‘Bar None’: Venus and Serena Williams Represent ‘Greatest Sport Story in U.S. History,’ Argues Veteran Journalist

PBS News Hour’s Amna Nawaz spoke with William C. Rhoden, an award-winning sports columnist, about Serena Williams on Monday as the tennis star competed in her final grand slam at the U.S. Open.

“We’re talking about Serena’s next chapter. Because of this essay, she wrote in Vogue, but she didn’t say retirement. She said transition. She said evolution. What does that mean to you? And what did you think when you read it?” asked Nawaz to kick off the discussion.

“Well, the first thing that got me was when she said that, the ‘R’ word, because that terrifies me, too. That’s the thing that resonated with me,” Rhoden responded, adding:

Just the idea of not doing something that you’ve been doing, in my case since I was like ten years old. And the idea of not retiring and I know how terrifying it has to be for her to be eight years old, to come from Compton, to become what I think, along with her sister, I’ve been doing this now 49 years.

And I think without doubt the story of Venus and Serena Williams probably is the greatest sport story in the United States history, bar none.

“What she accomplished for women, for black women, for equity, I think at this point of our history is unparalleled,” he continued.

“I think it’s just we’re at the point now this is still fresh in words, although we’re all wordsmiths. Words can’t really describe the impact that she has had at so many levels, you know, to think about, you know, my Black mother, my, my Black sister, my, my, my Black daughter and what she’s meant for them in terms of empowerment, in terms of confidence and in terms of victory,” Rhoden added.

“You know, it’s just just it’s just such mixed emotions, because I hate to see her go. I hate to see her go. But I’m so excited about these next chapters,” he concluded.

“Bill she’s one Grand Slam title short of beating the record. Margaret Court’s record of 24. Do you think there’s any chance she ties that or breaks that before she says goodbye to the sport?” Nawaz then asked.

“As we could identify this journalist? The great reach here for the story. Right,” Rhoden responded, laughing.

“The great, the great story is that she finds one more magical moment at the U.S. Open and we find her playing Saturday. I mean, what better? What better way to go out than to win two-time Margaret Court at the U.S. Open? I mean, that would just be unbelievable. Like now I’m thinking as a journalist and then also with my heart. But that would be that would be yet another movie,” he concluded.

Watch the full clip above via the PBS News Hour