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One month later, though, Williams won her sixth Grand Slam singles title at the [[2003 Wimbledon Championships]], defeating Henin in the semifinals 6–3, 6–2 and Venus in the final. A subsequent knee injury forced her to withdraw from all other events, including the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]], and she lost her World No. 1 ranking to Clijsters in August, having held it for 57 consecutive weeks. Williams finished the year ranked World No. 3, despite having played only seven tournaments plus Fed Cup.
One month later, though, Williams won her sixth Grand Slam singles title at the [[2003 Wimbledon Championships]], defeating Henin in the semifinals 6–3, 6–2 and Venus in the final. A subsequent knee injury forced her to withdraw from all other events, including the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]], and she lost her World No. 1 ranking to Clijsters in August, having held it for 57 consecutive weeks. Williams finished the year ranked World No. 3, despite having played only seven tournaments plus Fed Cup.


===2004-2006: Chronic injuries and declining ranking===
===2004–2006: Injuries and loss===
[[Image:Serena serving.jpg|thumb|upright|Williams delivering a serve in 2004]]
[[Image:Serena serving.jpg|thumb|upright|Williams delivering a serve in 2004]]
Continuing rehabilitation on her left knee, Williams did not play a tournament in 2004 until March, when she won the [[Sony Ericsson Open]], defeating Elena Dementieva in the final. She lost in the French Open quarterfinals to Jennifer Capriati - it was Williams' earliest loss at a Grand Slam since the [[2001 Wimbledon Championships]]. She reached the final of [[2004 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], but was upset by then 17-year old [[Maria Sharapova]]. Williams did not advance past the quarterfinals of any [[US Open Series]] tournaments; at the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] she lost a quarterfinal match with Capriati which suffered disputes over umpiring. Her second tournament of the year came at the [[China Open (tennis)|China Open]], defeating recent US Open champion [[Svetlana Kuznetsova]] in the final. Williams qualified for the [[2004 WTA Tour Championships]], but again lost to Sharapova in the final.<ref>{{Cite web | publisher=Associated Press | date =November 16, 2004 | accessdate = April 23, 2009| url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/6474040 |title = Sharapova tops injured Serena for WTA title| work=NBC Sports}}</ref> Williams finished the year ranked No.&nbsp;7. but had failed to win a Grand Slam for the first time since 2001.
Continuing to rehabilitate her left knee, Williams did not play a tournament in January or February of 2004. When she finally returned to the tour in March after being away for eight months, she won the [[Tier I]] [[NASDAQ-100 Open]] in [[Key Biscayne, Florida]], defeating [[Elena Dementieva]] in the final, who was the only top ten player Williams faced in the tournament.


In 2005, an otherwise injury-plagued season saw Serena fall out of the top ten for the first time since 1998. She won the Australian Open, her seventh Grand Slam singles title, defeating three of the tournament's top four seeds (#2 Amélie Mauresmo, #4 Maria Sharapova, and #1 Lindsay Davenport) en route. The win moved Serena back to World No.&nbsp;2, and she stated she was now targeting the number one spot in the foreseeable future.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/4217997.stm |title = Williams eyes return to top spot| date = January 29, 2005| publisher = BBC Sport}}</ref> Williams, however, failed to reach the final at any of her following five tournaments, which included a loss to sister Venus in the quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open in March &endash; her first loss since 2001. At the [[2005 Wimbledon Championships]], Williams was defeated in the third round by fellow American [[Jill Craybas]] (ranked World No.&nbsp;85) and at the [[2005 US Open]], she lost to Venus in the fourth round. Williams played just one more match the remainder of the year, a loss to [[Sun Tiantian]] at the China Open. Williams failed to qualify for the year-end championship for the first time since 1998.
Williams played four [[clay court]] tournaments during the spring of 2004. At the [[Bausch & Lomb Championships]] in [[Amelia Island, Florida]], she lost in the quarterfinals to World No. 9 [[Nadia Petrova]]. She won one match at the Tier I [[Family Circle Cup]] in [[Charleston, South Carolina]] before defaulting. In Rome at the Tier I [[Internazionali BNL d'Italia]], she lost in the semifinals to World No. 9 [[Jennifer Capriati]]. She also lost in the [[French Open]] quarterfinals to Capriati 6–3, 2–6, 6–3, which was Williams's earliest loss at a Grand Slam tournament since the [[2001 Wimbledon Championships]].

Williams again played only one tournament on [[grass court|grass]] in 2004. She reached the final of [[2004 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], but was upset there by 17-year old [[Maria Sharapova]] in straight sets.

