Serena Williams announced that she was evolving away from tennis and that made her final tournament, the 2022 US Open, appointment primetime television. The world got to watch and celebrate one of the GOATs in real time while also seeing her legacy and influence manifest through other show-stealing players (Coco Gauff & Frances Tiafoe).
- Jaleel Grandberry
FanSided Associate Editor
Best fan moment of the year
Serena Williams’ farewell tour (maybe) at the US Open was an amazing celebration of one of the greatest athletes of all time. Everyone often talks about giving people their flowers while they can smell them and that’s what happened at the US Open. In true Serena Williams fashion, her elite skills and intense competitive drive were on display as she and her opponents delivered electrifying matches that had the world living and dying with every rally.
How this fandom is changing sports
Serena Williams being an elite, fierce competitor makes her the GOAT but that is only part of her revered greatness. Her influence is another major factor and that was on full display at the US Open. Two of the other athletes that stole the show at the tournament were Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe, two Black Americans that have regularly discussed how Serena influenced their career. Their mere presence at the tournament, along with the style and passion they compete with, was a fitting embodiment of Serena’s legacy.