Tennis

23 times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams turns 40 today, lets have a look at her career & achievements

Serena Williams is one of the biggest household names in the Open Era of Tennis. She has won not only the record-equalling number of career slams 23 out of 33 finals she has appeared in but has also captivated the hearts of several fans all around the globe.

By Vaibhaw Tiwari

Serena Williams is one of the biggest household names in the Open Era of Tennis. She has won not only the record-equalling number of career slams 23 out of 33 finals she has appeared in but has also captivated the hearts of several fans all around the globe. On the occasion of her 40th birthday, we look will look back at her phenomenal career that spans over 25 years. And also bring into the light some of the lesser-known aspects of her life.

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According to some reports, it is believed that Serena started practising tennis at the tender age of 3. And was already competing in professional tournaments by the time she was in her mid-teens. It was in the year 1996, she made her first appearance at a professional tournament, where she was beaten in the first match of the qualification round. That however didn’t discourage the young teen and she kept trying hard to match the levels required, and all her hard work paid off when she won her first Grand Slam title at the age of just 17. Throughout her career, Serena made several records, along with her sister Venus. Together they appeared in what was the first all-sisters final at a Grand Slam in the Open Era. Together the sisters have won a total of 22 titles. Which includes 14 Grand Slams and 3 Olympic Golds.

Currently, Serena is marooned on 23 titles, which is a record in the open Era and a tie with Margaret Court, who belongs to the other era of Tennis. But her French coach praised by calling out her as the “greatest of all time” he went on to add, “She brought an athletic dimension that there was not there at all, she opened the doors, with her sister Venus, to a whole generation of players because it was a white sport… She invented tennis intimidation because she has a presence that makes others fear her. For a very long time, it was impressive. The life of Serena Williams is not restricted to Tennis alone though. There are many facts about her life that are very hardly known to people out there. For starters, very few people know that Serena attended college. She went to a Fashion School at the art institute of Fort Lauderdale from2000-2003. What’s fascinating about this time is that she simultaneously continued pursuing her passion for Tennis and won the Wimbledon Championship in 2002, also ended that year as the N0.1 ranked Women singles player.

At college, she excelled at pattern making. She revealed that it was the technical aspect of her degree that she liked the most. While still at college, she even collaborated with brands such as HSN and Nike. After graduating, she also launched a line of Evening wears. However, her stint in the fashion industry didn’t work out for her and she decided to return her focus to Tennis.

Serena did not completely give up on her fashion skills though, and in the year 2018, she launched her brand named “Serena.” At a show with Ellen, Williams spoke her heart out when she admitted that she knows she cannot continue playing Tennis forever. Hence, this brand is not just a hobby, but a side hustle which she would like to pick up on once she has retired. She is also running her line of designer apparel named Aneres.

Another aspect of her that makes her very interesting is her desire of acting. Serena on several occasions has talked openly about it. And not only that, but she has also made several appearances on screen, by getting featured in shows like “Keeping Up with Kardashian” and “Simpsons.” Apart from that, she has also featured in some music videos of some famous American artists such as “Kanye West” and “Alicia Keys.”

It is often talked about how Serena is the sole Tennis women player to have earned more than 50 million $ in prize money. But very few know about how much Serena gives back to the world. The glitter and glamour are not who Serena is. Hence to maintain a balance in life She has donated a lot of money to built schools in Jamaica and Africa. She has also worked in several underprivileged areas of Jamaica and Africa. Apart from that, she runs a Serena Williams Foundation to help the needful. This shows that the American tennis personality is a well-round human and not just a lofty sportsperson who is often amid controversies. Currently, she might be struggling with a rough patch in her career, but the history is evident to the fact that she is a fighter who knows how to bounce back.

 

Vaibhaw Tiwari

Vaibhaw Tiwari is a post graduate in English. A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication and content writing. Vaibhaw is currently working as journalist at BusinessUpturn.com and can be reached at tvaibhaw001@gmail.com

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