BY KRISHNA MISTRY

Serena Williams, a world-renowned tennis player, has dropped hints of her return. In August 2022, Williams posted a statement that she would be retiring after winning twenty-three Grand Slam singles titles and leading the WTA rankings for three hundred and nineteen weeks (one hundred and eight six consecutively) to become regarded as the finest female tennis player of all time.

Many fans expressed their surprise and excitement when they found out about  Williams’ decision to return to professional tennis. During her retirement, Williams focused on her family, business ventures, and advocacy work. Despite her success off the court, the competitive fire that had driven her never truly dimmed.

In 2024, Williams announced that she would be returning to tennis, expressing her love for the game and her desire to compete at the highest level once again.

During an interview with ESPN Williams shared her reasons to come back, “I realized that I wasn’t done yet. Tennis has been such a huge part of my life, and I felt like there was still more I wanted to achieve. I wanted to challenge myself again, to see if I could still compete with the best.”

Tennis is a sport that requires extreme physical activity and the schedule is demanding. Since Williams is aged, her body is not able to train the same way she did when she was twenty.

This required Williams to take her training from a different approach. Though there are many challenges, Williams has always been known for her adaptability and resilience, and her return has been no different.

Williams is currently working closely with her longtime coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, where she is focusing on refining her game to suit her current physical capabilities. “Serena is smarter, more strategic now,” Mouratoglou explained. “She knows she can’t rely solely on power anymore, so we’ve worked on her positioning, her shot selection, and managing her energy throughout matches.”

Williams’ return to tennis has had a profound impact on the sport. Her comeback has reignited interest in women’s tennis, drawing attention from fans and media worldwide. Younger players, many of whom grew up idolizing Williams, have expressed their admiration for her decision to return.

“Serena has always been a role model for me,” said Coco Gauff, one of the rising stars on the WTA tour. “Seeing her come back at this stage in her career is so inspiring. It shows that age is just a number and that you can keep pushing yourself to achieve more.”

Beyond her influence on the court, Williams’ return has also highlighted her role as a global icon and advocate for social justice. Throughout her career, Williams has used her platform to speak out on issues ranging from gender equality to racial justice. Her return has given her an even larger stage to continue this important work.

As the 2024 tennis season progresses, Williams’ journey continues to captivate audiences. With the French Open and Wimbledon on the horizon, the tennis world is eager to see how she will fare in the upcoming Grand Slam tournaments. Williams has made it clear that she is not just participating; she is competing with the goal of winning.

“I’ve always been driven by the desire to be the best,” Williams said. “That hasn’t changed. I still believe I can win, and that’s what I’m working toward every day.”

Regardless of the outcome, Williams’ return to tennis is already a remarkable chapter in her storied career. It is a testament to her love for the game, her unyielding determination, and her belief in defying the odds.

As Williams continues her comeback, she serves as a powerful reminder that greatness is not just about winning titles—it’s about passion, perseverance, and the courage to chase your dreams, no matter where life takes you.

BY KRISHNA MISTRY

An American gymnast gets stripped of her Olympic medal at this year’s 2024 Paris Olympics. Jordan Chiles, a twenty-three-year-old gymnast, had to step down, losing her bronze medal.

On August 5^th, the Olympics hosted the women’s floor artistic gymnastics finals at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France. Athletes like: Simone Biles from the United States of America, Rebeca Andrade from Brazil, Jordan Chiles from the United States of America, and Ana Bărbosu from Romania were present at the finals.

Initially, Chiles scored 13.666 on her floor routine, placing her behind the Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu. However, Head Coach Cécile Landi (USA) inquired and appealed, which increased her score to 13.766, placing her third and receiver of the bronze medal.

Unfortunately, the Romain Federation appealed against Chiles. The decision was made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that Chiles’s appeal would not be valid, as Coach Cécile Landi had inquired one minute and four seconds after the score was called (four seconds after the one-minute deadline). This automatically reversed Chile’s win, making Bărbosu the recipient of the bronze.

After hearing this news, Chiles’ friends, family, and fellow athletes expressed their support for her. Chiles’s mom, Gina, reshared many supporting posts of her daughter on X, formerly known as Twitter. Chiles’s sister also shared her thoughts on her Instagram. To show support, the official Team USA account posted a picture of Chiles and wrote, “Forever THAT GIRL.”

Olympics athletes Simone Biles and Suni Lee also shared their support for Chiles. Suni Lee shared on Instagram, “All this talk about the athlete; what about the judges? Completely unacceptable. This is awful, and I’m gutted for Jordan,” while Simone Biles wrote, “Sending you so much love, Jordan. Keep your chin up Olympic champ! We love you”.

