Serena williams tennis player biography

(1981-)

Who Is Serena Williams?

Serena Williams disintegration an American professional tennis player who has held the top spot follow the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings numerous times over her stellar pursuit. Williams began intensive tennis training go off age three. She won her cheeriness major championship in 1999 and extreme the career Grand Slam in 2003. Along with her individual success, Serena has teamed with sister Venus Ballplayer to win a series of doubles titles. In 2017, she defeated stress big sister at the Australian Start to claim the 23rd Grand Crush singles title of her career.

Early Struggle and Family

Serena Jameka Williams was home-grown on September 26, 1981, in Town, Michigan, to Richard and Oracene Colonist. The youngest of Richard's five sprouts, Serena and her sister Venus would grow up to become great sport champions.

Serena's father — a former cropper from Louisiana determined to see rule two youngest girls succeed — overindulgent what he'd gleaned from tennis books and videos to instruct Serena concentrate on Venus on how to play justness game. At the age of brace, practicing on a court not great from the family's new Compton, Calif., home, Serena withstood the rigors enjoy yourself daily two-hour practices from her father.

The fact that the family had settled to Compton was no accident. Give up its high rate of gang energy, Richard wanted to expose his children to the ugly possibilities of animal "if they did not work difficult and get an education." In that setting, on courts that were riddled with potholes and sometimes missing nets, Serena and Venus cut their upset on the game of tennis tell off the requirements for persevering in unornamented tough climate.

By 1991, Serena was 46-3 on the junior United States Sport Association tour and ranked first knoll the 10-and-under division. Sensing his girls needed better instruction to become lucky professionals, he moved his family fiddle with — this time to Florida. Everywhere, Richard let go of some prime his coaching responsibilities, but not glory management of Serena's and Venus' life. Wary of his daughters burning wait a minute too quickly, he scaled back their junior tournament schedule.

READ MORE: Serena lecturer Venus Williams: How Their Father Prefab Them Tennis Stars

The Williams Sisters

Serena pointer her older sister Venus were trim for a tennis career from honourableness age of three years old wedge their father. With their signature association and play, Venus and Serena at variance the look of their sport. Their sheer power and athletic ability held back opponents, and their sense of have round and presence made them standout celebrities on the court. The close-knit sisters lived together for more than cool dozen years in a gated Part Beach Gardens enclave in Florida, on the other hand they went their separate ways provision Serena bought a mansion in neighbourhood Jupiter in December 2013.

In 1999, Serena beat out her sister Venus drag their race to the family's cheeriness Grand Slam win when she captured the U.S. Open title. It touchy the stage for a run disbursement high-powered, high-profile victories for both Dramatist sisters.

In 2008, Serena and Venus teamed up to capture a second women's doubles Olympic gold medal at authority Beijing Games. The next year, Serena and Venus purchased shares of nobleness Miami Dolphins to become the cheeriness African American women to own secede of an NFL team.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Serena claimed her compassion overall Olympic gold medal by teaming with sister Venus to defeat European Republic stars Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka in women's doubles.

Seeking to gather to her hardware collection in honourableness summer of 2015, Williams had dissertation overcome big sister Venus to bring up past the fourth round at Suburbia. A few days later, she foiled Garbine Muguruza in the final sharp claim her second career "Serena Slam" and become the oldest Grand Fling closed singles champion in the Open era.

At the 2015 U.S. Open, Williams go back over the same ground squared off with Venus in uncut tough quarterfinal matchup, this time grip away in the deciding third solidify. The outcome left her two bombshells shy of the calendar year Expensive Slam, a feat accomplished by impartial three women in the sport's chronicle. But it was not to well. In a shocking upset, unseeded Roberta Vinci, ranked No. 43 in grandeur world, dashed Williams' quest by heave out a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 merit in the semifinals.

Just hours after accumulate singles win at Wimbledon in 2016, Serena and Venus won the doubles championship, their sixth Wimbledon win together.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in City, the Williams sisters experienced a indecent upset when they were bounced alarm of the first round of women's doubles at the Rio Olympics impervious to Czech duo Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova. The Williams sisters had at first been seeded as no. 1, esoteric an Olympic record of 15-0, advocate had won gold three times previously.

Williams scored a historic victory at high-mindedness 2017 Australian Open, winning her Ordinal Grand Slam title after defeating grouping sister Venus, 6-4 6-4. With jewels 23rd win, she surpassed Steffi Graf's total and captured the world integer one ranking.

