John McEnroe is proud of Serena Williams‘ legacy!
The retired tennis legend, who got his fair share of switching careers when he gravitated towards acting, weighed in on the mother-of-one’s plans to “evolve away from tennis” recently. The outspoken athlete held nothing back as he even compared Williams to some of the greatest athletes to make it in the game.
John McEnroe Compares Serena Williams To Michael Jordan & Muhammad Ali
During his promotional interview for his upcoming eponymous Showtime documentary, McEnroe dabbled in talking about Williams. He told ET‘s Kevin Frazier that:
“I hope it goes well for her, but it doesn’t matter ultimately [because] she’s an icon. She’s like Muhammad Ali, in a way, and Michael Jordan, Billie Jean King, Tom Brady. I mean, she’s up with the all-time athletes, whether she wins a match or she wins the tournament.”
The renowned author added that although she has “won so much,” the tennis superstar appeared to be in a great place — which is “what matters.” He concluded by sharing his hope that Williams would be able to “sort of inspire more kids to play the sport of tennis in the future.”
Although McEnroe’s praise of Williams’ prowess on the court came almost five years after he first dismissed her skills, he is not the only one to speak on her final US Open and retirement. Earlier this month, The Blast shared that actress Eva Longoria proved she stood by Williams’ decision.
The “Desperate Housewives” star, who can relate to the pains of being a working mom, shared her thoughts during an appearance at Miami’s “Vote Like a Madre” event. The conversation seemed to have come at a great time as the ceremony’s theme focused on providing a more secure future for the younger members of the Latino community.
The screen goddess attended the event on behalf of Latino Victory — a platform that allowed parents to vote on pressing climate issues for their children’s sake. Speaking on her friend’s retirement plans, the mother-of-one stated that if Williams were born a man, she would not have taken a break from her career to breastfeed or heal from a c-section operation.
The 47-year-old added that working moms always had to put their families first, causing them to find new ways to balance being parents with their careers. In the “Boss Baby: Family Business” voice actress’ words:
“The mom who is a teacher also has to understand, ‘How do I balance work and family?’ The woman who is a dentist has to say, ‘How do I balance my career and family?’ You know, we all bear that cross.”
Longoria then praised mothers as phenomenal “multitaskers, decision-makers, and problem solvers.” The multiple award winner explained that mothers being multitaskers involved them acting as caretakers and parents while remaining positive role models for their communities.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama Is In Full Support Of Williams’ Decision
View this post on Instagram
Just like Longoria and McEnroe, Michelle Obama has also cheered for Williams, whom she cares for and admires. The Blast shared that the former First Lady of the United States got her 50.6 million followers in their feelings when she dedicated a touching tribute to Williams on Instagram.
The mother-of-two, who dropped a photo dump of herself and Williams from over the years, began her caption, “Serena, thank you for everything that you’ve done to break barriers and to be a positive light in this world.”
Reflecting on her friend’s journey of wearing the “crown of greatness with the kind of humility, grace, and integrity,” Obama added that it has meant a lot to follow Williams’ journey “as an athlete, as a mother, as a business leader, and more.” The attorney also wished the renowned athlete the best as she evolved into her next chapter. She ended the sweet caption by reminding Williams that she would “always be cheering you on!”
Fans liked the post 279k+ times and commented on it, applauding the 58-year-old for her message. One person said, “My admiration for women cheering & supporting each other on shows strength & humility,” and another added that they loved seeing Obama cheer Williams on.
You would recall that the support for Williams began pouring in after the 40-year-old released a statement that she planned to move on from tennis so she could focus on growing her family, which includes her husband Alexis Ohanian and their four-year-old daughter, Olympia.