The Romanian athlete showed great sportsmanship when she issued a statement on Instagram that read, “Jordan, my thoughts are with you. I know what you are feeling, because I’ve been through the same. But I know you’ll come back stronger. I hope from the depths of my heart that at the next Olympics, all three of us will share the same podium… This situation would not have existed if the persons in charge had respected the regulation. We athletes are not to be blamed, and the hate directed to us is painful.”

Chiles has currently distanced herself from social media for the betterment of her mental health. On August 12^th, 2024  the Team USA account shared that the USA Gymnastics had submitted a letter and video evidence to CAS, verifying that head coach Cécile Landi requested an inquiry forty-seven seconds after the score was announced, within the one-minute deadline.

In the letter, they request that the CAS revise the scoring and that Chiles’ bronze medal and her score of 13.7666 be reinstated. The CAS responded, “The time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted, The video footage provided was not available to USA Gymnastics prior to the tribunal’s decision and thus USAG did not have the opportunity to previously submit it,” they concluded.

On August 13^th, Team USA put out another statement on Instagram stating that CAS informed the USA gymnastics team that their rules do not allow arbitral awards to be reconsidered even if evidence has been provided. USAG shares that they were extremely disappointed with this news, but plan to do everything in their power for Jordan.

Unfortunately, this was the last statement the USA team put out. Despite the clear evidence provided by USA Gymnastics and the overwhelming support from her peers, the CAS’s decision remains final. While the circumstances are undoubtedly painful, Chiles’s resilience and the solidarity shown by her fellow gymnasts highlight the strength of the athletic community.

BY KRISHNA MISTRY

Simone Biles qualifies for the Olympics again, making this her third Olympics. Simone Arianne Biles Owens is a twenty-seven-year-old American-Belizean artistic gymnast from the United States national team. Biles is regarded as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, as she has exhibited excellence and resilience throughout her career and is an inspiration to many people across the globe.

Biles was raised in Texas by her grandparents, Ron and Nellie Biles, who adopted Simone and her sister, Aria, due to family issues. Biles’ gymnastic journey began at the age of six, during a daycare field trip to Bannon’s Gymnastix, where the coach quickly recognized her natural talent and she began training under Aimme Boorman.

Being a part of the Caribbean community, Biles realized the rare sport that she planned to pursue. Biles still decided to pursue gymnastics as a career and became an inspiration for many young girls out there to pursue what their hearts desire.

Since then, Biles has competed in gymnastics for thirteen years. She began her professional journey in the junior division in 2011 when she competed at the 2011 American Classic, placing third overall. In 2013, Biles entered the international level, where she won her first all-around title at the USA Gymnastics National Championship. She then proceeded to win two more gold medals at the 2013 World Championship in Antwerp, Belgium, showing that she was here to stay.

In women’s gymnastics, there are four main events that athletes compete in: vault, bars, beam, and floor exercise. When athletes excel in all four events, then it is known as all-around. This implies all gymnastics events except for the Olympics. In the Olympics, not all athletes compete in all four events. They have a separate all-around event where athletes compete in all four of these events and are scored accordingly.

After her great first year at the international level, Biles continues to further her career. Biles has had the opportunity to attend three Olympics in her career. Biles attended her first Olympics in 2016 when she was just nineteen years old. She had an amazing performance at her first Olympics, winning four gold medals.

Throughout her career, Biles has had the opportunity to compete in many competitions and also win many medals. Biles has won a total of thirty-nine medals in her career. She has won: twenty-nine gold medals, four Olympic medals, twenty-three World Championship medals, and two Pacific Rim Championship medals. She has won five silver medals, one Olympic medal, and four World Championship medals. And won five bronze medals, two Olympic medals, and three World Champions medals.

In addition to Biles’s great performances at many competitions, she is also known for her world championship titles. Biles is a World Champion in many events, such as: a six-time world all-around champion (2013-2015, 2018-2019, 2023), a six-time world floor exercise champion (2013-2015, 2018-2019, 2023), a four-time world beam balance champion (2014-2015, 2019, 2023), a two-time world vault champion (2018-2019), and a nine-time United States national all-around champion (2013-2016, 2018-2019, 2021, 2023-2024).

Despite being a great athlete and gaining such success and fame, Simone has faced many obstacles. In 2018, Biles disclosed that she was one of the survivors of sexual abuse by her former USA gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar. Her courage to speak up about a sensitive topic has helped with greater protection within the sport.

With the Tokyo 2020 Olympics around the corner, fans were highly anticipating Biles’ return. However, during the Games, Biles withdrew from several events due to her mental health. This year, Biles will be seen competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. A few events that Biles can be seen at are:

• Women’s Qualifications: July 28^th, 2024
• Women’s Team Final: July 30^th, 2024
• Women’s All-Around Final: August 1^st, 2024
• Events Finals Day 1 (Women’s Vault): August 3^rd, 2024
• Events Finals Day 2 (Women’s Uneven Bars): August 4^th, 2024