs her serve, which she did not have since she's been in Australia this year.

Venus was playing with no serve and no speed yet still had some modicum of a chance to win the 2nd set vs Sharapova last night; which tells me some are over inflating Sharapova's level at the moment...

It has plenty to do with Sharapova playing great tennis is the reason why she dominated Venus. Too much game for Venus to deal with. Keep in mind when Sharapova was up 4-0 in the first set, it was her 28 consecutive wins without dropping a game. That's a tennis record.

You're giving Maria no credit and only excuses for Venus.

 

[Polaris]

So many people on here are obsessed with winners and winning (like Charlie Sheen) . Seriously, for the people who serially want older players to retire, there does not seem to be any fun in the game itself, only in winning trophies.

Wonder what these fellows have to say about Kimiko Date Krumm making a fun comeback at her age.

 

[Soianka]

I think she may have one more Wimbledon singles championship in her (with a little luck).

I guess we'll see.

She definitely has another Wimbledon doubles championship in her.

Either way, there's nothing wrong with playing for the love of the game.

 

[pvaudio]

Venus Williams is at a different level I find it hard to believe a great multiple slam champion who has 7 major titles is content losing in the third round. Venus is thirty two now she's not going to win anymore slams in singles.

Justine Henin quit, she realized she will never be happy losing early in a grand slam. Justine was smart she knew she did not want to be humiliated by her peers anymore so she retired and moved on. Venus needs to do the same thing gracefully quit.

Venus might love to compete but I don't think she likes losing this much to the best players.

Sharapova just overpowered Venus she made her look old and slow. Sharapova and the other top women are not afraid of Venus they know she is older now and slower she can't compete with the very best anymore.

Um, Henin quit while she was #1, and then returned. She retired again after getting injured.

 

[DRII]

It has plenty to do with Sharapova playing great tennis is the reason why she dominated Venus. Too much game for Venus to deal with. Keep in mind when Sharapova was up 4-0 in the first set, it was her 28 consecutive wins without dropping a game. That's a tennis record.

You're giving Maria no credit and only excuses for Venus.

Please...

Venus wasn't capable of doing nearly anything except show up and compete! She had no serve, no speed, and couldn't even bend on her backhand...

Sharapova didn't have to do anything special to win. She has been serving better than her usual/recent self with fewer double faults and more free points. Thats the only difference I see in Sharapova so far this tournament.

 

[fluffyyelloballz]

The answer is within your question.

The very aspects of her as a person that made it possible to become a multi millionaire, a college graduate etc... THEY are the same things that keep her there playing now. You don't understand, because you haven't achieved that which she has. Nor will you, or I, understand how much it took her to achieve those things.

But rest assured, in her eyes she is NOT humiliating herself, nor in mine, or in many others. However, it isn't in our eyes that she needs to be concerned with, it is purely how she sees herself that is of importance.

This.

I would add that Venus very much has a life outside tennis. She even has her own interior design business. Tennis is a passion of hers but not the only one. I think she has talked several times about having other interests outside tennis. So I think for her, tennis is something she loves and will do until she physically cannot play. She does not define herself by whether or not she has won a Major but goes on her feelings and as long as it feels good to play, she will continue. I think this is a little different to Henin or Hingis, players whose identities were wrapped in their tennis results so when they could not win their egos were crushed and so their only defense was to run away.

 

[Praetorian]

I find it funny when it people call other people's retirement. Just because you cannot fully support and vicariously live your life through their accomplishments, doesn't mean they don't have their own reasons for playing. Honestly, how many pros would say when asked why they started playing tennis (as a toddler), would say, "So I can have the adoration of fans, etc.". I think it's selfish, for a person to want another to retire, other than for the sole reason that they are no longer perched on a pedestal that as a fan, they once held em on.

It's not humiliating to get old, and get beaten by better players. It's humiliating to be beaten by person you should have beaten.

 

[vandre]

I find it funny when it people call other people's retirement. Just because you cannot fully support and vicariously live your life through their accomplishments, doesn't mean they don't have their own reasons for playing. Honestly, how many pros would say when asked why they started playing tennis (as a toddler), would say, "So I can have the adoration of fans, etc.". I think it's selfish, for a person to want another to retire, other than for the sole reason that they are no longer perched on a pedestal that as a fan, they once held em on.

It's not humiliating to get old, and get beaten by better players. It's humiliating to be beaten by person you should have beaten.

