Serena Williams, one of the greatest athletes of our time, was born on September 26, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. She is the youngest of five and started to play tennis with her sister, Venus, at the age of 3. Her father, Richard Williams, was determined to make his daughter something great. He practiced with the girls daily for two hours. By the time she was 10 years old, she was ranked number 1 and had a record of 46-3 while on the junior United States Tennis Association tour.
In 1995, Williams was a pro. She ranked 99 in the world rankings and had a $12 million deal with Puma straight out of high school. By 1999, Williams had lived in Michigan, Compton California and now Florida. That same year she won her first Grand Slam.
The following year, Williams and her sister, Venus, won gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. They continued to win numerous Women’s Doubles. In total, they won 14 Grand Slam double titles. The sisters were undefeatable. In 2008, they returned to the Olympic games in Beijing and won gold again.
Williams changed the way tennis was played. On top of having her own style, she was undefeated, focused and determined. In 2009, after battling multiple illnesses and a knee surgery and the loss of her half-sister, she won her 10th Grand Slam title.
In 2012, Williams proved to everyone that she is truly one of the greatest by winning the gold medal in the singles event during the London Olympics. She also had now won 15 Grand Slam single titles and 13 Grand Slam double titles.
Life changed for Williams in 2017. She surpassed the record of having won the most Slams in the open era for women and men all while being two months pregnant with her beautiful baby girl. She surprised the world when she announced her engagement to Alexis Ohanian who is a cofounder of the website Reddit.
In her career, Williams has won over 23 Grand Slams single titles, 14 Grand Slam double titles, 7 Wimbledon championships. 3 Gold Olympic medals for the women’s double and one gold Olympic medal in the singles event. Her legacy, brilliance and talent continue to be an inspiration. And her impact in the sport of tennis will last forever.