Williams played only two of the [[US Open Series]] tournaments in 2004. In Los Angeles at the [[East West Bank Classic]], she lost in the final to World No. 5 [[Lindsay Davenport]]. In San Diego at the [[Acura Classic]], another left knee injury caused her to default her quarterfinal match with [[Vera Zvonareva]]. She also lost in the quarterfinals of the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] to Capriati, a match that was marred by disputes over umpiring.{{fact}}

Williams played only three tournaments after the US Open in 2004. She won the [[China Open (tennis)|China Open]] in Beijing, defeating newly crowned US Open champion [[Svetlana Kuznetsova]] in the final. After losing her second round match at the [[Generali Ladies Linz|tournament in Linz, Austria]], Williams qualified for and played the [[2004 WTA Tour Championships]] but again lost to Sharapova in the final.<ref>{{Cite web | publisher=Associated Press | date =November 16, 2004 | accessdate = April 23, 2009| url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/6474040 |title = Sharapova tops injured Serena for WTA title| work=NBC Sports}}</ref> Williams finished the year ranked World No. 7 but failed to win a Grand Slam singles title for the first time since 2001.

Williams started 2005 by winning the [[Australian Open]], her seventh Grand Slam singles title. She defeated second-seeded [[Amélie Mauresmo]] in the quarterfinals, fourth-seeded Sharapova in the semifinals, and top-seeded [[Lindsay Davenport]] in the final. The championship increased her ranking to World No.&nbsp;2, and she stated she was now targeting the number one spot in the foreseeable future.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/4217997.stm |title = Williams eyes return to top spot| date = January 29, 2005| publisher = BBC Sport}}</ref>


[[Image:Serena Volley.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Williams hitting a return at the US Open in 2006.]]
[[Image:Serena Volley.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Williams hitting a return at the US Open in 2006.]]
⚫
The following year, as defending champion at the [[2006 Australian Open]], Serena fell to [[Daniela Hantuchová]] in the third round.<ref name="2006activity">{{Cite web | url = http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/players/playerprofiles/PlayerActivity.asp| title = Serena Williams Playing Activity (2006 results can be accessed by selecting the year from the drop-down menu)| publisher = Women's Tennis Association| accessdate = August 19, 2008}}.</ref> She withdrew from the tournaments in [[Toray Pan Pacific Open|Tokyo]],<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/4653052.stm |title = Serena & Davenport to miss Tokyo | date = January 27, 2006|accessdate = April 23, 2009|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> [[Dubai Duty Free Women's Open|Dubai]],<ref name="injury"/> [[Sony Ericsson Open|Miami]],<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/4818448.stm | title =Injured Serena pulls out of Miami | date = March 17, 2006|accessdate = April 23, 2009| publisher= BBC Sport}}</ref> and [[Family Circle Cup|Charleston]], and Williams' ranking fell out of the top 100 for the first time in nearly nine years.<ref name="injury">{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/4971008.stm |title = Serena targets late-summer return| date = May 3, 2006| publisher =BBC Sport |accessdate = April 23, 2009}}</ref> She missed both the French Open and Wimbledon because of a chronic knee injury<ref name="injury"/> but returned to the tour earlier than expected, accepting [[wildcard|wildcards]] to the [[Cincinnati Masters]] and the [[JPMorgan Chase Open]]. At Cincinnati, Williams upset the second seed, [[Anastasia Myskina]], in the first round but lost in the semifinals to the eventual champion [[Vera Zvonareva]];<ref name="2006activity"/> in Los Angeles, Williams again lost in the semifinals, to [[Jelena Janković]].<ref name="2006activity"/> At the [[2006 US Open]], Serena was unseeded in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 1998. She lost to top seed Amélie Mauresmo in the fourth round.<ref name="2006activity"/> and did not play again in 2006, ending the year ranked World No.&nbsp;95, her lowest year-end ranking since 1997.
Williams, however, reached the semifinals only once in the remaining nine tournaments she played in 2005. She lost in the quarterfinals of the [[Open Gaz de France]] in Paris, the semifinals of the [[Dubai Tennis Championships]], the quarterfinals of the Tier I [[Sony Ericsson Open]] in [[Key Biscayne, Florida]], the quarterfinals of the [[Bausch & Lomb Championships]] in [[Amelia Island, Florida]], and the second round of the Tier I [[Internazionali BNL d'Italia]] in Rome. Williams skipped the [[French Open]], and at [[2005 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], Williams was defeated in the third round by fellow American [[Jill Craybas]], who was ranked World No.&nbsp;85. She played only one of the lead-up tournaments to the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]. At the Tier I [[Rogers Cup (tennis)|Rogers Cup]] in Toronto, Williams withdrew from the tournament before her third round match. At the [[2005 US Open|US Open]], she lost to her sister Venus in the fourth round in straight sets. Williams played just one more match the remainder of the year, a loss to [[Sun Tiantian]] at the [[China Open (tennis)|China Open]] in Beijing. Williams failed to qualify for the year-ending [[Sony Ericsson Championships]] for the first time since 1998 and finished the year ranked World No. 11.

