Serena Williams could easily walk off the court and into the broadcast booth if she wants to, pocketing a handsome paycheck and boosting ratings for a sport that is losing star power, those in the business say. Williams bid an emotional farewell to the sport she dominated for over two decades at the U.S. Open on Friday night and afterward said she wanted to stay attached to the game. Brad Thyroff was a hitting partner for Serena Williams at the very beginning of her career when she was ranked 305th in the world. Mr. Thyroff joins FRANCE 24 to take a thoughtful and heartfelt look back at what she was like in her early days in Chicago. He describes her as "something special" and says that she is living proof "of how strong the mind is: if you believe, you accept something, and you don't take in any negative thoughts in your mind, you can really do anything and overcome anything." After a 25-year run, Mr. Thyroff sums it up this way: "she left the tennis world smiling and happy that we got to witness her for 25 years on the pro tour."


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