Serena Williams' Plans For The 2021 Olympics May Bum You Out
But it makes sense.
Being invited to the Olympic Games is the ultimate accomplishment for a professional athlete. Many work their entire lives for a chance to compete in the prestigious athletic event held every four years. On the other hand, some athletes have solidified their spots as icons, and have little left to prove. That brings us to Serena Williams. Fans are asking whether four-time Olympic medalist tennis champ Serena Williams will be attending the 2021 Olympic Games, or if she’ll be setting down her rack.
The 2021 summer Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo, Japan, from July 23 to Aug. 8, and Williams has already qualified to attend. That being said, don’t expect the star athlete to turn up. After revealing she wants to spend as much time as possible with her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., Williams decided to sit this one out.
Williams has long been hesitant about attending the Olympic Games from the start. She served up her best game at the 2021 Italian Open in May, and, after the game, was asked about what her summer will hold — specifically whether it will entail a trip to the Olympics. The answer was basically “no,” because she doesn't want to spend any time away from her daughter.
“I haven’t spent 24 hours without her, so that kind of answers the question itself,” Williams said.
Williams went on to explain why she hasn’t put much thought into attending the Tokyo Olympics. After the coronavirus pandemic, she admitted other things have taken precedence.
“It was supposed to be last year, and now it’s this year, and then there is this pandemic, and there is so much to think about,” she said. “Then there is the Grand Slams. It’s just a lot. So I have really been taking it one day at a time to a fault, and I definitely need to figure out my next moves.”
Now, Williams has made it clear she wouldn’t be competing in the 2021 Olympics. “I’m actually not on the Olympic list... not that I’m aware of,” she told reporters in a June 27 press conference ahead of the 2021 Wimbledon Grand Slam. “And if so, then I shouldn’t be on it,” the athlete added.
When the Olympic Games kick off on July 23, Williams will be grabbing the popcorn and watching at home with the rest of us.
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