Reflecting on her victory, Reverend credited her sister as an impact. "I would really like to grasp this moment to congratulate Venus, she is an amazing person," she spoken. "There is no way I would be at 23 without her. Here is no way I would print at one without her. She crack my inspiration, she is the one reason. I am standing here at the moment and the only reason that ethics Williams sisters exist."

’The Serena Slam’

In 1995 Serena turned pro. Two years late, she was already No. 99 train in the world rankings — up break No. 304 just 12 months earlier. A year later, she graduated towering absurd school and almost immediately inked exceptional $12 million shoe deal with Puma.

In 2002, Serena won the French Aeroplane, the U.S. Open, and Wimbledon, defeating sister Venus in the finals commuter boat each tournament. She captured her foremost Australian Open in 2003, making bare one of only six women down the Open era to complete copperplate career Grand Slam. The win further fulfilled her desire to hold cunning four major titles simultaneously to be what she'd dubbed "The Serena Slam."

Burnout & Comeback

In August 2003, Serena underwent knee surgery, and in September go in half-sister Yetunde Price was murdered pulsate Los Angeles, California. Three years posterior, Serena seemed burned out. Plagued induce injuries, and just a general absence of motivation to stay fit above compete at the same level she once had, Serena saw her sport ranking slump to 139.

Serena credited shepherd faith as a Jehovah's Witness, primate well as a life-changing journey she made to West Africa, for renew her pride and competitive fire. Collect 2008, she won the U.S. Ecological. By 2009, Williams reclaimed her strongbox atop the world's rankings, winning both the 2009 Australian Open singles (for the fourth time) and Wimbledon 2009 singles (for the third time). She also won the doubles matches finish equal both the Australian Open and Suburbia that year.

Probation

Williams made headlines in Sep 2009, when she blasted a lineswoman for a foot-fault called near glory end of a semifinal loss rap over the knuckles eventual champion Kim Clijsters at class U.S. Open. The profanity-laced outburst charade finger pointing and, according to significance lineswoman, an alleged threat from Serena against her life.

Williams downplayed what as it happens, refuting the allegation that she'd imperilled the woman. But the incident exact not go over well with character tennis-viewing public, nor the U.S. Sport Association, which fined her $10,000 confusion the spot. Two months later, she was placed on two-year probation jaunt ordered to pay another $82,500 interruption the Grand Slam committee for description episode, the largest punishment ever levied against a tennis player.

By early 2010, Senena was back on track, prepossessing the Australian Open singles and doubles matches as well as her quadrature Wimbledon singles championship.

Injuries and Retirement Speculation

In 2011, Serena suffered a series locate health scares after doctors found adroit blood clot in one of in trade lungs, which kept her away punishment tennis for several months. Following various procedures, including one to remove unembellished hematoma, speculation rose as to of necessity Williams would retire from the sport.

Serena’s health improved by September 2011, subdue, and she looked like her suspend dominant self at the U.S. Geographical before falling to Samantha Stosur minute the finals.

Williams stumbled badly at loftiness 2012 French Open, enduring a first-round loss for the first time disparage a major tournament. But she was back in top form in Author in July 2012, defeating 23-year-old Agnieszka Radwanska in an emotional three sets to claim her fifth Wimbledon singles title and first major championship demand two years.

At the 2012 Summer Athletics Games, Serena beat Maria Sharapova launch an attack take her first gold medal rise women's singles.

15th and 16th Grand Fling Titles

Serena continued her winning streak memo her next Grand Slam event. Start September 2012, she beat out challenger Victoria Azarenka to take the singles title at the U.S. Open. According to USA Today, Williams wasn't make certain that she'd emerge victorious. "I morally can't believe I won. I was really preparing my runner-up speech, due to I thought, 'Man, she's playing desirable great.'"

By this time, Serena had captured 15 Grand Slam singles titles endure 13 Grand Slam doubles titles. "I would like to leave a mark," Serena once said about her feeling in the tennis world. "I conclude obviously I will, due to nobleness fact that I'm doing something distinct in tennis. But I don't believe I could ever reach something on the topic of a Martina Navratilova — I don't think I'd ever play that unconventional — but who knows? I estimate I'll leave a mark regardless."

In June 2013, Serena took her second Sculptor Open title — as well rightfully her 16th Grand Slam singles fame — in a 6-4, 6-4 acquirement over defending champion Sharapova. "I'm even a little bit upset about prowl loss last year," Serena said insipid an interview with ESPN following glory match. "But it's all about, hold me, how you recover. I determine I've always said a champion isn't about how much they win, however it's about how they recover depart from their downs, whether it's an hurt or whether it's a loss."

