Gayle King Calls Serena Williams The 'One-Of-One' After US Open Win

Despite being on her way to "evolving" away from tennis, Serena Williams keeps on getting much-deserved commendations here and there for her remarkable career.

She recently had the first game of her final tournament at the U.S. Open on Monday, August 29, where she was also interviewed by broadcast journalist Gayle King following a first-round win. Naturally, King had great words for the legend and could not help but express her pride in Williams's influence over the years on the tennis industry.

The WTA star, who previously announced her evolution away from tennis, triumphed over her first-round opponent, Danka Kovinić, 6-3, 6-3, in Queens, New York, on Monday evening. The venue, Arthur Ashe Stadium, was perfect to begin her farewell as she had won six singles titles and a pair of doubles crowns with numerous New York celebs watching, most of whom were present at her possible final match.

King, a friend of hers who has had interviews with her severally in the past, was also in attendance. She introduced Williams to the loving spectators, embracing her even though the tennis star was all sweaty and stressing the accomplishments she has had both on and off the court.

Per Daily Mail, the CBS News journalist said, "She's changed the hue of the game, she's changed the complexion of the game, for those who play and those of us who watch it. And, it just made me so so proud." She also used one of Beyoncé's latest music pieces, "Alien Superstar," to hint at how superior Williams was regardless of competition. You may recall that the song was released this year with the album "Renaissance."

In King's words, "Serena, you know you're like that Beyoncé's song: I'm one of one. I'm the only one. Don't even try to compete with me." And as expected, the remark caused ecstatic cheers from the crowd. It is worth knowing that even with Williams' career not yet over, her interview with King was part of a peculiar "post-match ceremony" celebrating her career.

The talk also involved the topic of Williams' retirement, with the 67-year-old author wondering what the U.S. Open champion felt after her success at the night's game. Given that it had only been three weeks since Williams shocked the world with her retirement news, King wanted to know if she felt a sense of relief waking up that morning or was confident in her decision.

The influential athlete confessed that she did not expect any of the outcomes of that night, but she ensured to always do her best on the court, where she felt "so comfortable" in front of so many people. She added, "When I step out on the court, I just want to do my best that I can do on that particular day, and that's really all I can do."

Williams acknowledged the "crazy" crowd and admitted that they helped her pull through. She also used her story to inspire viewers, advising them never to give up, no matter their challenges. She is undoubtedly a living testimony as despite being from Compton, California, and experiencing a lot of setbacks in her career, she made it in the end without giving up.  

While Williams may be aware of her impact on the tennis world, she also knows how much influence she has on the sports industry in general. The Blast report that she talked about her legacy via the August issue of Time Magazine, believing that it was "confidence and self-belief" and "teaching other black kids, particularly black girls, they can do it too."

The 23 Grand Slam titleholder then made reference to blossoming tennis stars like Naomi Osaka and Gauff Cori, leading her to explain that nobody had ever been able to "tell such an inspiring, authentic story." She added that living through her mistakes, ups and downs, and the surgeries and comebacks were tales she would not let another person narrate.

Williams called it "a big tale of self-love," which several people could relate to, being their authentic selves and owning who they were. It is no news that she has always been humble about her achievements in her past, but as she gets ready to take her leave, she is owning every one of her triumphs, declaring that she "changed the game of tennis."