SERENA WILLIAMS 

Serena Williams

There are standout athletes in every sport, but only a few have been able to alter the path of competition. This is Serena Williams. Williams is one of the greatest female tennis players of all time and she has transformed women's tennis since the 1990s. Thrilling audiences for almost 25 years, her talent and ability is beyond compare. Williams, the youngest of five sisters, was born on September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan. The Williams family decided to move to Compton, California, where Serena and her sister Venus had begun their tennis careers at a young age. Williams turned pro in 1995 at the age of 14 and has since won numerous titles, the most of any player in the Opera Era.

Williams, with a total of 23 Grand Slam titles, along with Venus Williams, shattered records in a predominantly white sport with their strength and athleticism on the court, overmatching many opponents. In 2018, after her marriage and the birth of her first child, she saw that her rankings had dropped numerously due to her leave of absence. Williams brought the issue to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to take action. WTA made a new rule which allowed parents to leave for childbirth or injury and use their previous rankings to enter tournaments for a few years after their return to the sport. Off the court, Williams released a clothing line, “S by Serena”, and a jewelry line. Serving as a UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador, board member of the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, and her own venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, Williams has made her name known off and on the court.

Williams is one of the greatest athletes and her story is important to hear for several reasons. Facing many challenges and obstacles throughout her career, she has persevered, breaking down numerous barriers in both tennis and society. Vocal about her experience with racism and sexism, Williams has strongly advocated for equal pay and opportunities for women in sports. Additionally, even through her health problems and personal struggles, she has continued to push herself and achieve incredible success. However, she preaches taking a break in order to maintain mental health and to return with strength. She states, “I put a lot of pressure on myself. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take three steps forward.” What we can learn from William’s story is the importance of standing up for what you believe in and fighting for it no matter what. No matter our environment, we can overcome anything. 

~Latiya '23, Sasha '23, Kamila '23, Milana '23, Cici '23, Sarah'23

Sources:

https://www.serenawilliams.com/pages/bio

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/serena-williams

https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/serena-williams

https://www.blakedevos.com/4-life-lessons-we-can-learn-from-serena-williams/