Serena Williams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Serena Williams

Williams at the 2013 US Open
Full name	Serena Jameka Williams
Country (sports)	United States
Residence	Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, U.S.
Born	(1981-09-26) September 26, 1981 (age 43) Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Turned pro	October 1995
Retired	September 2022
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	US$94,816,730 1st in all-time rankings
Singles
Career record	858–156 (84.62%)
Career titles	73 (5th in overall rankings)
Highest ranking	No. 1 (July 8, 2002)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017)
French Open	W (2002, 2013, 2015)
Wimbledon	W (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016)
US Open	W (1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Other tournaments
Grand Slam Cup	W (1999)
Tour Finals	W (2001, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Olympic Games	W (2012)
Doubles
Career record	192–35 (84.58%)
Career titles	23
Highest ranking	No. 1 (June 21, 2010)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	W (2001, 2003, 2009, 2010)
French Open	W (1999, 2010)
Wimbledon	W (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016)
US Open	W (1999, 2009)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2009)
Olympic Games	W (2000, 2008, 2012)
Mixed doubles
Career record	27–4 (87.1%)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	F (1999)
French Open	F (1998)
Wimbledon	W (1998)
US Open	W (1998)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	W (1999), record 17–3
Hopman Cup	W (2003, 2008)
Signature
Medal record Women's tennis Representing  United States Olympic Games Gold 2000 Sydney Doubles Gold 2008 Beijing Doubles Gold 2012 London Singles Gold 2012 London Doubles

Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American former professional tennis player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, she was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's 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. Williams won 73 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including 23 major women's singles titles — the most in the Open Era, and the second-most of all time. She is the only player to accomplish a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.

Early life

Williams was born on September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan, to Oracene Price and Richard Williams. She has three half-sisters and one full older sister, Venus. She also has at least seven half-siblings on her father's side.

When the children were young, the family moved to Compton, California. Serena began playing tennis when she was four and was coached by her parents.

Williams sisters at a Pam Shriver event in Baltimore, 1993

When Serena was nine, her family moved from Compton to West Palm Beach, Florida, so she could attend the tennis academy of Rick Macci. In 1995, when Williams was in the ninth grade, her father pulled his daughters out of Macci's academy and took over all coaching at their home.

Career

Serena turned professional in 1995 and won her first major singles title at the 1999 U.S. Open. Since then, she has won many more tournaments and four Olympic gold medals. Three of her gold medals are in women's doubles—an all-time joint record shared with her sister Venus.

Serena holds the most combined major titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles among active players, with 39: 23 in singles, 14 in women's doubles (all with her sister, Venus), and two in mixed doubles. She became the first tennis player to earn a career Golden Slam (winning all four Grand Slam tournaments and a gold medal) in both singles and doubles.

Williams at the 2018 French Open, her first grand slam since returning to the tour

On September 1, 2017, Williams gave birth to a daughter named Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. She is commonly called "Olympia."

On December 30, 2017, Williams played her first match since giving birth. She has not won as many games since returning to tennis after her daughter was born. She began doing better in 2018.

Serena improved in 2019, and in 2020, she won her first first singles title as a mother. 2021 brought more injuries and more withdrawals from tournaments.

Retirement

In August 2022, Williams wrote an article for Vogue, in which she announced her plans to 'evolve away' from tennis after the U.S. Open. She said her reasons were her growing family and her other ways of making money. After her announcement, many fellow players including Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff praised Williams and said they would not be playing tennis if it weren’t for her.

Earnings

Serena is the highest-earning woman athlete of all time. She was the world's highest-paid woman athlete in 2016, earning almost $29 million, and again in 2017, earning $27 million. In 2021, she was ranked 28th on Forbes' World's Highest-Paid Athletes list.

Playing style

Serena's serve is considered the greatest in the history of women's tennis. It is known for its speed and accuracy. Her ball toss allows her to serve to any position on the court without giving a clue with the toss of the ball before the serve.

Williams is also known for her forceful groundstrokes, which are considered two of the most powerful shots in the history of women's tennis.

Even though Williams plays aggressively, she is also an excellent defender who can move quickly across the court. She has been praised for her mental strength and competitive spirit on the court.

Legacy

Williams is considered one of the best female tennis players of all time. Along with her sister Venus, Williams has been said to help increase diversity within the sport of tennis.

For their first match of March 2019, the women of the United States women's national soccer team each wore a jersey with the name of a woman they were honoring on the back; Crystal Dunn chose the name of Serena Williams.

In December 2019, The Associated Press named Williams Female Athlete of the Decade for the 2010s.

In September 2022, Twitter said that Williams was the most tweeted-about female athlete ever.

Personal life

Williams's husband Alexis Ohanian in 2018

Williams is married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. He proposed to her on December 10, 2016, in Rome. On December 30, 2016, Williams announced their engagement in a Reddit post. They married on November 16, 2017, in New Orleans.

On September 1, 2017, Williams gave birth to a daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. In August 2023, Williams gave birth to a second daughter, Adira River Ohanian.

Williams was raised a Jehovah's Witness, but states she has "never really practiced it."

