To win the four major tennis tournaments in a row – The Australian Open, The French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open – is the mark of ultimate success for a tennis player. It’s no easy feat; only four women have ever achieved it. But they don’t refer to this incredible victory as a ‘Connolly Conquest’. They don’t call it a ‘Graf Gamut’ either.
They call it a ‘Serena Slam’. And Serena Williams has done it twice.
ON THE COURT
Life in the southern Los Angeles city, plagued by gang violence (in 1991, when Serena was 10, 1 in 1000 Compton residents was murdered) and crack cocaine, life wasn’t easy for anyone.
At the age of five, amidst volleys of gunfire, Serena Williams and sister Venus started practicing tennis at the public courts. Eventually, their skills improved so rapidly that their parents had the girls home schooled in order to maximise their time on the court.
Competition between the sister’s was fierce. Serena was the ‘runt’, and was forced to find ways to counter Venus’s overwhelming power.
“I would be out there grinding, hitting lobs and fighting and grinding and grinding. In the end I think that really developed me as a player, to learn how to win. Then when I did get bigger and stronger, it just helped me to win more easily.”
When Serena turned professional one year after Venus, she found herself immediately overshadowed. She was knocked out in the opening round of her first professional tournament, and many believed she didn’t have the same level of skill as her sister. When the two met at an Australian tournament, Venus knocked Serena out of competition. Popular belief held that Venus was in line to win a Grand Slam, one of tennis’s highest prizes, but Serena was eager to beat her sister to it.
Just over a decade after first stepping onto a court, Serena arrived at the 1999 U.S. Open, and announced to the media “This is my event”. She went on to become the first black woman to win a Grand Slam since 1958, defeating Martina Hingis 6-3, 7-6.
It was the first of 21 Grand Slams Serena has to her name*, the third-most of all time. She’s the only player, ever, to have won at least six times in three of the four major tournaments.
Alongside Venus, Serena has won 13 Grand Slam doubles, and the pair remain unbeaten in finals. Three of her four Olympic gold medals were also won as part of this duo.
In total, she has won over $74 million in prize money, the fourth-most in tennis history.
She now enters her 21st year as a professional player ranked number one for the sixth time in her career.
OFF THE COURT
She’s been called the greatest female tennis player ever by the likes of Chris Evert and John McEnroe but, like all 8 Percenters, Serena isn’t content resting on her laurels off the court.
Beyond endorsement deals worth an estimated worth of $20 million per year, a successful fashion line, and range of signature handbags and jewellery, Serena is a keen humanitarian.
“I don’t worry about leaving a tennis legacy or anything. I just kind of do what I do. My whole thing is about what I can do off the court. I think it’s cool that I can win grand slams but I think it’s better if I can help others. When you’re given a talent you’re expected to give back, well, maybe not expected, but I feel I want to give back, and I want to help.”
Aware of her status as a role-model to both young black people and tennis players alike, and she embraces it with both modesty and cheek.
“It’s important for me as a young lady and a young individual to carry myself with aplomb and to walk with all kinds of confidence in this world around me…I just feel that I should carry myself in a manner that they’d be able to copy themselves after.”
A UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Serena has established the Serena Williams Foundation, helping to fund construction of schools across the world, and provide university scholarships for underprivileged students in the U.S.
“I feel that every time I win, I’m helping people because I came from nothing.”
At 34, Serena shows no signs of slowing down. Is another Serena Slam headed her way? Time will tell.
Regardless, she is set to persevere with off-court endeavours, supporting and inspiring young people around the world.
Yesterday, Serena Williams entered the second round of the 2016 Australian Open.
The 8 Percent Team wish her the best of luck for the season.
*As of January 2016.