⚫
Williams was the defending champion at the [[2006 Australian Open]] but fell to [[Daniela Hantuchová]] in the third round.<ref name="2006activity">{{Cite web | url = http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/players/playerprofiles/PlayerActivity.asp| title = Serena Williams Playing Activity (2006 results can be accessed by selecting the year from the drop-down menu)| publisher = Women's Tennis Association| accessdate = August 19, 2008}}.</ref> She then withdrew from a number of tournaments because of a chronic knee injury, which caused her ranking to fall to World No. 139 by the time she resumed playing in July. Her first tournament back was the [[Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open]] in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]], where she upset second-seeded [[Anastasia Myskina]] in the first round before losing in the semifinals to Zvonareva. Three weeks later at the [[JPMorgan Chase Open]] in Los Angeles, Williams lost in the semifinals to [[Jelena Janković]].<ref name="2006activity"/> At her final event of the year, the [[2006 US Open|US Open]], Williams was unseeded in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 1998. She lost to top seeded Mauresmo in the fourth round 6–4, 0–6, 6–2<ref name="2006activity"/> and ended the year ranked World No.&nbsp;95, her lowest year-end ranking since 1997.


===2007&ndash;2009: Return to form===
===2007&ndash;2009: Return to form===

Revision as of 19:01, 26 April 2009

Serena Williams

Williams playing World Team Tennis in 2008
Country (sports)United States
ResidencePalm Beach Gardens, Florida, U.S. [1]
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Turned pro1995
PlaysRight; Two-handed backhand
Prize moneyUS$23,980,811[2]
Singles
Career record420–88 (82.7%)
Career titles33
Highest rankingNo. 1 (July 8, 2002)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenW (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009)
French OpenW (2002)
WimbledonW (2002, 2003)
US OpenW (1999, 2002, 2008)
Other tournaments
Tour FinalsW (2001)
Doubles
Career record117–17 (87.3%)
Career titles14
Highest rankingNo. 5 (October 11, 1999)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (2001, 2003, 2009)
French OpenW (1999)
WimbledonW (2000, 2002, 2008)
US OpenW (1999)
Last updated on: April 6, 2009.
Olympic medal record
Women's Tennis
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing Doubles

Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American professional tennis player. She has been ranked World No. 1 by the Women's Tennis Association on four different occasions. As of April 20, 2009, she is ranked World No. 2. She is the reigning US Open and Australian Open singles champion and has won twenty Grand Slam titles: ten in singles, eight in women's doubles, and two in mixed doubles. She has won two Olympic gold medals in women's doubles.[3] She is the most recent player, male or female, to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously. Williams has won more career prize money than any other female athlete.[2]

In 2005, Tennis Magazine ranked her as the 17th-best player of the preceding 40 years.[4] She is the younger sister of former World No. 1 professional female tennis player Venus Williams. Serena's off-court interests include fashion, acting, and charity.

Early life

Serena was born in Saginaw, Michigan to Richard Williams and Oracene Price. Williams is the youngest of five sisters: Lyndrea, Isha, Yetunde (died September 14, 2003), and Venus. Richard and Oracene raised their children as Jehovah's Witnesses.[5] When their children were young, the family moved to the Los Angeles suburb of Compton. Richard, who home-schooled his children, hoped that involvement in sports would give them an opportunity for a better life and dreamed of making at least one of his daughters a tennis superstar.[6] To this end, Serena was, and remains, coached by both her parents.[1]

Williams's parents were the first to teach her how to play tennis, with additional early coaching by Rick Macci.[7] Williams won her first tournament at the age of four and had played in 49 tournaments by the age of 10, of which she had won 46.[citation needed] At one point, she replaced her sister Venus as the most highly ranked tennis player aged 12 or under in California.[citation needed]

In 1991, Richard Williams, hoping to protect his daughters from racist treatment,[citation needed] stopped sending them to national junior tennis tournaments.[citation needed] Instead, Serena and Venus attended Greneleaf Resort and Conference Center, a tennis school run by Rick Macci in Haines City, Florida.[citation needed] Macci had already helped the careers of Jennifer Capriati and Mary Pierce, among other prominent players.[citation needed] During that time, Serena sometimes trained with Andy Roddick.[8] On behalf of his daughters, the father later struck a deal with a major clothing company to sponsor the move of the rest of the Williams family to West Palm Beach to be near Serena and Venus.[citation needed]

Professional career

1995–1998: Moving into top 20

Williams started playing professional tennis in September 1995. She was only 14 and she was initially prohibited from playing in events sanctioned by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Her first professional event was the Bell Challenge in Quebec City, where she was defeated in less than an hour of play and earned only US$240 in prize money.

Williams's biggest achievement of 1997 was at the Ameritech Cup Chicago. Ranked World No. 304, she upset both Monica Seles and Mary Pierce, recording her first career wins over top 10 players and becoming the lowest-ranked player in the open era to defeat two Top 10 opponents in one tournament.[1] She finished 1997 ranked World No. 99.

