Elliott: Serena Williams embarks on final Grand Slam with peerless legacy: 'An icon of icons'

If this U.S. Open is the finale of Serena Williams’ pace-setting career, there’s nowhere better for her to say goodbye than at Flushing Meadows, where she gave notice in 1999 that she was unlike anyone women’s tennis had ever seen.

Not quite 18, wearing an air of ferocity and white beads in her braided hair, she brought a potent blend of power and aggressiveness to the court. It wasn’t that she served big, she served to win the point, not to set up a rally. She hit hard, and with a purpose.

Williams beat top-ranked Martina Hingis in the final to win the first of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles. At her peak she was invincible, surpassing her idol, older sister Venus. In going from ragged courts in Compton to the top of the posh tennis world, they opened doors to a sport that had been hostile to the few Black players who preceded them. They advocated for equal pay for women and rewrote the unofficial rules.

“All you need to say about Serena is that she’s put herself in that pantheon of G.O.A.Ts of G.O.A.Ts,” John McEnroe said, referring to athletes judged the greatest of all time in their sports.

“She’s up there with Billie Jean King. Muhammad Ali. Michael Jordan. Tom Brady. That’s where Serena is. She’s become like an icon of icons.”

The Open will begin Monday with all eyes on Serena, who recently told Vogue magazine she’s “evolving away from tennis” as she nears her 41st birthday. A six-time champion in New York, she will face 80th-ranked Danka Kovinic of Montenegro on Monday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium. In addition, the Williams sisters will pair up for first time in more than four years after accepting a wild-card doubles entry.

Williams, who ended a year-long injury absence by losing in the first round at Wimbledon, is 1-3 this year and ranked No. 410 in the world. She has said she wants another child but doesn’t want to play while pregnant, as she did while winning the 2017 Australian Open, her most recent Slam singles title. Her daughter, Alexis Olympia, is nearly 5.

Williams might not equal or pass Margaret Court’s 24 Grand Slam singles titles, but that’s almost irrelevant because of Williams’ immeasurable impact on the court and beyond.

“She revolutionized tennis,” said retired star Chris Evert, now an ESPN commentator. “I feel like she really inspired women of color because we’ve seen a lot more women of color playing the game and I think that she’s changed the way women compete as far as it’s OK to be ferocious and passionate and vocal out there, emotional out there on the court, and still be a woman, not take away from being a woman.”

It's tough to say whether Williams’ farewell will be long or short. She could defeat Kovinic and romp through the bottom of the draw. Her lack of match sharpness could trip her up against Kovinic or against likely second-round opponent Anett Konteveit, the No. 2 seed.

Women’s tennis has become unpredictable without domination by Venus, 42, or Serena. World No. 1 Ash Barty surprisingly retired after winning the Australian Open. Emma Raducanu has struggled since her surprise U.S. Open win last year and has a challenging start against Alize Cornet. Naomi Osaka, who won two of her four Slam singles titles at the U.S. Open, has faced mental health issues and injuries and is No. 44 in the world. Iga Swiatek succeeded Barty as No. 1 and cemented that with a 37-match win streak, but she went 2-2 in a pair of hardcourt Open warmup events.

Floridian Coco Gauff, 18, has as good a chance as anyone to win at Flushing Meadows. In a pre-tournament interview she said she has learned more than tactics from Williams.

“Sometimes being a woman, a Black woman in the world, you kind of settle for less. I feel like Serena taught me that, from watching her, she never settled for less,” said Gauff, who’s seeded No. 12.

Venus, who has won Wimbledon five times and the U.S. Open twice, is winless this year and ranked No. 1,445. She hasn’t said if retirement is on her radar too, but it can’t be far off. A wild-card entrant, she’s scheduled to face Alison Van Uytvanck on Tuesday.

Early losses in New York wouldn’t diminish the Williams sisters’ impact.

“Serena fought for us. She’s set out a good path for all of the WTA players, even the ATP players, to reach their own goals, voice their thoughts, keep fighting for what they believe in,” 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez said of the women’s and men’s pro tours. “I think it’s a great way to leave the sport. She’s just a legend.”

The men’s competition is especially notable for who won’t be playing.

Roger Federer (20 Slam singles titles) is recovering from knee surgery. Alexander Zverev, who lost last year's final to Daniil Medvedev, has an ankle injury. Novak Djokovic (21 Slams) wasn’t allowed to enter the United States as a foreigner who hasn’t been vaccinated against the coronavirus. He also was barred from entering Australia for the Australian Open in January. Before Djokovic withdrew Thursday, McEnroe called his exclusion “a joke,” but Djokovic’s refusal to be vaccinated could cost him the Slam singles record.

No. 1 seed Medvedev will be back. So will Rafael Nadal, who’s trying to extend his men’s record of 22 Slam singles titles. Nadal lost the first two sets to Medvedev at the Australian Open but came back for a stunning win; he went on to beat Djokovic and Casper Ruud to earn his record-extending 14th straight French Open title but withdrew before his Wimbledon semifinal because of an abdominal tear. “We can never write him off,” McEnroe said of Nadal, still playing all-out at 36.

Evert recalled thinking tennis was doomed when rock star-like Bjorn Borg retired in 1981, but new personalities and stars emerged to engage fans. The Williams sisters will be followed but won’t be replaced. Don't be sad when they leave. Be glad they left tennis better than when they found it.

“Serena’s timing is perfect,” Evert said. “I think this is a great way to go out, if she is going out.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.