Off-court activities

Equipment and endorsements

Serena has had endorsement deals (a deal in which a company pays an athlete to wear their product or use their business) with many companies. They include: Puma, Nike, Wilson, Gatorade, Delta Air Lines, Audemars Piguet, Aston Martin, Pepsi, Beats by Dre headphones, Mission Athletecare, Berlei bras, OPI Products, OnePiece, IBM, Mini, Intel, Tempur, Aston Martin, and Chase Bank.

Fashion

Williams has been noted for her unusual and colorful outfits on court. She had special clothing lines with Puma and Nike. Since 2004, she has run her own line of designer apparel called "Aneres" - her first name spelled backward. In 2009, she began selling a collection of handbags and jewelry called Signature Statement. In February 2019, Serena Williams was appointed to the board of directors of the online fashion marketplace Poshmark. In the fall of 2019, Williams launched the first collection of her sustainable clothing line, "S by Serena."

Activism

Williams has become more involved in social change, using social media to share her opinions. In 2016 she posted her support of Black Lives Matter on her Facebook page.

In 2014, she founded the equity company "Serena Ventures."

Despite being the highest-paid woman athlete of all time, in 2016, Serena Williams wrote an open letter in Porter Magazine's "Incredible Women of 2016." In it, she spoke about gender equality and her struggles as a woman in tennis.

Entertainment

Williams has appeared in guest-starring roles and cameos on television and also provided voice work on animated shows. She has posed for the 2003 and 2004 editions of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 2021, Williams signed a first-look deal with Amazon Studios.

Language fluency

In addition to English as her native language, Williams also speaks conversational French and knows some Spanish and Italian. At the 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2018 French Open she gave her on-court interviews in French, delighting the crowd.

Miami Dolphins venture

In August 2009, Williams and her sister Venus became minority owners of the Miami Dolphins after purchasing a small stake in the team. They live near each other in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, which is about an hour's drive from the Dolphins' stadium. They are the first black women to hold any amount of ownership in an NFL franchise.

Charity work

In 2004 and 2005, Serena and her sister, Venus, visited hospitals and played several tennis matches to raise money for the local Ronald McDonald House charities. They chose cities in which most of the citizens are black people. Williams has also been involved in clinics at schools and community centers, particularly those that have programs focusing on at-risk youth. She is a supporter and contributor of First Serve Miami, a foundation for youth who want to learn tennis but cannot afford formal lessons.

Serena began the Serena Williams Foundation that built schools in Matooni, Kenya and Trelawny Parish, Jamaica. It also provides college scholarships for underprivileged students in the United States.

In 2016, in their childhood home of Compton, California, Serena and Venus teamed up to found the Yetunde Price Resource Center, in honor of their late sister.

Writing

The Williams sisters, with author Hilary Beard, wrote a book titled Venus & Serena: Serving From The Hip: 10 Rules For Living, Loving and Winning, which was published in 2005. Williams released her first solo autobiography, entitled On the Line, after the 2009 U.S. Open.

Soccer

On July 21, 2020, Williams was announced as part of a nearly all-women investors' group that was awarded a new franchise in the National Women's Soccer League. Serena's husband Alexis is the only male in the ownership group. The team, Angel City Football Club, began playing in 2022.

Serena Williams quotes

• "Everyone's dream can come true if you just stick to it and work hard."
• "I love who I am, and I encourage other people to love and embrace who they are."
• "I’ve thought it would be cool to have a baby young. There’s always something you have to give up for success. Everything comes at a cost. Just what are you willing to pay for it?"
• "I’ve grown most not from victories, but setbacks."

Interesting facts about Serena Williams

• Serena Williams won the U.S. Open at the age of 17.
• She studied fashion at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale from 2000-2003.
• Serena Williams holds the most combined major titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.
• She also won four Olympic gold medals: 3 in doubles tennis with her sister Venus and one in singles tennis.
• Serena Williams was the highest-paid female athlete in the world in the years 2016 and 2017.
• Serena has played 60 Grand Slam Tournaments in her entire career.
• She is the oldest female tennis player to reach the No.1 ranking. She accomplished this at age 35 and 124 days.
• Serena retired from tennis in September 2022.

Career statistics

Grand Slam tournament performance timeline

Current through the 2022 U.S. Open.

Note: Williams withdrew from the 2018 French Open before her fourth round match and the 2020 French Open before her second round match, both of which do not officially count as losses.

