Serena Williams Biography

Serena Jameka Williams who is popularly known Just as Serena Williams is an American former professional tennis player, widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. 

She was born on September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan, to Richard and Oracene Williams. Here are some key points from her biography:

Serena Williams was coached by her parents Oracene Price and Richard Williams, and turned professional in 1995.

She won her first major singles title at the 1999 US Open, and went on to win 23 Grand Slam women’s singles titles, the most in the Open Era, and the second-most of all time.

From the 2002 French Open to the 2003 Australian Open, she won all four major singles titles (each time over Venus in the final) to achieve a non-calendar year Grand Slam and the career Grand Slam, known as the ‘Serena Slam’.

Serena Williams was ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for 319 weeks, including a joint-record 186 consecutive weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.

She holds a combined 39 major titles: 23 in singles, 14 in women’s doubles, and two in mixed doubles. She is joint-third on the all-time list and second in the Open Era for total major titles.

Serena Williams has revolutionised women’s tennis with her powerful style of play and athleticism.

She has also been involved in philanthropic work, seeking to provide educational opportunities for underprivileged youth around the world through the Serena Williams Foundation.

Serena Williams childhood struggles

Serena Williams had a tough upbringing in Compton, California, which is known for being a rough and often violent neighbourhood. She and her sister Venus were raised by their parents, Richard and Oracene Williams, who taught themselves how to play tennis so they could teach their daughters. 

Serena entered her first tennis tournament at age four and a half and won 46 of the next 49 tournaments she entered over the next five years. 

Despite the challenges of growing up in Compton, Serena never felt broke and her circumstances as a child didn’t reflect on how she saw herself and performed. In fact, her tough upbringing forged not only her competitive spirit but also her ingenuity on the court.

Serena Williams timeline

Serena Williams is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, with a career spanning over 26 years. Here is a timeline of some of the key events in her life and career:

– September 26, 1981: Serena Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan.

– 1995: Serena turns professional at the age of 14.

– 1999: Serena wins her first Grand Slam singles title at the US Open.

– 2002-2003: Serena wins four consecutive Grand Slam singles titles, known as the ‘Serena Slam’.

– 2009: Serena wins her 10th Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open.

– 2010: Serena defends her titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

– 2017: Serena announces that she is pregnant and takes a break from professional tennis.

– September 2017: Serena gives birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr..

– March 2018: Serena returns to professional tennis.

– 2018-2021: Serena reaches four major singles finals but does not win another Grand Slam singles title.

– August 2022: Serena announces her impending “evolution” away from professional tennis and plays what is expected to be her final match at the US Open.

– November 2023: As of the current date, Serena is retired from professional tennis.

Serena Williams retirement

Serena Williams announced her retirement from professional tennis on August 9, 2022, in a Vogue article. She stated that she was “evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me”. 

She played her last professional tournament at the 2022 US Open, where she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round. Williams’ retirement came after a remarkable 27-year career, during which she won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, four Olympic gold medals, and held the world No. 1 ranking for a total of 319 weeks. 

Serena is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Her retirement announcement was met with tributes from fans and fellow players, including Naomi Osaka, who said that “she would not be playing tennis if it weren’t for her”. 

Williams has also talked about the difficulty of managing tennis and motherhood, and her desire to leave a legacy of equality in the sport.

Serena Williams accomplishments

Serena Williams is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, with numerous accomplishments throughout her career. 

1. Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam women’s singles titles, the most in the Open Era, and the second-most of all time.

2. She also holds 14 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles and two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, for a total of 39 major titles.

3. Williams was ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for 319 weeks, including a joint-record 186 consecutive weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.

4. She won a total of 73 WTA singles titles and 23 WTA doubles titles.

5. Williams won four Olympic gold medals: one in women’s singles at the 2012 London Olympics, one in women’s doubles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and two in women’s doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

6. She won the Australian Open seven times, the French Open three times, Wimbledon seven times, and the US Open six times.

7. Williams won the 1999 US Open, her first Grand Slam singles title, at the age of 17.

8. She won the 2017 Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant, becoming the first woman to win a Grand Slam singles title while pregnant.

9. Williams was named the WTA Player of the Year seven times and the ITF World Champion five times.

Serena Williams siblings

Serena Williams has several siblings, including her older sister Venus Williams, who is also a professional tennis player. Here is some information about Serena’s other siblings:

Richard Williams, Serena’s father, has five children from previous relationships. Little is known about these siblings, but one of them, Chavoita LeSane, has power of attorney over Richard’s estate.

Oracene Price, Serena’s mother, has three children from previous relationships. These siblings are Yetunde, Isha, and Lyndrea Price. Yetunde was tragically killed in 2003 in a drive-by shooting in Compton, California.

Serena also has a half-brother named Dylan Starr, who was born in 2012 to Richard Williams’ partner Lakeisha Graham.

How many Williams sisters are there?

Serena Williams has one sister, Venus Williams. Venus is also a professional tennis player and has won seven Grand Slam singles titles. 

