Serena Williams To Play In Final Grand Slam As U.S. Open Begins Today

WHAT WE HOPE WILL NOT BE HER WHAT WE HOPE WILL NOT BE HER FINAL CURTAIN CALL AS SHE PLAYS IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE U.S. OPEN WHERE SHE WON HER FIRST GRAND SLAM TITLE AT THE AGE OF 17. SHE HOLDS THE RECORD FOR WINNING 23 GRAND SLAM TITLES IN THE OPENER RA AND 6 OF HER CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE AT THE U.S. OPEN. THE MOST SINGLES TITLES WON BY A WOMAN THE AT FLUSHING MEDADOWS. THE WILLIAMS SISTERS WILL TAKE THE COURT TOGETHER COMPETING FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2018 IN DOUBLES LATER THIS WEEK. SERENA CREDITING MUCH

OF HER EARLY GROWTH IN THE SPORT TO HER SISTER VENUS LEARNING FROM PRACTICING WITH HER ON THE COURT WHERE BOTH WERE COACHED BY THEIR FATHER RICHARD WILLIAMS. SERENA IS NOT CALLING IT A RETIREMENT, WRITING IN AN ESSAY, MAYBE THE BEST WORD TO DESCRIBE WHAT I’M UP TO IS EVOLUTION. I’M HERE TO TELL YOU I’M EVOLVING AWAY FROM TENNIS TOWARD OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME, INCLUDING EXPANDING HER TO ME, INCLUDING EXPANDING HER FAMILY, SHARING HER DAUGHTER’S DESIRE TO BE A BIG SISTER AS WELL AS GROWING HER BUSINESS VENTURES. WHATEVER THE NEXT CHAPTER, HISTORY BOOKS

WILL SURELY REMEMBER HOW SHE REVOLUTIONIZED THE GAME, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN OF COLOR. >> GROWING UP, I NEVER THOUGHT I WAS DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE NUMBER ONE PLAYER

IN THE WORLD WAS SOMEBODY WHO LOOKED LIKE ME. >> JOINING US FROM OUTSIDE ARTHUR ASH STADIUM, NBC’S RAHIMA ELS LIS. WHAT ARE HER CHANCES OF TAKING HOME ONE LAST TROPHY? >> Reporter: THAT’S THE QUESTION THAT EVERYBODY IS ASKING, IT’S THE QUESTION AND WHY THEY SPENT SO MUCH MONEY TO GET A TICKET FOR THIS TONIGHT. NO ONE KNOWS, BUT AS RENEE STUBS, A FORMER CHAMPION HERSELF AND AN ADVISER TO SERENA

SAID, THIS COULD BE A TOUGH MATCH FOR HER. SHE’S 40 YEARS OLD AND THE LAST TIME SHE WONS WAS IN 2017, A GRAND SLAM. SHE WAS TWO MONTHS PREGNANT. AND WHAT SHE SAYS IS NEVER SAY NEVER ON SERENA WILLIAMS. THIS WOMAN IS A FIGHTER AND SHE CERTAINLY IS A CHAMPION. THIS PLACE TONIGHT COULD BE WHERE SHE TIES A BEAUTIFUL RIBBON AROUND AN EXTRAORDINARY CAREER. >> YOU DID TALK TO HER NEWEST COACH, A COACH JUST BROUGHT IN FROM AUSTRALIA JUST FOR THIS WHAT COULD BE HER FINAL OPEN. WE DON’T KNOW HOW FAR SHE’LL GET. WHAT DID

HER COACH HAVE TO SAY? >> Reporter: WELL, HAVING NOT SPOKEN TO HER FINAL COACH FOR THIS, BUT WE SPOKE TO THE WOMAN WHO IS RUNNING THE U.S. OPEN THIS YEAR. AND ONE OF THE THINGS SHE’S SAYING IS YOU CAN EXPECT THIS PLACE IS GOING TO BE LIT UP WITH EXCITEMENT. THIS IS THE LARGEST TENNIS ARENA IN THE WORLD, WITH 23,000 PEOPLE. AND SHE SAYS SERENA HAS MADE A MARK ON THIS GAME, BUT IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT TENNIS. WHAT SHE SAID CERTAINLY SERENA AND VENUS ARE AT THE TOP, BUT THEY WANT TO DO MORE THAN THAT.

TAKE A LISTEN. >> TALK ABOUT SERENA. DOMINATED THE GAME AND REDEFINED THIS GAME OF TENNIS. IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? >> MORE THAN FAIR. WE LOOK AT THE MOSAIC OF TENNIS. IT’S STILL WHITE, BUT IT’S A LOT MORE BLACK AND BROWN THAN IT WAS WHEN SERENA AND VENUS STARTED THEIR JOURNEY. WE STILL HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO TO BREAK DOWN THOSE RACIAL BARRIERS, THOSE FINANCIAL BARRIERS, FOR THOSE THAT DON’T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PLAY THIS GREAT SPORT. I BELIEVE SERENA AND VETONUS’ LEGACY HAS ONLY BEGUN. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, WIN OR >> Reporter: TONIGHT,

WIN OR LOSE, IT WILL BE A SPECTACULAR