1998 was the first year that Williams finished ranked in the WTA top 20. She began the year at the Medibank International Sydney as a qualifier, ranked World No. 96, and defeated World No. 3 Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals. Williams lost in the second round of the Australian Open to sister Venus in their first professional match.[9] Williams reached six other quarterfinals during the year. She won the mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon and the US Open with Max Mirnyi, completing the Williams family's sweep of the 1998 mixed doubles Grand Slams. Williams won her first pro title in doubles in Oklahoma City with Venus, becoming the third pair of sisters to win a WTA tour women's doubles title.[1]

1999–2001: First Grand Slam singles title

1999 saw Williams set a series of professional and historic records. In February she defeated Amélie Mauresmo in the final of the Open Gaz de France for her first professional title; in addition, the same day Venus won the IGA Superthrift Classic, and they became the first sisters to win professional tournaments in the same week.[10] A month later, Serena Williams won the Pacific Life Open, her first Tier I title. Williams defeated the World No. 2 Lindsay Davenport, the World No. 8 Mary Pierce and the World No. 7 Steffi Graf on her title run. At the following tournament, the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Serena lost to her sister Venus in the final, the first all-sister singles final in WTA history.[1] In April, Serena made her World top 10 debut ranked ninth. Serena and Venus won the women's doubles title at the French Open, but Serena was knocked out early in singles. She missed Wimbledon because of injury but started the summer hard court season with a victory over World No. 1 Hingis at the JPMorgan Chase Open.

Williams was the seventh-seeded player at the 1999 US Open, where she defeated World Nos. 4 , 2 and 1 (Seles, Devenport and Hingis respectively) to win the singles title, and won the doubles title with her sister. Serena became the second African-American woman (after Althea Gibson in 1958) to win a Grand Slam singles tournament.[1] Serena's third tournament victory of the season was at the Grand Slam Cup in Munich, where she beat Venus in the final. Serena ended the year at ranked No. 4 in just her second full year on the main tour. Serena also won her singles match during the tie between the United States and Russia in the final of the 1999 Fed Cup; the Williams sisters triumphed in the doubles against Elena Dementieva and Elena Makarova. Her best Grand Slam showings were a semifinal result at the 2000 Wimbledon Championships and a final at the US Open in 2001, both times losing to Venus, the eventual champion. The sisters partnered to win gold in the women's doubles at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and to win the 2000 Wimbledon Championships and the 2001 Australian Open. The doubles victory at the Australian Open completed a career Grand Slam: Serena and Venus were the fifth women's doubles team to win all four Grand Slam doubles titles.[1] Williams finished the year as World No. 6.

At the 2001 Tennis Masters Series, Venus Williams withdrew an hour before the anticipated start of a semifinal match with Serena, claiming an injury. Serena defeated Kim Clijsters in the final. The withdrawal allegedly triggered racial hostilities which resulted in the boycott by the Williams sisters since 2001.[11] In addition to the Tier I victory at Indian Wells in 2001 Williams won the Rogers Cup in Toronto, defeating World No. 3 and top-seeded Jennifer Capriati in the final. Serena ended 2001 with a tournament victory at the Sanex Championships. She ended 2001 ranked World No. 6.

2002–2003: Winner of eight Grand Slam titles and the World No. 1 ranking

An injury forced Williams to retire from her semifinal match at the Medibank International tournament in Sydney and prevented her from playing the 2002 Australian Open. In her first tournament since the injury, the State Farm Classic in Scottsdale, Arizona, she defeated top seeded Jennifer Capriati in the final. She then won the Tier I NASDAQ-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Florida, defeating the top three players in the world en route to the title.

Turning her attention to clay court tennis, Williams was defeated by Patty Schnyder in the fourth round of the Tier I Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina. At the Tier I German Open in Berlin, Williams lost the final to World No. 8 Justine Henin in three sets. At the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, Williams captured her first career title on clay, defeating World No. 8 Henin in the final.[12] Williams, as the third seed at the 2002 French Open, dropped just two sets en route to the final, defeating World No. 1 Capriati in the semifinals and World No. 4 sister Venus in the straight sets final.

As has become customary for Williams, she did not play a grass court event before the start of the 2002 Wimbledon Championships. Williams won the title there without dropping a set, although she did not play a top ten player before the final against sister and World No. 1 Venus. The victory over Venus earned Serena the World No. 1 ranking, dethroning her sister and becoming the third African-American woman to hold the top ranking.[1] The Williams sisters also won the doubles title at Wimbledon.

After losing in the third round of the tournament in Los Angeles, Williams captured her third straight Grand Slam singles title at the 2002 US Open, again without dropping a set or playing a top ten player before the final against World No. 2 Venus.

