Serena Williams

About

Serena Jameka Williams is an American inactive professional tennis player. Considered among the greatest tennis players of all time, she was ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for 319 weeks, including a joint-record 186 consecutive weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. She won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any player in the Open Era, and the second-most of all time. She is the only player, male or female, to accomplish a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles. Along with her older sister Venus, Serena Williams was coached by her parents Oracene Price and Richard Williams.

Turning professional in 1995, she won her first major singles title at the 1999 US Open. From the 2002 French Open to the 2003 Australian Open, she was dominant, winning all four major singles titles (each time over Venus in the final) to achieve a non-calendar year Grand Slam and the career Grand Slam, known as the ‘Serena Slam’. The next few years saw her claim two more singles majors, but suffer from injury and decline in form. Beginning in 2007, however, she gradually returned to form despite continued injuries, retaking the world No. 1 singles ranking.

Beginning at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, Williams returned to dominance, claiming Olympic gold (completing the Career Golden Slam in singles) and winning eight out of thirteen singles majors, including all four in a row from 2014–15 to achieve a second “Serena Slam”. At the 2017 Australian Open, she won her 23rd major singles title, surpassing Steffi Graf’s Open Era record. She then took a break from professional tennis after becoming pregnant and reached four major finals since returning to play. In August 2022, Williams announced her impending evolution away from professional tennis and played what was expected to be her final match at the 2022 US Open.

Last Updated: 6th March 2023