Not many tennis stars are as iconic and celebrated as Serena Williams. Talk of the best female sport stars of all time and Serena Williams’ name would certainly feature in the list. Quite frankly, if a conversation about some of the greatest female tennis stars is had, then it would certainly be incomplete if Serena’s name doesn’t pop up.
Known for her powerful and consistent serves, Serena Williams’ tennis revolves around one basic thought, i.e. dominating her opponents right from the word go. Also, her formidable strokes, both from the front hand and the backhand, make her a tough competitor.
Serena Williams’s Personal Details
| Full Name | Serena Jameka Williams |
| Nickname | Meka, Momma Smash |
| Date of Birth | 26 September 1981 |
| Birthplace | Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.A |
| Age | 36 Years |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
| Profession | Tennis player |
| Height | in centimeters- 175 cm in meters- 1.75 m in feet- 5′ 9″ |
| Weight | in Kilograms- 68 kg (in 2015) in Pounds- 150 lbs |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Naturally Black (Dyed Brown) |
| Hobbies | Acting, Reading, Watching Movies |
Serena Williams’s Family Details
| Family | Father- Richard Williams (Divorced) Mother- Oracene Price (second from right) |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Husband | N/A |
| Children | N/A |
| Nationality | American |
| Hometown | Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.A |
| Religion | Jehovah’s Witness |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
Serena Williams’s Affairs
| Affairs | Keyshawn Johnson (2002-2003) Brett Ratner (2004-2006) Common (on and off from 2007-2010) Jackie Long (2007-2008) Hosea Chanchez (2008) Amar’e Stoudemire (2010) Patrick Mouratoglou (2012) Grigor Dimitrov (2012) |
Serena Williams’s Education Details
| School | Not Known |
| College | The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale |
Serena Williams’s Early Life
Born in Michigan on September 26, 1981. Serena Williams’ parents are Oracene Price and Richard Williams. Serena was one of Richard’s seven children. She also has four maternal sisters, including her full sister Venus and three other half-sisters (Lyndrea, Isha and Yetunde).
She was taught and schooled at home by her parents and began practicing and playing tennis when she was just four years old. She, along with her family, relocated from Compton to Florida’s West Palm Beach so that she could get enrolled in a tennis academy run by Rick Macci. Also, both her parents were the first ones to coach her.
Serena started competing at junior championships and began rising through the ranks, but her father stopped her from competing after experiencing racism.
Several white parents began discussing Serena in a largely derogatory manner during the Junior Championships. Coincidentally, she was ranked number 1 at the time and had a formidable 46-3 record at the junior tour of the United States Tennis Association.
Serena Williams’s Early Career
Serena Williams made her professional debut when she was 16. She debuted at the prestigious Bell Challenge in Quebec (1995), but could make no significant impact.
She did not participate in any professional tournament the following year but won her first ever major match draw in 1997 at the Ameritech Cup in Chicago. She also competed at the 1998 Medibank International Sydney and made headlines after beating Davenport who was the world No. 3 at that time.
She reached the semi-finals of the tournament but was knocked out by Arantxa Vicario of Spain. However, overall, it was a positive experience for her.
During this time, Serena Williams’ ranking remained unimpressive as she kept losing tournaments by getting knocked out at crucial junctures in various significant tournaments. However, she kept making steady progress and began creating ripples in the world of tennis.
The Famous ‘Battle of the Sexes’
Serena competed against Karsten Braasch, the world number 203 at the time along with Venus after claiming that they could beat any male tennis player outside the top 200. The match happened in 1998 at the Australian Open when Serena was just 16.
She, along with her sister, was defeated by Braasch and he claimed that the sisters could not beat anybody in the top 500. After the defeat, the sisters said that they could beat any male tennis player outside the top 350.
Rise Through the Ranks
Serena Williams’ records speak volumes about her impact as a player and as an ambassador of the game. Serena Williams’ popularity grew by leaps and bounds after she bagged all 4 major Grand Slam titles in 2002-2003, but couldn’t bag them all in a single year.
However, she bettered her record by winning all 4 major titles in 2015. The victory came to be known as ‘Serena Slam’. Overall, she has won 2 ‘Serena Slams’ over the course of her career.
She became the top-ranked female tennis player for the first time in July 2002. She has been ranked number 1 eight times during the course of his international career thus far (so far in 2020).
A total of 23 singles title wins in the history of the Grand Slams make her the most successful female athlete of the ‘Open Era’. Also, she is second only to Margaret Court on the all-time list.
Serve Speed
Serena Williams’ serve speed is the third fastest (for a female player) in the history of the sport (128.6 mph). She is behind Venus, her sister (129 mph) and Sabine Lisicki (131 mph).
Serena Williams Personal Life
Serena Williams’ marriage became a hot topic in the media and was covered widely by the press. Serena Williams and Alex Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, had been dating for a long time.
He proposed to her in 2016 while they were both in Rome and the both of them got married in 2017. In January 2017, Williams was eight weeks pregnant as she returned victorious from the Australian Open.
She gave birth to a daughter in September 2017. Serena Williams’ daughter is Alexis Olympia Ohanion Junior. For a period of six weeks post giving birth to her daughter, she did not return to tennis as she was bedridden.
Also, she shares an immensely close bond with Venus, her sister. In all fairness, Serena Williams and Venus Williams are two of tennis’ most iconic faces.
Serena Williams Fashion Sense
Serena Williams has always been a popular figure for her unique fashion sense. Once, she was seen wearing a catsuit made of lycra during the US Open Championships in 2002.
At the Wimbledon Championships in 2008, she was clicked wearing a trench coat. The picture was discussed widely across various media outlets as Serena was wearing the trench coat despite the weather being warm and sunny.
Serena Williams Business Interests
A line of apparels named ‘Aneres (Serena spelled backwards) had been launched by her in 2004. Serena’s first major sports deal was with Puma. After parting ways with Puma, she signed a deal worth US$40 million with Nike (2004).
In 2009, a signature line of Serena Williams’ jewellery and handbags was launched by her. In 2010, she also turned her attention towards the grooming of nails by becoming a nail technician. In 2015, she became the first woman sportsperson (black) to have her picture featured on the cover of Vogue.
In May 2018, she wore a catsuit at the 2018 edition of the French Open to promote ‘Serena’, her new clothing label. Moreover, in the fall of 2019, she launched ‘S by Serena’, a range of sustainable outfits for various body types and sizes.
Social Activism
In an open letter in 2016, she revealed her personal struggles in tennis (as a black American) and spoke at length about the need for inclusivity in sport.
Serena Williams’s Earnings
According to estimates, Serena Williams’ net worth stands at US$200 million. Also, it is believed that she has made a lot of fortune away from court than she has made on it, all thanks to her commercial endorsements, business ventures and sports deals with some of the world’s topmost sports brands.
Serena Williams Revenue
| Net Worth | $145 Million |
Serena Williams Assets
| Cars | Bentley Supersports |
Serena Williams Favourite Things
| Favourite Food | Fried Chicken Sushi |
| Favourite Film | Mama- There’s a man in your bed |
| Favourite Singer | Mariah Carey & Brandy |