Grand Slam tournament finals

Singles: 33 (23–10)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponents	Score
Win	1999	US Open	Hard	Martina Hingis	6–3, 7–6(7–4)
Loss	2001	US Open	Hard	Venus Williams	2–6, 4–6
Win	2002	French Open	Clay	Venus Williams	7–5, 6–3
Win	2002	Wimbledon	Grass	Venus Williams	7–6(7–4), 6–3
Win	2002	US Open (2)	Hard	Venus Williams	6–4, 6–3
Win	2003	Australian Open	Hard	Venus Williams	7–6(7–4), 3–6, 6–4
Win	2003	Wimbledon (2)	Grass	Venus Williams	4–6, 6–4, 6–2
Loss	2004	Wimbledon	Grass	Maria Sharapova	1–6, 4–6
Win	2005	Australian Open (2)	Hard	Lindsay Davenport	2–6, 6–3, 6–0
Win	2007	Australian Open (3)	Hard	Maria Sharapova	6–1, 6–2
Loss	2008	Wimbledon	Grass	Venus Williams	5–7, 4–6
Win	2008	US Open (3)	Hard	Jelena Janković	6–4, 7–5
Win	2009	Australian Open (4)	Hard	Dinara Safina	6–0, 6–3
Win	2009	Wimbledon (3)	Grass	Venus Williams	7–6(7–3), 6–2
Win	2010	Australian Open (5)	Hard	Justine Henin	6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Win	2010	Wimbledon (4)	Grass	Vera Zvonareva	6–3, 6–2
Loss	2011	US Open	Hard	Samantha Stosur	2–6, 3–6
Win	2012	Wimbledon (5)	Grass	Agnieszka Radwańska	6–1, 5–7, 6–2
Win	2012	US Open (4)	Hard	Victoria Azarenka	6–2, 2–6, 7–5
Win	2013	French Open (2)	Clay	Maria Sharapova	6–4, 6–4
Win	2013	US Open (5)	Hard	Victoria Azarenka	7–5, 6–7(6–8), 6–1
Win	2014	US Open (6)	Hard	Caroline Wozniacki	6–3, 6–3
Win	2015	Australian Open (6)	Hard	Maria Sharapova	6–3, 7–6(7–5)
Win	2015	French Open (3)	Clay	Lucie Šafářová	6–3, 6–7(2–7), 6–2
Win	2015	Wimbledon (6)	Grass	Garbiñe Muguruza	6–4, 6–4
Loss	2016	Australian Open	Hard	Angelique Kerber	4–6, 6–3, 4–6
Loss	2016	French Open	Clay	Garbiñe Muguruza	5–7, 4–6
Win	2016	Wimbledon (7)	Grass	Angelique Kerber	7–5, 6–3
Win	2017	Australian Open (7)	Hard	Venus Williams	6–4, 6–4
Loss	2018	Wimbledon	Grass	Angelique Kerber	3–6, 3–6
Loss	2018	US Open	Hard	Naomi Osaka	2–6, 4–6
Loss	2019	Wimbledon	Grass	Simona Halep	2–6, 2–6
Loss	2019	US Open	Hard	Bianca Andreescu	3–6, 5–7

Women's doubles: 14 (14–0)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1999	French Open	Clay	Venus Williams	Martina Hingis Anna Kournikova	6–3, 6–7(2–7), 8–6
Win	1999	US Open	Hard	Venus Williams	Chanda Rubin Sandrine Testud	4–6, 6–1, 6–4
Win	2000	Wimbledon	Grass	Venus Williams	Julie Halard-Decugis Ai Sugiyama	6–3, 6–2
Win	2001	Australian Open	Hard	Venus Williams	Lindsay Davenport Corina Morariu	6–2, 2–6, 6–4
Win	2002	Wimbledon (2)	Grass	Venus Williams	Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez	6–2, 7–5
Win	2003	Australian Open (2)	Hard	Venus Williams	Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez	4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Win	2008	Wimbledon (3)	Grass	Venus Williams	Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur	6–2, 6–2
Win	2009	Australian Open (3)	Hard	Venus Williams	Daniela Hantuchová Ai Sugiyama	6–3, 6–3
Win	2009	Wimbledon (4)	Grass	Venus Williams	Samantha Stosur Rennae Stubbs	7–6(7–4), 6–4
Win	2009	US Open (2)	Hard	Venus Williams	Cara Black Liezel Huber	6–2, 6–2
Win	2010	Australian Open (4)	Hard	Venus Williams	Cara Black Liezel Huber	6–4, 6–3
Win	2010	French Open (2)	Clay	Venus Williams	Květa Peschke Katarina Srebotnik	6–2, 6–3
Win	2012	Wimbledon (5)	Grass	Venus Williams	Andrea Hlaváčková Lucie Hradecká	7–5, 6–4
Win	2016	Wimbledon (6)	Grass	Venus Williams	Tímea Babos Yaroslava Shvedova	6–3, 6–4

Mixed doubles: 4 (2–2)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	1998	French Open	Clay	Luis Lobo	Justin Gimelstob Venus Williams	4–6, 4–6
Win	1998	Wimbledon	Grass	Max Mirnyi	Mahesh Bhupathi Mirjana Lučić	6–4, 6–4
Win	1998	US Open	Hard	Max Mirnyi	Patrick Galbraith Lisa Raymond	6–2, 6–2
Loss	1999	Australian Open	Hard	Max Mirnyi	David Adams Mariaan de Swardt	4–6, 6–4, 6–7(5–7)

• Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.
• Records in italics are currently active streaks.

Filmography

Williams has appeared in films, television series, and music videos. She and Venus also served as executive producers on the 2021 film King Richard, a biopic about their father.

See also

In Spanish: Serena Williams para niños