25 Legendary Facts About Serena Williams
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1
Born September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan, to parents Richard and Oracene.
2
Started tennis at age 3 on Compton public courts, trained by father Richard.
3
Homeschooled with sister Venus to focus on tennis and avoid junior burnout.
4
Turned pro at 14 in 1995 Quebec, losing debut but ranked No.20 by year-end.
5
Won first Grand Slam at 1999 US Open, defeating Martina Hingis at 17.
6
First WTA singles title in 1999 Paris, beating Amelie Mauresmo.
7
Won Olympic doubles gold with Venus at 2000 Sydney Games.
8
First WTA No.1 in 2002 after Wimbledon win over sister Venus.
9
Achieved "Serena Slam" 2002-2003, holding all four majors simultaneously.
10
Completed career Grand Slam in 2003 with Australian Open victory.
11
Survived pulmonary embolism in 2011, nearly fatal health scare.
12
Returned to win 2012 Wimbledon, then Olympic singles gold in London.
13
Completed career Golden Slam in singles with 2012 Olympic gold.
14
Oldest No.1 at 31 in 2013, sixth time atop WTA rankings.
15
Won 2015 Surface Slam, majors on all three surfaces in one year.
16
Reached 23rd Grand Slam title at 2017 Australian Open while pregnant.
17
Gave birth to daughter Olympia in 2017.
18
Returned post-maternity, reached four straight Grand Slam finals 2018-2019.
19
Launched inclusive fashion line S by Serena in 2019.
20
Co-founded Serena Ventures, investing in diverse-led tech startups.
21
Evolved from tennis in 2022 US Open, inspiring global generations.
22
Only player with three career Golden Slams: singles and two doubles.
23
Earned $94.8M in prize money, most by any female athlete.
24
Nike's largest building honors her: one-million-square-foot Serena Williams Building.
25
Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2024 for legendary career.