Serena Williams
American tennis player with 23 major singles titles.
Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan, to Oracene Price and Richard Williams. She is the youngest of five daughters, with half-sisters Yetunde, Lyndrea, and Isha Price, and a full sister, Venus. At least seven paternal half-siblings also exist. When Serena and Venus were young, Richard moved the family to Compton, California, against his wife’s wishes. He had studied successful athletes and believed Compton’s tough environment would prepare his daughters for tennis careers. Richard home-schooled both girls, and Serena began playing tennis at age four. While her parents served as official coaches, other mentors included a Compton man also named Richard Williams, who later founded The Venus and Serena Williams Tennis Tutorial Academy.
When Serena was nine, the family relocated to West Palm Beach, Florida, so she and Venus could train at Rick Macci’s tennis academy. Macci sometimes disagreed with Richard’s coaching methods but respected that Richard “treated his daughters like kids, allowed them to be little girls.” By 1991, Serena had a 46–3 record on the U.S. Tennis Association junior tour and was ranked No. 1 among Florida’s under-10 players. At age ten, Richard stopped sending his daughters to national junior tournaments, wanting them to “go slowly,” focus on school, and avoid burnout before turning professional. Experiences of racism also influenced this decision—he had overheard white parents speaking derogatorily about his daughters at tournaments. In 1995, while Serena was in ninth grade, Richard pulled both girls from Macci’s academy and took over all coaching at home.
Williams turned professional in 1995. Her parents had originally wanted her to wait until age 16, but she planned a wild-card debut at the Bank of the West Classic in Oakland, California, only to be blocked by age-eligibility rules. She filed an antitrust lawsuit against the WTA but withdrew it at her parents’ request. Her first professional event came in October 1995 at the Bell Challenge in Quebec, where she used a wild card to bypass age rules. She lost in the first qualifying round to 18-year-old Annie Miller. After sitting out 1996, Williams won her first main-draw match in November 1997 at the Ameritech Cup Chicago. Ranked No. 304, she upset No. 7 Mary Pierce and No. 4 Monica Seles—her first top-10 wins—making her the lowest-ranked player in
- born
- September 26, 1981
- field
- Tennis
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- 23 major singles titles, Career Golden Slam in singles and doubles, 319 weeks as world No. 1
Lore & Background
Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan, to Oracene Price and Richard Williams, the youngest of five daughters. Her family moved to Compton, California, where Richard home-schooled Serena and Venus and started Serena playing tennis at age four. At nine, the family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, for training at Rick Macci's academy. By 1991, Williams had a 46–3 record on the USTA junior tour and was ranked No. 1 among under-10 players in Florida. She turned professional in 1995, winning her first major singles title at the 1999 US Open. From the 2002 French Open to the 2003 Australian Open, she won all four major singles titles consecutively, achieving a non-calendar year Grand Slam nicknamed the 'Serena Slam.' After injuries, she returned to dominance in 2012, claiming Olympic gold and winning eight of thirteen singles majors, including all four in a row in 2014–2015 for a second 'Serena Slam.' At the 2017 Australian Open, she won her 23rd major singles title, surpassing Steffi Graf's Open Era record.
Reader's Guide
Serena Williams's significance lies in her unparalleled achievements in women's tennis. She won 23 major singles titles, the most in the Open Era, and completed a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles—a feat no other player has matched. Alongside her sister Venus, she won 14 major women's doubles titles, remaining undefeated in major doubles finals. Williams also won four Olympic gold medals, three in women's doubles, sharing an all-time joint record with Venus. The Tennis Channel ranked her as the greatest women's tennis player of all time in 2020. Her dominance across multiple eras, including two non-calendar year Grand Slams, and her ability to overcome injuries and return to top form, solidify her legacy as a transformative figure in the sport.
Did You Know?
- Williams is the only player, male or female, to complete three career Golden Slams—one in singles and two in women's doubles.
- She and her sister Venus are the only women in the Open Era to win Olympic gold in both singles and doubles.
- Williams won her 23rd major singles title at the 2017 Australian Open, surpassing Steffi Graf's Open Era record.
- She was ranked world No. 1 for 319 weeks, the third-most of all time.
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