Serena Williams exprеssed rеgret for not retiring a decade earlier, noting her personal growth since publicly announcing her decision to leave tennis. The tennis legend played her final match at the US Open in September, losing in three sets to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović. With a touch of humor, she admitted that stepping away sooner would have allowed her to enjoy life earlier.

Appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the 40-year-old revealed she felt unusually nervous after announcing her retirement plans to Vogue in August. She reflected on her lifelong tennis career, which began when she was pushed in a stroller by her sister Venus, and admitted relief upon the article’s release. Serena acknowledged, “I should have done it ten years ago. I always thought I would quietly leave without fanfare and just make a social media announcement.”

Now exploring new avenues after retiring, Serena enjoys more time for personal interests, professional pursuits, and family, especially her five-year-old daughter Alexis, her child with husband Alexis Ohanian. She emphasized feeling that retirement is something earned through hard work, and expressed eagerness for what lies ahead, describing it as an evolution of herself.

Despite initially wrestling with the idea, Serena eventually made peace with her decision, initially keeping it private. She recounted feeling a weight during her last Wimbledon, where she lost in the first round to Harmony Tan, describing a period of heaviness in her life that affected her energy and performance.

Looking forward, Serena plans to focus on Serena Ventures, her investment business, and continue writing children’s books, including the upcoming release of “The Adventures of Qai Qai” on September 27. Reflecting on her future, she mentioned investing in founders and empowering others through her ventures.

When asked by Fallon about a potential return akin to Tom Brady’s comeback to the NFL, Serena humorously responded, “You know, Tom Brady started an amazing trend.”