Williams played three tournaments to end 2002. She won consecutive singles titles at the Toyota Princess Cup in Tokyo and the Sparkassen Cup in Leipzig and lost in the final of the year-ending Home Depot Championships to 19-year-old Kim Clijsters in straight sets. Williams finished 2002 with a 56–5 record, eight singles titles, and the World No. 1 ranking.[1]

At the 2003 Australian Open, Williams dropped only two sets while reaching the semifinals. After defeating World No. 4 Clijsters in the quarterfinals in three sets, Williams faced her sister Venus for the fourth consecutive Grand Slam final. Serena won in three sets to become the sixth woman in the open era to complete a Career Grand Slam, joining Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Steffi Graf. She also became the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1994 to hold all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously.[13][14] The Williams sisters won the doubles titles, their sixth Grand Slam doubles title together. Williams then captured titles at the Open Gaz de France in Paris and the Tier I NASDAQ-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Florida.

Williams played Fed Cup and three tournaments during the European clay court season. Williams lost in the final of the Tier I Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina to Henin in straight sets. She won both of her singles rubbers in the Fed Cup tie against the Czech Republic. Williams was the top seeded player at the Tier I Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome but lost to World No. 6 Amelie Mauresmo in the semifinals. She went into the 2003 French Open trying to capture her fifth consecutive Grand Slam singles title but lost her semifinal match there to eventual champion Henin 6–2, 4–6, 7–5 after Williams led by a break in the third set and in a match somewhat marred by controversy.[15]

One month later, though, Williams won her sixth Grand Slam singles title at the 2003 Wimbledon Championships, defeating Henin in the semifinals 6–3, 6–2 and Venus in the final. A subsequent knee injury forced her to withdraw from all other events, including the US Open, and she lost her World No. 1 ranking to Clijsters in August, having held it for 57 consecutive weeks. Williams finished the year ranked World No. 3, despite having played only seven tournaments plus Fed Cup.

2004–2006: Injuries and loss

Williams delivering a serve in 2004

Continuing rehabilitation on her left knee, Williams did not play a tournament in 2004 until March, when she won the Sony Ericsson Open, defeating Elena Dementieva in the final. She lost in the French Open quarterfinals to Jennifer Capriati - it was Williams' earliest loss at a Grand Slam since the 2001 Wimbledon Championships. She reached the final of Wimbledon, but was upset by then 17-year old Maria Sharapova. Williams did not advance past the quarterfinals of any US Open Series tournaments; at the US Open she lost a quarterfinal match with Capriati which suffered disputes over umpiring. Her second tournament of the year came at the China Open, defeating recent US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final. Williams qualified for the 2004 WTA Tour Championships, but again lost to Sharapova in the final.[16] Williams finished the year ranked No. 7. but had failed to win a Grand Slam for the first time since 2001.

In 2005, an otherwise injury-plagued season saw Serena fall out of the top ten for the first time since 1998. She won the Australian Open, her seventh Grand Slam singles title, defeating three of the tournament's top four seeds (#2 Amélie Mauresmo, #4 Maria Sharapova, and #1 Lindsay Davenport) en route. The win moved Serena back to World No. 2, and she stated she was now targeting the number one spot in the foreseeable future.[17] Williams, however, failed to reach the final at any of her following five tournaments, which included a loss to sister Venus in the quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open in March &endash; her first loss since 2001. At the 2005 Wimbledon Championships, Williams was defeated in the third round by fellow American Jill Craybas (ranked World No. 85) and at the 2005 US Open, she lost to Venus in the fourth round. Williams played just one more match the remainder of the year, a loss to Sun Tiantian at the China Open. Williams failed to qualify for the year-end championship for the first time since 1998.

Williams hitting a return at the US Open in 2006.

The following year, as defending champion at the 2006 Australian Open, Serena fell to Daniela Hantuchová in the third round.[18] She withdrew from the tournaments in Tokyo,[19] Dubai,[20] Miami,[21] and Charleston, and Williams' ranking fell out of the top 100 for the first time in nearly nine years.[20] She missed both the French Open and Wimbledon because of a chronic knee injury[20] but returned to the tour earlier than expected, accepting wildcards to the Cincinnati Masters and the JPMorgan Chase Open. At Cincinnati, Williams upset the second seed, Anastasia Myskina, in the first round but lost in the semifinals to the eventual champion Vera Zvonareva;[18] in Los Angeles, Williams again lost in the semifinals, to Jelena Janković.[18] At the 2006 US Open, Serena was unseeded in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 1998. She lost to top seed Amélie Mauresmo in the fourth round.[18] and did not play again in 2006, ending the year ranked World No. 95, her lowest year-end ranking since 1997.

