Tennis-Williams has cleared a path on and off the court, competitors say

FILE PHOTO: Aug 16, 2022; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Serena Willams (USA) follows through on a forehand in her match against Emma Raducanu (GBR) at the Western & Southern Open at the at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports/

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Serena Williams' peers got her farewell party started at the U.S. Open media day on Friday, hailing the tennis icon ahead of what is expected to be her final Grand Slam.

The 40-year-old American announced she would retire after the year's final major having collected 23 Grand Slam titles and transformed the sport, with a generation of women and girls having flocked to tennis because of her.