Recently, world-renowned tennis champion Serena Williams announced her retirement after spending almost thirty years of her life on the tennis court. Her grand finale took place at the US Open, where she reached the third round but ultimately lost to Ajla Tomljanovic in a three-set thriller.
Williams won her first grand slam single when she was only 17 — throughout her career, she won a total of 23, the second-highest of all time. These achievements brought her into the national spotlight, allowing Williams to earn her first endorsement deal with the athletic company Puma. She soon began to receive more sponsorships from large corporations such as Nike, Wilson, Gatorade, Pepsi, IBM, and JP Morgan Chase. Throughout the years, she has amassed a staggering $450 million net worth as a result of her accomplishments both on and off the court.
Despite growing up in an impoverished neighborhood, Williams and her family strived to find a better place to train and searched for an affordable coach for her and her sister. After much persistence, they eventually contacted a coach named Rick Macci, who accepted the sisters into his tennis academy. At the age of 14, Serena Williams went pro. Even under Macci’s expert guidance, Williams’s journey to the national stage was not easy. She faced many instances of racist backlash as well as oppression, and her path was clearly tougher as a young black girl in a predominantly white sport. However, Williams’s ongoing tenacity and love for tennis have brought her to where she is today by propelling her career forward.
Throughout her life, Williams has been a role model for many aspiring tennis players as well as athletes in other sports. Her confidence and determination have inspired a new generation of players to follow their dreams. Naomi Osaka, a four-time grand slam champion, said that Serena inspired her to start playing. Both players have made a significant impact in their profession, having first been inspired by those before them, then establishing themselves as role models. Williams’s journey defined her character and developed her views, sense of style, and unique game. However, she has been the subject of perpetual discussion and controversy, from topics as minor as her fashion choices to larger issues like discrimination in the court. In 2018, Williams was issued a warning after her coach made a signaling hand gesture during her match, resulting in a verbal outburst from her side. Her coach later admitted to making the gesture, which left William greatly confused, stating, “I just don’t understand what he was talking about because I asked him, you weren’t coaching, we don’t have signals, we’ve never had signals – and he said he made a motion.” While reflecting on the incident, Serena claimed that she was treated unfairly because of her gender, sparking a public debate regarding issues ranging from gender and racial discrimination to decorum and fair play. However, regardless of the numerous controversies, her loyal fanbase has continued to support her.
Following her retirement from the professional scene, Williams says she plans to spend more time with her family and daughter. Due to her matches being all over the world, she has expressed regret over missing out on a considerable amount of time that she could have spent with her five-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. Williams is also pursuing a project of her own — diversifying the world of venture capital. She revealed in an interview that she started her own venture capital firm a few years ago, “Serena Ventures”, which focuses on investing in women and minorities.
Williams will be honored and remembered for the trailblazer she is, and for her ever-lasting impact on the world of tennis and beyond.