However, she also has several half-siblings from her parents’ previous relationships, including Yetunde, Isha, and Lyndrea Price, and at least seven paternal half-siblings.

Serena Williams’ father

Richard Williams is the father of Serena Williams and Venus Williams. He was born on February 14, 1942, and is a former American tennis coach. 

Richard Williams has been credited with teaching his daughters how to play tennis and coaching them throughout their careers. 

He has also been involved in several controversies, including accusations of racism and domestic violence. Richard Williams has several other children from previous relationships, including at least seven paternal half-siblings of Serena and Venus.

What happened to Serena Williams’ twin sister?

Serena Williams does not have a twin sister. She has an older sister named Venus Williams, who is also a professional tennis player. 

Serena and Venus are known for their sibling rivalry and have faced each other in numerous high-profile matches throughout their careers. 

She also has several half-siblings from her parents’ previous relationships, including Yetunde, Isha, and Lyndrea Price, and at least seven paternal half-siblings. Yetunde Price, Serena and Venus’ half-sister, was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting in 2003.

Serena Williams net worth

As of 2023, Serena Williams’ net worth is estimated to be $300 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Serena is considered one of the highest-earning female athletes of all time, with career on-court earnings of over $95 million. 

In addition to her tennis career, Serena has also been involved in various business ventures, including fashion design and investing through her firm, Serena Ventures. 

Serena has also been involved in philanthropic work, including through the Serena Williams Foundation, which seeks to provide educational opportunities for underprivileged youth around the world.

Serena Williams’s age and height

As of September 26, 2023, Serena Williams is 42 years old. According to various sources, including Celeb Health Magazine and Wikipedia, she is 5 feet 9 inches tall or 175 cm (1.75 m).

Is Serena Williams married?

Serena Williams is married to Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit. They got engaged in December 2016 and got married in November 2017. 

They have two children together, a daughter named Olympia, born in September 2017, and a daughter named Adira, born in August 2023. 

Serena Williams relationships

Serena Williams has been in several high-profile relationships. Here is a summary of her dating history:

Patrick Mouratoglou (2012 – 2015): Serena reportedly had a close relationship with her tennis coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, both professionally and personally.

Drake (2010 – 2015): Serena was in an on-and-off relationship with the Canadian rapper Drake from 2010 to 2015.

Amar’e Stoudemire (2010): Serena was linked to the basketball player Amar’e Stoudemire in 2010.

Hosea Chanchez (2008): Serena was reportedly in a relationship with actor Hosea Chanchez in 2008.

Common (2007-2010): Serena was rumoured to have dated the tennis player Common from 2007 to 2010.

Brett Ratner (2004-2006): Serena dated the director Brett Ratner from 2004 to 2006.

Alexis Ohanian: Serena Williams got engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in December 2016 and they got married in November 2017. They have two children together, a daughter born in September 2017 and a son born in 2021.

Does Serena have any children?

Serena Williams has two children with her husband, Alexis Ohanian. They have a daughter named Olympia, who was born on September 1, 2017, and a daughter named Adira, who was born in August 2023.

Serena Williams controversies

Some of the most notable controversies include:

US Open 2018: During the US Open final in 2018, Serena was penalised by the chair umpire and given a code violation after her coach gave her coaching hand signals. Williams argued with the umpire after his decision and smashed her racket on the court in frustration. She then hurled expletives at the chair umpire and demanded an apology from him, claiming that her coach was only signalling a thumbs up to her.

US Open 2011: Serena lost her cool on the chair umpire and abused her during the US Open 2011 final against Samantha Stosur. Williams had shouted “Come on” during a rally against Stosur during the final and was docked a point for deliberate hindrance. The American became angry with the chair umpire and went on to abuse her during the break between games.

US Open 2009: Serena was penalised for smashing her racket in frustration and yelling at the chair umpire during her semifinal match against Kim Clijsters. She was fined and handed a two-year probation.

Match-fixing accusations: Serena’s father, Richard Williams, was accused of match-fixing by Russia’s Elena Dementieva at the 2001 Indian Wells.

Other controversies: Serena has also been involved in controversies related to her on-court behaviour, including calling a chair umpire a “loser” during the 2004 US Open quarterfinals and receiving a warning for shouting at the referee during a match against Kim Clijsters in the 2009 US Open semifinals.

Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka controversy at the US open final

The controversy surrounding Serena Williams’ match against Naomi Osaka at the 2018 US Open final stemmed from a series of code violations called against Williams by the chair umpire, Carlos Ramos. 

The violations included coaching, racket abuse, and verbal abuse, which resulted in a point and game penalty for Williams. 

This led to a heated exchange between Williams and Ramos, during which Williams called Ramos “a liar” and “a thief” and demanded an apology, stating, “I don’t cheat … You owe me an apology!”. 

The incident overshadowed Osaka’s historic victory, as she became the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam title. The controversy sparked debates about the application of the rules of tennis and the conduct of players and officials during matches.

Continue reading: Addison Rae Biography