It has been a dramatic year of sporting news away from the action that is taking place in competitions. There have been some huge retirements throughout the year, with tennis losing two of its all-time greats in just a matter of weeks.
Meanwhile, there was also sadness in the world of cricket in Australia, as Rachael Haynes immediately announced her retirement from the sport. But, what exactly will be the legacy of the stars that have retired, and how much did they achieve throughout their esteemed careers?
Serena Williams (Tennis)
For many, the greatest tennis player of all time remains Serena Williams. Many online sportsbooks that specialize in tennis have profited from her career. However, just like any athlete, she needed to find the right time to retire from the sport. She announced during the Canadian Open that the US Open in September would be her final Grand Slam tournament, and many fans were dreaming that this would potentially be the perfect opportunity to tie the record of Margaret Court for most Grand Slam victories.
However, that dream would end in the third round, as she was beaten by Ajla Tomljanovic. Regardless, Williams remains one of the greatest players of all time, as she won 23 singles Grand Slam titles. Her success would also stretch into doubles, winning women’s doubles on 14 occasions and two titles in the mixed doubles.
Her final Grand Slam success came at the Australian Open in 2017, which was her seventh title at the Slam. She also won the French Open on three occasions, Wimbledon seven times, and the US Open on six occasions. Williams also won Olympic gold during her career, as she captured the top prize at the London Games in 2012. She was also crowned Tour Champion on five occasions, most recently in 2014.
Serena’s legacy remains as strong as anything that we have ever seen in tennis, as she was selected as the greatest ever female tennis player in the Open Era, and is referred to as the greatest of all time by Roger Federer. It was also announced in September 2023 by Twitter, that Williams was the most-tweeted-about female athlete of all time.
Rachael Haynes (Cricket)
One of the biggest names in the world of women’s cricket announced her retirement on September 15, which came as a huge surprise to avid online cricket bettors. The 35-year-old announced the news in an emotional statement, as she thanked her family and teammates for their support throughout her career. Haynes first arrived in the sport when she played for Victoria between 2005 and 2011. It was during this period that she would receive her first call-up for the Australian national side.
She made her test debut against England in July 2009, which came just three days after she made her debut in ODI. Haynes would complete the set just under a year later, as she played her first time for Australia in a T20I. Her stats throughout her career were extremely solid, but it would be in the shorter forms of the game where she would excel. Haynes struck 2,585 runs in ODI, which ensured a batting average of 39.80.
She hit two 100s and 19 50s during her career. Her highest score was 130, and she also took seven wickets during her 77-match career in ODI. In the Women’s T20I, she played 75 times and scored 793 runs. She averaged 26.43 during her career in that form of the game. Haynes would retire at the very top of the international game, as she was part of the Australia team that won the first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in Birmingham earlier this year. The Aussie also won the Women’s Cricket World Cup on two occasions and was a four-time winner of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Roger Federer (Tennis)
If Serena Williams’s retirement wasn’t enough, it was also revealed that one of the best male players would be retiring after the Laver Cup in London. Many tennis fans regarded Roger Federer as the greatest of all time, as he was part of the formidable Big Four that have dominated men’s tennis for nearly 20 years. The Swiss star is respected by everyone in the game, which was evident by the outpouring of emotion from his great rival and lifelong friend Rafael Nadal after their doubles match on the opening night at the Laver Cup.
The 41-year-old was ranked as the world number one for a record 237 consecutive weeks during his career and finished as the top-ranked player at the end of the calendar year on five occasions. In total, he won 103 ATP singles titles and a staggering 20 Grand Slam titles. Federer holds the record for most Wimbledon championships won with eight, and holds the joint record at the US Open, having won the Grand Slam on five occasions.
His dominance on the court is evident by his overall career record in singles action, as he retired with an 82% success rate. As well as winning 20 Grand Slam titles, Federer would also win at the Tour Finals a record six times, and was also a silver medallist at the 2012 Olympic Games.
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