Serena Williams

SERENA WILLIAMSSerena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American professional tennis player who is currently ranked No. 1 in women's singles tennis. The Women's Tennis Association has ranked her World No. 1 in singles on six separate occasions. She became the World No. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002, and regained this ranking for the sixth time on February 18, 2013, becoming the oldest world no. 1 player in WTA's history. Williams is also regarded by some experts and former tennis players to be the greatest female tennis player in history.[4]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams" \l "cite_note-5" [5] She is the only female player to have won over $60 million in prize money,[6] and is the reigning US Open, WTA Tour Championships and Olympic ladies singles champion.[7]Williams holds the most Major singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles combined amongst active players, male or female. Her record of 33 Major titles puts her seventh on the all-time list: 18 in singles, 13 in women's doubles, and 2 in mixed doubles. She is the most recent player, male or female, to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously ('02'03), and the fifth woman ever to do so. She is also the most recent player together with her sister Venus Williams to have held all four Grand Slam women's doubles titles simultaneously ('09'10). Her total of 18 Grand Slam singles titles is fourth on the all-time list,[8] and second in the Open Era, behind only Steffi Graf (22 titles).[8] She has won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Venus and the pair are unbeaten in Grand Slam finals.[9] Serena Williams is also a five-time winner of the WTA Tour Championships.[10] Williams is one of only five tennis players all-time to win a multiple slam set in two disciplines, matching Margaret Court, Roy Emerson, Martina Navratilova and Frank Sedgman. The arrival of Venus and Serena Williams has been credited with launching a new era of power and athleticism in women's tennis.[11]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams" \l "cite_note-12" [12]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams" \l "cite_note-13" [13]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams" \l "cite_note-14" [14] Williams has won four Olympic gold medals, one in women's singles and three in women's doubles, an all-time record shared with her sister Venus.[15]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams" \l "cite_note-USAToday-16" [16]Serena Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan, to Richard Williams and Oracene Price and is the youngest of Price's five daughters: half-sisters Yetunde, Lyndrea and Isha Price, and full sister Venus.[1] When the children were young, the family moved to Compton, California, where Serena started playing tennis at the age of four.[17]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams" \l "cite_note-morganbook19-18" [18] Her father home-schooled Serena and her sister Venus[19]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams" \l "cite_note-20" [20] and to this day, Serena Williams was and remains coached by both her parents.[1] Williams's family moved from Compton to West Palm Beach, FL[17] when she was nine so that she could attend the tennis academy of Rick Macci, who would provide additional coaching. Macci spotted the exceptional talents of the sisters. He did not always agree with Williams's father, but respected that "he treated his daughters like kids, allowed them to be little girls".[21] Richard stopped sending his daughters to national junior tennis tournaments when Williams was 10, since he wanted them to take it slow and focus on school work. Another factor was racial, as he had heard white parents talk about the Williams sisters in a derogatory manner during tournaments.[22] At that time, Williams had a 463 record on the United States Tennis Association junior tour and was ranked No. 1 among under-10 players in Florida.[23] In 1995, when Serena was in the ninth grade, Richard pulled his daughters out of Macci's academy, and from then on took over all coaching at their home. When asked in 2000 whether having followed the normal path of playing regularly on the junior circuit would have been beneficial, Williams responded: "Everyone does different things. I think for Venus and I, we just attempted a different road, and it worked for us."[23] In 2003 sister Yetunde was fatally shot in an SUV after a confrontation with youths in Compton.[24]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams" \l "cite_note-25" [25]Grand Slam tournament finals

Singles: 22 (184)

OutcomeYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore

Winner1999US OpenHardMartina Hingis63, 76(74)

Runner-up2001US OpenHardVenus Williams26, 46

Winner2002French OpenClayVenus Williams75, 63

Winner2002WimbledonGrassVenus Williams76(74), 63

Winner2002US Open (2)HardVenus Williams64, 63

Winner2003Australian OpenHardVenus Williams76(74), 36, 64

Winner2003Wimbledon (2)GrassVenus Williams46, 64, 62

Runner-up2004WimbledonGrassMaria Sharapova16, 46

Winner2005Australian Open (2)HardLindsay Davenport26, 63, 60

Winner2007Australian Open (3)HardMaria Sharapova61, 62

Runner-up2008Wimbledon (2)GrassVenus Williams57, 46

Winner2008US Open (3)HardJelena Jankovi64, 75

Winner2009Australian Open (4)HardDinara Safina60, 63

Winner2009Wimbledon (3)GrassVenus Williams76(73), 62

Winner2010Australian Open (5)HardJustine Henin64, 36, 62

Winner2010Wimbledon (4)GrassVera Zvonareva63, 62

Runner-up2011US Open (2)HardSamantha Stosur26, 36

Winner2012Wimbledon (5)GrassAgnieszka Radwaska61, 57, 62

Winner2012US Open (4)HardVictoria Azarenka62, 26, 75

Winner2013French Open (2)ClayMaria Sharapova64, 64

Winner2013US Open (5)HardVictoria Azarenka75, 67(68), 61

Winner2014US Open (6)HardCaroline Wozniacki63, 63

Women's doubles: 13 (130)

OutcomeYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore

Winner1999French OpenClayVenus WilliamsMartina Hingis

Anna Kournikova63, 67(27), 86

Winner1999US OpenHardVenus WilliamsChanda Rubin

Sandrine Testud46, 61, 64

Winner2000WimbledonGrassVenus WilliamsJulie Halard-Decugis

Ai Sugiyama63, 62

Winner2001Australian OpenHardVenus WilliamsLindsay Davenport

Corina Morariu62, 26, 64

Winner2002Wimbledon (2)GrassVenus WilliamsVirginia Ruano Pascual

Paola Surez62, 75

Winner2003Australian Open (2)HardVenus WilliamsVirginia Ruano Pascual

Paola Surez46, 64, 63

Winner2008Wimbledon (3)GrassVenus WilliamsLisa Raymond

Samantha Stosur62, 62

Winner2009Australian Open (3)HardVenus WilliamsDaniela Hantuchov

Ai Sugiyama63, 63

Winner2009Wimbledon (4)GrassVenus WilliamsSamantha Stosur

Rennae Stubbs76(74), 64

Winner2009US Open (2)HardVenus WilliamsCara Black

Liezel Huber62, 62

Winner2010Australian Open (4)HardVenus WilliamsCara Black

Liezel Huber64, 63

Winner2010French Open (2)ClayVenus WilliamsKvta Peschke

Katarina Srebotnik62, 63

Winner2012Wimbledon (5)GrassVenus WilliamsAndrea Hlavkov

Lucie Hradeck75, 64

Mixed doubles: 4 finals (22)

OutcomeYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore

Runner-up1998French OpenClayLuis LoboJustin Gimelstob

Venus Williams46, 46

Winner1998WimbledonGrassMax MirnyiMahesh Bhupathi

Mirjana Lui64, 64

Winner1998US OpenHardMax MirnyiPatrick Galbraith

Lisa Raymond62, 62

Runner-up1999Australian OpenHardMax MirnyiDavid Adams

Mariaan de Swardt46, 64, 67(57)

Awards1998

WTA Newcomer of the Year

Tennis Magazine/Rolex Rookie of the Year

1999

WTA Most Improved Player of the Year

Tennis Magazine Player of the Year

2000

WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams)

Teen Choice Awards Extraordinary Achievement Award

Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.68)

Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year for team sports (with Venus Williams)

2001


2002

Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year WTA Player of the Year

ITF Women's Singles World Champion


2003

34th NAACP Image Awards President's Award

Best Female Athlete ESPY Award

Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

Avon Foundation Celebrity Role Model Award

BET Award for Female Athlete of the Year Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.60)

2004

WTA Comeback Player of the Year

Family Circle/Prudential Financial Player Who Makes a Difference Award


BET Award for Female Athlete of the Year


Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2)

Teen Choice Awards Female Athlete Award

2005




Dirty Awards Best Sports Athlete Female

2006



2007


Laureus World Comeback of the Year



2008

WTA Player of the Year



2009

Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year

SI.com Best Female Athlete of the Decade

Glamour Magazine Women of the Year Award





ITF Women's Doubles World Champion (with Venus Williams)

Named Second Best Tennis Player of the Decade by ESPN (with Roger Federer at Number 1)


WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams)

WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams)

Doha 21st Century Leaders Awards Outstanding Leadership

Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.67)2010

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

TIME Magazine The World's 100 Most Influential People




Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1)[2] WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams)

Forbes 30 Utterly Inspiring Role Models


Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (No.55)

2011



TIME Magazine 30 Legends of Women's Tennis


US Open Series Champion Forbes Most Powerful Black Women in the U.S. (No.10)

The Root 100 2011: Influencers and Iconoclasts (No.41)


2012


BET Award for Sportswoman of the Year

WTA Player of the Year[3] WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams)

ITF Women's Singles World Champion[4] L'quipe Champion of Champions United States Sports Academy Female Athletes of the Year Award


2013

Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year


Best Female Athlete ESPY Award



US Open Series Champion WTA Player of the Year


L'quipe Champion of Champions

espnW Impact 10 (No. 1)

2014


BET Sportswoman of the Year

TIME Magazine 100 Most Influential People


US Open Series Champion

Documents

Serena Williams