For the highly anticipated September issue of Vogue magazine, tennis star, style icon, & entrepreneur Serena Williams announces her “evolution” to other interests than tennis, which is what she calls it since the word “retirement” gives her pause. For the article she wrote, as told to Rob Haskill, Serena reflects on her career, women’s equality in sports, being her sister Venus’ shadow growing up, the challenges & joys of motherhood, future professional endeavors, & all of her fears as she moves forward into the next chapter of her life.

Photographed by Luis Alberto Rodriguez & styled by Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Vogue captures Serena’s strength, style, & spirit with images that includes pieces from Balenciaga, Bulgari, Sergio Hudson, Fernando Jorge, Ralph Lauren Collection, Danielle Frankel, Wales Bonner, Lagos, Dezso by Sara Beltran, Completedworks, & Gucci. Not to mention, her five-year-old daughter Olympia is included in more than just Serena’s words, as you can see based on the cover insert image below.

While sharing her athletic journey to winning championships as a young girl, Serena states, “I want to be great. I want to be perfect. I know perfect doesn’t exist, but whatever my perfect was, I never wanted to stop until I got it right…I learned the lessons from Venus’s losses instead of the hard way, from my own. It was as if I were playing her matches, too. I’m a good mimic. Growing up I tried to copy Pete Sampras. I loved Monica Seles, and then I studied Monica Seles. I watched, I listened, then I attacked. But if I hadn’t been in Venus’s shadow, I would never be who I am. When someone said I was just the little sister, that’s when I got really fired up.“

In addition to Serena’s intimate revelations about her personal goals & family confessions, the article includes a “Life in Looks” video, flashing back to the star athlete’s photographs with Vogue, style on the court, red carpet history, & more thoughts on her fashion choices, all of which are such an integral part of Serena expressing who she is.

What do you think of Serena’s shoot for Vogue? Have you followed her career or ever attended a match? Which celebrity athletes do you admire the most? For more celebrity posts, check out: a fashion flashback with model / actress Cara Delevingne for her 30th birthday, Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink on the cover of FASHION magazine, a look back at Olivia Newton-John’s style through the decades, & Anne Hathaway’s breezy street style in NYC! Happy Styling!