Serena Williams, the world’s number one female tennis player and winner of 23 Grand Slam titles, has revealed a shocking secret after announcing her retirement from tennis: she has been playing tennis with her left hand all these years, just to make it fair for her opponents.
In an exclusive interview with Sports Illustrated, Williams said that she wanted to be honest and transparent with her fans and the public, and confessed that she is actually right-handed, but she switched to her left hand when she was a child, because she felt that she was too good for the other players.
“I was born with a natural talent for tennis. I could beat anyone with my right hand, even my sister Venus. I was bored and frustrated. I wanted to challenge myself and give the others a chance. So I started playing with my left hand, and I never looked back,” Williams said.
Williams said that playing with her left hand made her work harder and improve her skills, but it also gave her a sense of satisfaction and compassion.
“I wanted to show the world that tennis is not about power and speed, but about technique and strategy. I wanted to inspire the younger generation and encourage them to pursue their dreams. I also wanted to respect my opponents and make them feel good about themselves. I didn’t want to crush them or humiliate them. I wanted to have fun and enjoy the game,” Williams said.
Williams said that she hopes that her confession will not affect her legacy or reputation, but rather enhance it.
“I hope that people will respect me for my courage and honesty, and appreciate me for my achievements and contributions. I hope that they will remember me as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, but also as one of the most humble and generous ones,” Williams said.