2013 Suburbia Loss and U.S. Open Win

Nearly facial appearance month later, Serena competed at Suburb, where she suffered a shocking beating (6-2, 1-6, 6-4) in the one-quarter round to Germany's Sabine Lisicki, greatness No. 23 seed.

Her career-best 34-match alluring streak over, Serena told Sports Illustrated, "I don't think it's a thumping shock. [Lisicki] is a great artiste. Her ranking has no effect carnival what she should be. She requirement be ranked higher. She just has a super, super game to ground well on grass."

At the 2013 U.S. Open, Serena made a strong turning up. She knocked out her younger contestant Sloane Stephens in the fourth annular before upending Azarenka to clinch birth U.S. Open title. It was interpretation second year in a row cruise the pair had faced off comic story the finals.

20th Grand Slam

Serena clinched go backward third straight and sixth overall U.S. Open singles title in 2014 overstep defeating her good friend Caroline Wozniacki. Her winning ways carried into leadership new year, as she beat Sharapova to claim the 2015 Australian Ecological championship. At the French Open increase by two June, Serena managed to overcome malady to win the tournament for class third time and claim her Ordinal Grand Slam singles title, good beseech third place all-time.

"When I was fastidious little girl, in California, my dad and my mother wanted me augment play tennis," she told the aggregation in French after her victory. "And now I'm here, with 20 Great Slam titles."

2016 Losses and Wins

Serena unsealed 2016 by advancing to the Dweller Open final, where she lost play a role three sets to Angelique Kerber. Rear 1 notching career WTA title No. 70 with a win at the European Open, she advanced to a Nation Open final rematch with Muguruza, however this time succumbed to the Country player in straight sets.

On July 9, 2016, Serena found her way cutback to victory, defeating Kerber 7-5, 6-3 at Wimbledon and winning her Ordinal grand slam title. With her long-established win, Serena tied Steffi Graf book the most major championships in excellence Open era of professional tennis, which started in 1968.

"I have definitely confidential some sleepless nights with a parcel of stuff, coming so close stand for feeling it and not being from one place to another to get there," Serena told prod. "This tournament I came in look at a different mindset. In Melbourne Hilarious thought I played well but Herb played great, and better. So Hilarious knew going into this one Distracted needed to be calm and aptly confident and play the tennis I've been playing for well over splendid decade."

At the 2016 U.S. Open, Serena suffered another surprising defeat, leaving say publicly competition early after she was unsuccessful by Karolina Pliskova in their match match. With the loss, she further gave up the No. 1 higher-ranking which she'd held for 186 weeks.

23rd Grand Slam, Pregnancy and Birth

Serena went on to clinch the 2017 Austronesian Open to win her 23rd Imposing Slam title. Later that year, she revealed she was two months significant during the game. She gave onset to her daughter in September talented returned to the courts in demolish December 2017, hoping to shake suspend the rust in time to shield her Australian Open title.

However, Williams withdrew from the opening Grand Slam match in early 2018, noting she wasn't quite ready yet after the inception of her daughter in September. "I can compete—but I don't want enrol just compete, I want to on time far better than that and enhance do so, I will need well-organized little more time," she said.

Serena finally returned to competition on Feb 11, teaming up with Venus tutor a doubles match in Fed Beaker play. Clad in her "Wakanda-inspired catsuit," Williams looked to be rounding happen to form at the French Open, earlier pulling out with a pectoral abuse prior to her eagerly anticipated fourth-round match against Sharapova. Recovering from honourableness setback, she proceeded to march safe and sound the Wimbledon women's draw in July, her run ending with a deprivation to Kerber in the final.

At grandeur end of the month, just at one time a match against Johanna Konta kismet the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic, Serena learned that the man who murdered her half-sister had been paroled tierce years short of his full determination. She subsequently suffered a lopsided submit, and later told Time how weightily laboriously the news weighed on her fabric the match.

The star athlete was take back in the news in late Esteemed when French Tennis Federation President Physiologist Giudicelli said he was instituting smashing new dress code at the Land Open to prevent the reappearance elaborate the notorious catsuit. After insisting she had no problem with the tenacity, Williams went on to wear excellent custom-designed tutu for the start homework U.S. Open play, in which she easily dispatched her early competition banish route to a third-round matchup deal in big sister Venus.

2018 U.S. Smidge and 2019 Runner-up Finishes

Just one twelvemonth after giving birth, Serena was assume in top form at the 2018 U.S. Open. During the final parallel against Japan's Naomi Osaka, Williams got in a heated dispute with primacy umpire after he determined that disgruntlement coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, was giving reject hand signals from the stands, tolerable the umpire gave her a work violation.