2007–2009: Return to form

Williams began the year with renewed confidence, stating her intention to return to the top of the rankings.[22] She lost in the quarterfinals at the Moorilla Hobart International[22] and was not considered a favorite at the Australian Open, unseeded because of her World No. 81 ranking and widely regarded as "out of shape".[23] Serena however advanced to the final (defeating two seeded players) where she defeated top-seeded Maria Sharapova in straight sets, winning her third Australian Open singles title and her eighth Grand Slam singles title.[24][25]. Her ranking rose to World No. 14[26] and her performance in the final was described as "one of the best performances of her career"[23] and as "arguably the most powerful display ever seen in women's tennis".[27] Williams dedicated the victory to her deceased sister, Yetunde,[25] whom she credited as inspiration for her win.[28]

Williams next played at the Sony Ericsson Open where she defeated World No. 1 Justine Henin in the final.[29] Williams did not win a tournament during the 2008 clay season; her best result was at the French Open, where she lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Henin.[24] Williams was one of the favorites for the 2007 Wimbledon Championships title,[30] but again lost in the quarterfinals to Henin. Due to a thumb injury, Williams the next tournament she played was the 2007 US Open,[24] where she lost her third consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal to Henin. In the fall, despite only two quarterfinal results,[24] Williams ranking rose to World No. 5 and qualified her for the 2007 WTA Tour Championships. Williams' participation there was short; citing an injury, she retired from her first round robin match with Anna Chakvetadze and withdrew from the tournament.[31] Serena finished 2007 ranked World No. 7 and ended the year as the top-ranked American for the first time since 2003.[24]

Partnering with James Blake, Williams began 2008 by winning Hopman Cup exhibition tournament,[32] but as the defending champion at the Australian Open lost in the quarterfinals to Jelena Janković.[33] Williams did not play in February[34] but upon her return to the tour she won three consecutive titles. At the Bangalore Open Serena defeated sister Venus in the semifinals 6–3, 3–6, 7–6(4) in the first match played between the sisters since the 2005 US Open and defeated Patty Schnyder in the final.[33] Williams won her fifth career Sony Ericsson Open, tying Steffi Graf, and followed with a win at the Family Circle Cup, her tenth career Tier I title and first clay court title since the 2002 French Open.[33] Serena's 17-match winning streak was ended by Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Telecom German Open. As the only former winner in the tournament, Williams lost in the third round of the 2008 French Open to Katarina Srebotnik.[33] Moving from clay to grass, Williams reached the final of Wimbledon for the first time in four years but lost to Venus Williams in straight sets.[33] Serena teamed with her older sister to win the women's doubles title, defeating Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur in the final.

Williams stretching for a ball at Wimbledon 2008.

At the Bank of the West Classic Williams retired during her semifinal match because of a left knee injury, and did not play again until the Beijing Olympics. Williams lost in the Olympic singles tournament to eventual gold-medalist Elena Dementieva but won the gold medal in doubles, partnering with Venus to defeat the Spanish team of Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual in the final.[33] At the US Open Williams won the title by defeating Jelena Janković in the final; the victory, her ninth career Grand Slam, also returned her to the top of the WTA rankings.[35] Despite losing early in both the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships, Serena ended the year ranked World No. 2.

Williams reached a series of milestone at the 2009 Australian Open where she defeated Dinara Safina in the final to win her tenth Grand Slam singles title, ranking her seventh on the list of most Grand Slam singles titles among female players; the win also moved her to the top of both the rankings and the list of career prize money leaders in women's sports. Partnering with Venus, Serena also captured the doubles title for the third time, defeating Daniela Hantuchová and Ai Sugiyama in the final. Williams has since failed to win another title, withdrawing prior to the semifinals as the Open GDF SUEZ in Paris and losing in the semifinals of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships to Venus. At the Sony Ericsson Open Williams advanced to the final but, hampered by a left thigh strain,[36] lost to Victoria Azarenka.

Williams was upset in the first round of the Andalucia Tennis Experience, the first clay tournament of the year, by Klára Zakopalová.[37]

Playing style

Williams is primarily a baseline player. Her game is built around taking immediate control of rallies with a powerful and consistent serve (widely regarded as the best in the women's game)[weasel words], return of serve, and forceful groundstrokes from both her forehand and backhand swings.

Her serve, comprising exceptionally smooth motion, is one of the most highly respected on the WTA tour. Lindsay Davenport has said that Williams' serve is the best she has faced on the WTA tour. Williams frequently serves the ball faster than 120 mph (192 kph) and often varies the placement. In the 2006 tournament in Cincinnati, she struck a serve at 127 mph (203 kph), and in 2008 at the tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida, she recorded a 125 mph (200 kph) serve, exceed that year by only two other female players, one of them her sister, Venus.[38] She can hit flat, slice, and topspin serves to both corners of the service box.

Williams' solid volleys—especially her drive volleys and powerful overheads give her advantages over the net. She produces good drop volleys, a shot that not many players use.

Although Williams' forehand is among the most powerful shots in the women's game, her backhand is considered to be one of the best,[weasel words] if not the best, on the Women's Tennis Association tour. Williams can hit a winning backhand shot in any position or place on the court down the line or cross court, even when on the defensive or otherwise under pressure. Williams strikes her backhand groundstroke using an open stance, and uses the same open stance for her forehand.

