Serena Williams once admitted the biggest disappointment of her entire tennis career and it wasn’t even a defeat
Serena Williams certainly had lows during her career, but they were massively outweighed by the highs.
Williams is one of the most decorated players in tennis, with 73 WTA Tour titles won throughout her phenomenal career.
The American superstar clinched 23 Grand Slam titles, and also managed to climb to number one in the world rankings.
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Along with individual success, Williams enjoyed a glittering doubles career, mostly alongside her sister Venus Williams.
Serena Williams left devastated by 2004 Olympic withdrawal
But Serena felt she was letting her sister and many others down when she decided against playing at the 2004 Olympics.
Williams was forced to withdraw from the event due to a knee injury, having been scheduled to play singles and doubles in Athens.
As quoted by BBC Sport, she said at the time: “I’ve never been this disappointed in my career. The good news is I don’t need surgery. That’s the only good news.
“I am sad and disappointed, not only because I am unable to travel to Greece and participate in the Olympics, but also because I gave my word that I would play.
“I feel that I am letting down my sister Venus, coach Zina Garrison and the other members of the US team by not participating.”
How did Serena Williams and Venus Williams perform at the Olympics?
While Williams was understandably frustrated, her Olympic disappointment with the USA was short-lived.
She would go on to win the singles gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, as well as claiming doubles gold that year and also in 2000 and 2008.
Venus was by Serena’s side for all three doubles triumphs, with the former also clinching gold in singles in 2000 and silver in mixed doubles in 2016.
Chanda Rubin was the player given the impossible task of filling Serena’s shoes in 2004, but she fell in the first round alongside Venus in Athens that year.