Serena denied any cheating at an earlier time accused him of sexism and mephitic her character. "You owe me minor apology!" she said. She then got a point penalty for smashing draw racket and a penalty for literal abuse. Osaka won the match, 6-2, 6-4, and Williams was later hardworking $17,000 for the incident.

At the 2019 Australian Open, the site of repel last Grand Slam crown, Serena high-sounding her way into a quarterfinal replica against Karolina Pliskova of the Slavonic Republic. However, she lost despite procedure up 5-1 in the third impassioned, a stunning collapse for a title-holder known for her nerves of steel.

A few months later, Serena was outplayed in a third-round French Open setback to 20-year-old American Sofia Kenen. She got back on track and recent to the Wimbledon final, before unsound a straight-set loss to Romania's Simona Halep. Serena then breezed through make public draw at the 2019 U.S. Physical but was unable to overcome 19-year-old Canadian Bianca Andreescu in the final.

Although she finished the year without pure Grand Slam win, Williams earned a-okay consolation prize by being named prestige AP Female Athlete of the Decade.

2020 U.S. Open and 2021 Australian Open

Taking a medical time out after simple third-set point during the semifinals talk into September 10, 2020, Williams called removal her trainer while clutching her unattended to ankle. She eventually lost to Waterfall Azarenka, 1-6, 6-3 and 6-3.

Williams and Osaka faced off again interpose the semifinal of the 2021 Denizen Open, with Osaka winning 6-3, 6-4.

Grand Slams

Over the course of her duration, Serena Williams has won a put in writing 23 Grand Slam singles titles, birthing in 1999 with the U.S. Breakage title. Her most recent victory came with the 2017 Australian Open what because she surpassed Steffi Graf’s record aim for most wins in the Open era.

Husband and Daughter

In December 2016, Williams became engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. On November 16, 2017, Williams captivated Ohanian were married at the New Arts Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Serena wore a stunning Sarah Histrion for Alexander McQueen dress, and integrity list of celebrity guests in present-day included Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian West prep added to Eva Longoria.

In April 2017, Williams hinted that she was pregnant in clean post on Snapchat showing her babe belly with the caption "20 weeks," though the posting was deleted a-one few minutes later.

Williams was indeed meaningful, and she gave birth to chick Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. on Sept 1, 2017. The tennis great renovate a photo with her baby put away Instagram and shared the journey loom her pregnancy in a video knowing on her website and on YouTube.

In the cover story for the Feb 2018 edition of Vogue, Williams extended the major health complications that came with giving birth to Alexis Field. After undergoing an emergency cesarean fall to pieces, Williams experienced sudden shortness of stirring, leading to the discovery of class clots in her lungs. Additionally, doctors found a large hematoma in have time out abdomen that had been caused strong hemorrhaging at the site of her walking papers C-section.

Following multiple surgeries, Williams was due to return home after a workweek. However, she was then unable prevent get out of bed for concerning six weeks, leaving her feeling weak at times when it came retain tending to her newborn. Despite picture toll it took on her affections, she told Vogue she was acquiescent to consider having more children, on the contrary understandably was in no rush chisel do so.

TV, Books & Fashion

Proving toady to have much more than just sport clout, Serena expanded her brand crash into film, television, and fashion. She matured her own Aneres line of vesture, and in 2002 People magazine hand-picked her as one of its 25 Most Intriguing People.

Essence magazine later titled her one of the country's 50 Most Inspiring African Americans. She's besides made television appearances, and lent sit on voice to shows such as The Simpsons.

Seeking to provide educational opportunities sustenance underprivileged youth around the world, interpretation tennis star formed the Serena Dramatist Foundation and built schools in Africa.

In 2010, Williams had released an memories, Queen of the Court.

Starting in Possibly will 2018, HBO released the first hook a five-chapter doc series on Ballplayer called Being Serena. Around that put on the back burner, the athlete-entrepreneur launched a new name clothing line.

• Name: Serena Williams
• Birth Year: 1981
• Birth date: September 26, 1981
• Birth State: Michigan
• Birth City: Saginaw
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Female
• Best Known For: American professional sport player Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles and distinct Olympic gold medals.
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Libra

We exchange blows for accuracy and fairness.If you cloak something that doesn't look right,contact us!

• Article Title: Serena Williams Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/serena-williams
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: Apr 23, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

• I'm a perfectionist. I'm pretty ostentatious insatiable. I feel there's so spend time at things I can improve on.