+1 on this and i'll ad that venus can't quit! she's the one i like!

furthermore, if anyone needs to quit playing tennis, it should be all of us here because we're never gonna be pros or play in a major or get endorsement deals or date rock stars and famous athletes and have people make asinine posts about our retirement on interweb message boards!

 

[NadalAgassi]

It has plenty to do with Sharapova playing great tennis is the reason why she dominated Venus. Too much game for Venus to deal with. Keep in mind when Sharapova was up 4-0 in the first set, it was her 28 consecutive wins without dropping a game. That's a tennis record.

You're giving Maria no credit and only excuses for Venus.

Lets see the kind of tennis Maria is playing at 32. Actually scratch that as she will have been retired from pro tennis for atleast 3 years by the time she is 32.

 

[TMF]

Please...

Venus wasn't capable of doing nearly anything except show up and compete! She had no serve, no speed, and couldn't even bend on her backhand...

Sharapova didn't have to do anything special to win. She has been serving better than her usual/recent self with fewer double faults and more free points. Thats the only difference I see in Sharapova so far this tournament.

And yet Venus destroyed Cornet 6-3 6-3 in the previous round, and destroyed Voskobeovav 6-1 6-0 in the first round. Don't tell me that she wasn't capable of doing anything if she had that dominating results. Please, Venus can be beaten whether if she's 100% or not. She's not unbeatable(you once claimed she was).

 

[NadalAgassi]

DR11 only claimed Venus at the peak of her career in 2000-2001 was unbeatable on medium to fast courts. He is wrong IMO but either way that obviously has nothing to do with how she is now, a good 12 years past her peak. No player is unbeatable at 32, except maybe Serena that is. Heck Maria was never even close to unbeatable at any age or any phase of her career, LOL! She was never even for a single moment the best tennis player in the World thus far.

 

[TMF]

Lets see the kind of tennis Maria is playing at 32. Actually scratch that as she will have been retired from pro tennis for atleast 3 years by the time she is 32.

She will not play that well, but let's not take credit away from her win.

 

[TMF]

DR11 only claimed Venus at the peak of her career in 2000-2001 was unbeatable on medium to fast courts. He is wrong IMO but either way that obviously has nothing to do with how she is now, a good 12 years past her peak. No player is unbeatable at 32, except maybe Serena that is. Heck Maria was never even close to unbeatable at any age or any phase of her career, LOL! She was never even for a single moment the best tennis player in the World thus far.

No player is unbeatable, period.

 

[Amelie Mauresmo]

I find it funny when it people call other people's retirement. Just because you cannot fully support and vicariously live your life through their accomplishments, doesn't mean they don't have their own reasons for playing. Honestly, how many pros would say when asked why they started playing tennis (as a toddler), would say, "So I can have the adoration of fans, etc.". I think it's selfish, for a person to want another to retire, other than for the sole reason that they are no longer perched on a pedestal that as a fan, they once held em on.

It's not humiliating to get old, and get beaten by better players. It's humiliating to be beaten by person you should have beaten.

Actually, for some tennis players they don't want to lose in the quarterfinals or fourth round or whatever they know when it is time to quit.
Andy Roddick quit because he admitted the writing was on the wall. Roddick knew he wasn't going to win another slam wasn't a contender anymore and for him losing in the quarterfinals of a slam wasn't good enough for him.
I respect Roddick for quitting because he knew his time was up.

Yes, every tennis player is different but it is sad to see a great 7 time champion like Venus Williams losing in the third round of slams. I think Venus is only hanging around because of Serena. I can't help but wonder what Venus is thinking, here is her younger sister still winning slams while she's losing in the first week of a major. I am sure Venus is happy Serena is doing well, but I can't help wonder if secretly she's a bit jealous and disappointed in herself that she cannot get back to that elite level of play.

 

[ctjpm]

Venus should retire when she wants to, she's earned that much. Legacy destroying latter halves of careers = journalist babble. Borg's early 90s comeback, Seles with eight slams at barely nineteen, finishing with nine a decade later. Federer's thought of in demi god terms - beating his main rival twice out of seventeen winning majors. That being said, have you seen her fella? Woof!

 

[darrinbaker00]

If Venus and Serena win the doubles, Venus will have earned more money in two weeks than the average American will earn in two years. She'll never be able to do that in a "regular" job, nor will she ever be as good at anything else as she is at playing tennis. If I were her, I'd keep playing for as long as my body can hold up.