Her Serene Highness Hailed as the best female tennis player ever American athlete Serena Williams is a powerful force on the courts Her strength as an athlete and unwavering confidence draw excited crowds to her matches Many give Serena credit for the growth in the popularity of tennis since her professional debut nearly three decades ago Queen of the Courts Serena is an aggressive tennis player with perfect technique Her career is beyond impressive She has earned a whopping 23 Grand Slam singles victories more than any other player on the women’s professional tour today Only former tennis greats Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova have been ranked longer as the number one player in the world Serena’s serve which has been clocked at around 120 miles per hour 193 km h is regarded as the fastest-ever in women’s tennis history 4
Family Dynasty A fierce passion for tennis runs in Serena’s family Her older sister Venus is also a professional tennis player and is equally regarded as one of the greatest players in women’s tennis Serena and Venus have teamed up to win many doubles titles including three Olympic gold medals in women’s doubles In 2002 the Williams sisters together held the highest world rankings in tennis with Serena ranked at No 1 and Venus at No 2 Super Serve Serena is known for her killer serve Every serve she tosses into the air looks exactly the same so her opponents have no idea where she is aiming By the time she hits the ball it’s too late for an opponent to react When Serena and Venus team up in women’s doubles tournaments they are a powerhouse pair They have won a record 22 titles together 5
Early Life Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26 1981 in Saginaw Michigan Her father Richard Williams had worked as a sharecropper and her mother Oracene Price worked as a nurse Serena and her older sister Venus grew up with three of their older half sisters Little did Serena know that before she and Venus were even born their father had already planned out their destinies Baby of the Family Serena was the youngest of the sisters and she made the most of being the baby of the family The girls shared one bedroom and Serena would take turns sleeping with a different sister each night in their bunk beds Her sisters say Serena always wanted to win every family competition Losing was so frustrating for her that her family usually gave in even if she didn’t really win just to keep the peace This obsession for winning would serve Serena well in her future tennis career She Said It For all their practice preparation and confidence even the best competitors in every sport have a voice of doubt inside them that says they are not good enough I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me my desire to win is always stronger time com February 4 2015 6
Family Ties The sisters were all very close growing up Although tennis would dominate her daily life from a young age Serena also liked doing things that regular kids did She liked skateboarding sewing playing guitar and later surfing Her goal was always to be a tennis champion but as a kid she also thought she’d like to be a veterinarian Her parents knew athletes usually had short careers and they wanted the girls to succeed not just on the court but in life They raised their children to have faith in God and follow The Williams Life Triangle The triangle consisted of three values commitment confidence and courage Serena’s father also taught them about their family’s history which included overcoming racism segregation and poverty to achieve their dreams Serena right is shown here with her mother center and three sisters Lyndrea Venus and Isha from left 7
