EP 16 - Serena Williams, Queen of the Court and Empress of Smiles

Monday marked the start of the 123rd edition of Roland-Garros!

So who could be more inspiring than the woman who made tennis history by winning 23 Grand Slam titles?

Serena Williams, feminine power

The beginnings of a future legend

Serena Williams was born on September 26, 1981 in Michigan, the youngest of five sisters.

At the age of 4, she was already hitting the yellow ball with her sister Venus under the watchful eye of their father, Richard Williams.

Richard is preparing his daughters to dominate the tennis world. And it's working, quite well in fact.

The Ascent

Serena first gained attention at the 1997 Ameritech Cup in Chicago. At 16, she defeated players ranked far above her, showing the world that she wasn't just a talented little sister, but a potential future champion.

Two years later, in 1999, she won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open.

A star is born.

Unparalleled heights

🔥 Between 1999 and 2017, she won 23 Grand Slam singles titles: the only record holder during the Open era.

🔥 She has spent 319 weeks at the top of the WTA rankings (including 186 consecutive weeks). Serena is the third-longest-serving player as world number one.

As if shining on the court wasn't enough, Serena faces challenges off the court.

From the beginning, she was criticized for not being “feminine enough”… (???).

Serena would be the victim of sexist remarks throughout her career. I'm thinking of McEnroe, a tennis player, who humiliated her during an interview by saying:

“If she were playing on the men’s tour, she would be around world number 700.”

But Serena, the Beyoncé of sport, is not the type to let herself be pushed around:

“Dear John, I love and respect you, but please leave me alone with your statements that are not supported by facts. I have never played against a ranked player (on the men's tour) and I don't have the time. Respect me, respect my privacy as I try to have a child, have a good day sir.”

Yes, the “Beyoncé of sport”, because Serena has always fought for equality in sport, she invites women to break down the barriers that prevent them from achieving success such as “ the fact that we are constantly reminded that we are not men, as if it were a defect ” .

One of the most notable episodes took place in Indian Wells in 2001.

🤨Accusations of match-fixing,

🤬blatant racism,

😠and a hostile crowd...

Serena chose to boycott the tournament for 14 years. She returned in 2015.

Mom and champion

In 2017, Serena won the Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant. Yes, you read that right!

She gives birth to her daughter, Olympia, and proves to the world that being a mother and a champion is possible!

Her post-maternity return in 2018 was difficult.

While she qualified for the last 16 at Roland-Garros, she withdrew for the first time due to pain in her right pectoral, preventing her from serving.

Despite this "failure", Serena showed resilience and unwavering determination and received the WTA (Women's Tennis Players' Association) Comeback of the Year award in October.

In 2019, just eleven months after her return to competition, she was back in the top 10 in tenth place.

In 2021, she found herself ranked 241st in the world, having lost 200 places...

This is what will make him retire.

She announced that the 2022 US Open would be her last match, which she lost in the third round to Australian Ajla Tomljanović.

This is the end of Serena's career.

“I've been preparing for this day, in fact I've been preparing for it for over a decade.” 

But beyond the numbers, it is her impact on women's tennis that is monumental.

She not only dominated the sport, but transformed it.

Serena's Legacy

What really sets Serena apart is her influence beyond tennis.

Serena is first considered one of the best tennis players of all time.

But she is also a powerful voice for gender equality and against racism. She has denounced discrimination and fought for equality in sport.

Martin Blackman, managing director of player development for the U.S. Tennis Federation, considers the Williams sisters to be pioneers of diversity in tennis.

“It all started with Venus and Serena. The power of seeing two African-American girls with braids in the finals of the biggest tournaments in the world. It attracted thousands of girls to the sport, not just African-American, but of all backgrounds and colors.”

In short, whether it's her incredible forehands, her daring outfits or her fighting spirit, Serena Williams has inspired millions of people around the world.

She leaves a legacy of power, resilience and grace.

So, thank you Serena.

And if you miss Serena, don't worry! You'll be able to see her again in July 2024, as she's officially the host of the 32nd annual ESPY Awards (an event that honors the best athletes and sports moments of the previous year)!

Because who could be more legitimate than the woman who won 23 Grand Slam titles, four Olympic gold medals and revolutionized women's tennis?