Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26th, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan, but she grew up in Compton, California. She began playing tennis around the age of five, being coached by her father Richard Williams and playing with her sister Venus Williams. 

In the year 1991, the family moved to Florida so that the girls could both attend a tennis academy to grow their skills. While in Florida, Serena improved those skills and turned professional in 1995. Because of her powerful serves and profound athleticism, it wasn’t long before she was a well-known player being viewed all around the world. 

In the years that followed, Serena would go on to work extremely hard. This grit and endurance along with her skill set won her the 1999 U.S. Open. She did team up with her sister Venus many times during her career, and the duo accumulated fourteen Grand Slam doubles titles.

Being one of the most influential individuals in my opinion, anything she says can be turned into words of encouragement for anyone who needs it.

“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another,” Serena says. “We should raise each other up. Make sure you are courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all, be humble.” 

In 2003, a term was created: the Serena-Slam. The Serena-Slam is to win both a non-calendar Grand Slam and a career Grand Slam. The first Serena-Slam was achieved after Serena defeated Venus in their fourth consecutive Grand Slam final showdown, making her the first player to hold the four major titles since Steffi Graf. This moment in Serena’s career was cemented at the Australian Open, where a nail-biting match saw the sisters battle across three sets before Serena eventually stormed to victory.

In 2012, Serena hit a monumental milestone while competing at the Olympics. Not only was her play outstanding, but she also became the second player ever to achieve the career Golden Slam. She won all four major titles and the Olympic gold medal. The next day, she would return with Venus to take home the gold for women’s doubles, becoming the first tennis player in history to take home a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.

There is no doubt in my mind that Serena will always be known as one of the best tennis players of all time. While competing, she has never failed to make anyone proud. Her grit and determination is an all time record and will hold a place in many hearts for as long as time can tell.  

Sports Report journalist and varsity tennis player Lily Ohlman looks up to Serena and strives to be just like her one day. 

“Serena inspired me in many ways, both in tennis and off of the court,” Lily shares. ”Her grit, determination, and fight will never be topped and neither will her kindness, compassion, or wisdom. She will stay the queen of many people’s hearts, including mine.” 

It was reported that Serena was thinking about stepping away from tennis after the most recent U.S. Open, but she was quoted that she was not retiring and the chances of her coming back to the sport were very high. As of right now, she is working on her fabulous clothing line “S by Serena” and working on Serena Ventures, an investment company. She is also raising her daughter Alexis Olympia. 

She is a rockstar and a powerhouse. Serena has influenced children around the world to strive for their goals and achieve them. In the end, we are blessed to have her on this Earth as she continues to make us proud.