Because of her aggressive style of play, Williams hits a relatively high number of unforced errors. This is tempered by the fact that she typically hits more outright winners than her opponents. At other times her number of unforced errors are tempered by her powerful strokes forcing her opponents to commit errors.

Although many think of Williams as only an offensive player, she also plays a strong defensive game. She is quick around the court, and her core strength enables her to hit the ball efficiently from difficult positions. Williams has more variety in her game than the typical offensive baseline player. Although she normally dictates play from the baseline with heavy strokes, she occasionally slices her backhand or hits heavy topspin groundstrokes or drop shots to change the pace of the ball.[citation needed]

Rivalry with Venus Williams

Main article: Williams Sisters rivalry

Serena has played her sister Venus Williams many times in Grand Slam singles tournaments and a few times in other tournaments. Their rivalry is tied 10–10. They are the only women during the open era to have played each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals.

Off-court activities

Personal life

From 2004 to 2005, Williams dated Brett Ratner. She was linked in 2007 to Miami Heat Forward Udonis Haslem and actor Jackie Long and in 2008 Williams to rapper Common.[39] She resides at Ballen Isles in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.[1]

Fashion

Williams is known for her unusual and colorful outfits on court. In 2002, there was much talk when she wore a black lycra catsuit at the US Open.[40] At the 2004 US Open, Williams wore denim skirts and knee-high boots—tournament officials, however, did not allow her to wear the boots during matches.[41] At Wimbledon in 2008, the white trench coat she wore during warm-up for her opening match was the subject of much discussion since it was worn despite the sunny weather.[42] Off-court, Williams has also presented new designs. In November 2004, at the London premiere of After the Sunset she wore a red gown that had a near-topless effect.[43]

Williams formerly had a special line with Puma[44] and currently has a line with Nike. The deal with Nike is worth US$40 million and was signed in April 2004.[45] Since 2004, she has also been running her own line of designer apparel called "Aneres"—her first name spelled backward. In 2009 she launched a signature collection of handbags and jewelry.[46]

Entertainment

Williams has appeared on television and also provided voice work on animated shows: in a 2001 episode of The Simpsons Serena joined the animation along with sister Venus, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.[47] She has also provided guest voice work in a 2005 episode of Playhouse Disney's animated kids show Higglytown Heroes and a 2007 episode of the Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender,[48] which she has described as her "favorite show".[49]

Williams has posed for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In April 2005, MTV announced plans to broadcast a reality show around the lives of Serena and Venus, which was eventually aired on ABC Family. Williams has appeared twice on MTV's Punk'd and in 2007, appeared in the ABC reality television series Fast Cars and Superstars: The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race. In 2002, she played Miss Wiggins in the season 3 episode "Crouching Mother, Hidden Father" of My Wife and Kids; she has also guest-starred during episodes of ER and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2007 Williams appeared in the music video of "I Want You" by the American rapper Common, alongside performers Alicia Keys and Kanye West.[50]

Charity work

In 2008 Williams helped to fund the construction of the Serena Williams Secondary School in Matooni, Kenya.[51][52] She received a Celebrity Role Model Award from Avon Foundation in 2003 for work in breast cancer.[53] Williams has also been involved in a number of clinics at schools and community centers, particularly those which have programs focusing on at-risk youth.[1] She has also won the "Young Heroes Award" from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater L.A. and Inland (2003) and the "Family Circle and Prudential Financial Player Who Makes a Difference Award" (2004).[1]

