(Getty)
Serena Williams, 33, has to slow down at some point. Every superstar eventually bows out in the fight against Father Time. She’s just making it abundantly clear that won’t be happening anytime soon.
Already the owner of of 20 major singles titles and a laundry list of other achievements, Williams is again running through the competition at Wimbledon as she continues to bolster her case for best player of all-time. As she zeroes in on the ultimate feat in the sport — a Grand Slam, which only Maureen Connolly Brinker, Margaret Court and Steffi Graf have accomplished — let’s take a look an extended look at her long, storied career.
1. She Is 3rd All-Time in Women’s Major Titles
Williams celebrates after capturing her 18th major win at the 2014 US Open. (Getty)
If you’re looking at the entire history of the sport, Margaret Court, who won 24 Grand Slam titles between 1960 and 1973, stands as the most decorated women’s player of all-time. However, if you’re looking at the Open Era, which began in 1968, only Steffi Graf (22 titles) is ahead of Serena.
Williams won her first major at the 1999 US Open, where, at the age of 17, she defated No. 4 seed Monica Seles, No. 2 seed Lindsay Davenport and No. 1 see Martina Hingis to capture the title:
She has gone on to win five more titles at Flushing Meadows (including the last three), tying the US Open with the Australian Open as her most successful major tournament. She also has five titles at Wimbledon and three at the French Open. In 2002 she won four majors in a row (2002 French Open, 2002 Wimbledon, 2002 US Open, 2003 Australian Open), but this is the first time she has began the calendar year with consecutive major wins.
Oh yeah, she also has 67 overall singles titles, four Olympic gold medals and 13 major doubles titles with older sister Venus.
2. Her Serve Is Regarded as One of the Best Ever
Serena can do a lot of things well, but her serve is simply on another level. Thus far in 2015, she has smashed 268 aces (second on Tour) and won 81.0 percent of her service games (first). Her top serve (128.6 MPH) is the third-fastest ever recorded in WTA history.
Of course, service speed has only been recorded since 1989, and players today have significantly better equipment than players from two decades ago, so it’s a little unfair to compare across eras. Still, Williams’ serve is about more than just speed. It’s also pinpoint precision, variety and spin.
Graff, the only Modern Era player with more major wins that Williams, put it simply:
That’s the biggest weapon out there, for sure. I think that’s the biggest weapon there has ever been in the sport. Her serve is phenomenal. She has so much force, strength. And the variety — even if it’s a little off — her first serve and kick serve is tremendous.
3. Her Net Worth Is Estimated at $140 Million
(Getty)
Unsurprisingly, Williams is first all-time on the WTA prize money list, raking in nearly $70 million throughout her illustrious career. The next highest on that list is Maria Sharapova, with about half at $35.1 million.
That’s only half the story when it comes to Williams’ income, though. Ranked as the 47th highest-paid athlete in 2015 (second among women), she brings in $13 million annually in endorsements with Nike, Gatorade, PepsiCo, Chase, Audemars Piguet and others.
Williams also has her own clothing line, owns a small portion of the Miami Dolphins and has written an autobiography.
Put it all together, and her net worth reportedly stands at $140 million.
4. Patrick Mouratoglou Is Her Coach & Rumored Boyfriend
(Instagram/serenawilliams)
In the early 2010’s, Williams’ career looked to be sputtering. A pulmonary embolism and blood clot forced her to miss three majors, and at the 2012 French Open, she was ousted in the first round for the first time in her career.
Then she called Patrick Mouratoglou, a long-time coach who started the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in 1996.
After hiring the French coach in June of 2012, Williams won 19 straight matches, captured the Wimbledon and US Open titles and went 36-1 to close out the calendar year. With Mouratoglou as her coach, she has won seven of 12 majors.
The two are also rumored to be dating.
5. Her First Coaches Were Her Parents
Serena’s mother, Oracene Price, watches on from the stands. (Getty)
Oracene Price and Richard Williams began teaching their daughters, Venus and Serena, at an extremely young age.
“It’s almost like they were raised on the court,” Price said.
The two are now divorced but are still very much a part of their daughters’ careers. Serena has said that her mother is still “one of the best at helping to break down my game.”
Comments
Serena Williams: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know