The beginning of the end of Serena Williams’s historical tennis career kicks off on Monday, Aug. 29 at this year’s U.S. Open.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion’s first round opponent was released on Thursday, along with the entire U.S. Open draw. Williams will face Danka Kovinić, who is currently ranked No. 80 in the world.
If Williams wins the match against Kovinić, she could potentially face the No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit in the second round.
U.S. Open announced that Williams’s match will take place on Monday. Fans should expect the match to be played in the biggest arena on the grounds, Arthur Ashe Stadium, and most likely the match will be played in the primetime spot at night.
The six-time U.S. Open champion plans to retire sometime after the New York tournament, although she did not specify in her retirement announcement if it will be an immediate retirement or not.
Regardless, this will be Williams’s last time playing in a Grand Slam tournament.
The 40-year-old did not compete in last year’s U.S. Open as she was recovering from an injury she suffered at Wimbledon earlier that summer. She returned to professional play at the Wimbledon 2022 tune-up tournament in Eastbourne, playing doubles with Ons Jabeur. Williams was knocked out of Wimbledon this year in the first round by Harmony Tan.