Career statistics and awards

Main article: Serena Williams career statistics
See also: WTA Awards

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Serena Williams (USA)". WTA Tour, Inc. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Serena sets career prize money mark". ESPN. January 30, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  3. ^ "Williams sisters net gold in doubles, beating Spaniards in final". ESPN. August 17, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  4. ^ "40 Greatest Players of the Tennis Era (17-20)". Tennis Magazine. May 17, 2006. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  5. ^ Edmondson, Jacqueline (2005). Venus and Serena Williams: A Biography. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0313331650.
  6. ^ "Successful & Famous People that were Homeschooled". sharebradenton.homestead.com. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  7. ^ Michelle Kaufman (April 22, 2007). "Venus, Serena reflect as they prepare for Fed Cup". blackathlete.net. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  8. ^ "Roddick admits defeat to Serena when they were preteens". Sports Illustrated. January 25, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  9. ^ "Head to Head - Serena Williams vs Venus Williams". WTA Tour, Inc. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  10. ^ Zanca, Sal A. (March 1, 1999). "Continents Apart, Williams Sisters Make History". New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  11. ^ "Indian Wells boycott hurts Williamses more than it helps". Yahoo. March 19, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  12. ^ Preston, Eleanor (May 20, 2002). "Hingis may be out to end of year". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
  13. ^ Johnson, William (May 21, 2007). "French Open women's preview: Henin & who else?". TENNIS.com. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  14. ^ Leicester, John (February 11, 2009). "Grand Slam for Serena Williams?". Associated Press. Tennis Channel. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  15. ^ Wertheim, L. Jon (August 11, 2003). "Hitting Hard(enne) times". Sports Illustrated. CNN/Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
  16. ^ "Sharapova tops injured Serena for WTA title". NBC Sports. Associated Press. November 16, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
  17. ^ "Williams eyes return to top spot". BBC Sport. January 29, 2005.
  18. ^ a b c d "Serena Williams Playing Activity (2006 results can be accessed by selecting the year from the drop-down menu)". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved August 19, 2008..
  19. ^ "Serena & Davenport to miss Tokyo". BBC Sport. January 27, 2006. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
  20. ^ a b c "Serena targets late-summer return". BBC Sport. May 3, 2006. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
  21. ^ "Injured Serena pulls out of Miami". BBC Sport. March 17, 2006. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
  22. ^ a b "Serena targets number one ranking". BBC Sport. March 17, 2006. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
  23. ^ a b Kamakshi Tandon (January 14, 2007). "New Mindset: Serena Playing for Herself". TENNIS.com. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  24. ^ a b c d e "Serena Williams Playing Activity (2007 results can be accessed by selecting the year from the drop-down menu)". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  25. ^ a b "Superb Williams wins Aussie title". BBC Sport. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  26. ^ "Champion Serena soars up rankings". BBC Sport. January 29, 2007.
  27. ^ Piers Newbery (May 22, 2007). "Resurgent Serena targets Paris". BBC Sport. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  28. ^ "Aussie Open day 13 quotes". BBC Sport. January 27, 2007.
  29. ^ "Serena takes title in epic final". BBC Sport. March 31, 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  30. ^ Ronald Atkin (June 24, 2007). "Serena ready to reclaim top billing". The Independent. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  31. ^ Women's Tennis Association (November 7, 2001). "Justine Reaches Semis; Injury Forces Serena Out". WTA Tour, Inc. Retrieved November 7, 2001.
  32. ^ USA beat Serbia to take Hopman Cup, BBC News (January 4, 2008). Accessed August 19, 2008.
  33. ^ a b c d e f "Serena Williams Playing Activity". WTA Tour Inc. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  34. ^ "Serena returns to action with win". BBC News. March 5, 2008. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  35. ^ Thomas Lin (September 7, 2008). "Serena Williams Wins to Regain No. 1 Ranking". New York Times.
  36. ^ "Azarenka routs Serena Williams to win Sony Ericsson title". USA Today. Associated Press. April 5, 2009.
  37. ^ "Williams upset in first round". ESPN. April 8, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  38. ^ "Harder, Better, Faster... Top servers". Women's Tennis Association. November 28, 2008.
  39. ^ Erica Boeke (February 25, 2009). "Q and A with Serena Williams – Serena Meets Her Match". The Huffington Post. HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
  40. ^ Roberts, Selena (September 2, 2002). "TENNIS; Sunny Outlook Keeps Serena Williams Winning". The New York Times. NYT Company. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
  41. ^ "Serena Dresses in Denim, Boots at U.S. Open". Associated Press. FOX News Network, LLC. August 31, 2004. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  42. ^ Copping, Nicola (June 24, 2008). "Serena Williams's Wimbledon raincoat stops talk about play". TimesOnline. Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
  43. ^ "Serena Williams Keen on Fashion Career". Associated Press. FOX News Network, LLC. November 14, 2004. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
  44. ^ Batra, Ruhi (January 28, 2007). "Courting both tennis and glamour". The Times of India. Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
  45. ^ Brown, Carolyn M. (April 1, 2004). "Serena Williams aces Nike deal worth approximately $40 million". Black Enterprise. Allbusiness.com. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
  46. ^ Marr, Madeleine (March 3, 2009). "Serena Williams has a passion for fashion". The Miami Herald. Miami Herald Media Co. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
  47. ^ ""The Simpsons" Tennis the Menace (2001)". IMDb.com. IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
  48. ^ "Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Day of Black Sun (1): The Invasion". TV.com. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
  49. ^ Lauren Paige Kennedy. "Serena Williams Gets Back in the Game". WebMD the Magazine. WebMD, LLC. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
  50. ^ "Common 'I Want You' Video". rapdirt.com. October 23, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
  51. ^ "Serena Williams in Kenya on charity tour". People's Daily. November 15, 2008.
  52. ^ Claire Wanja (November 10, 2008). "Serena Williams to Visit Kenya on Charity cause". Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
  53. ^ "Jewel and Serena Williams Help the Avon Foundation Raise Millions for the Fight Against Breast Cancer". Avon. October 15, 2003. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Serena Williams.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Venus Williams
Ana Ivanović
Jelena Janković
 World No. 1
July 8, 2002 – August 10, 2003
September 8, 2008 – October 6, 2008
February 2, 2009 – April 19, 2009 		Succeeded by
Awards and achievements
Preceded by WTA Newcomer of the Year
1998 		Succeeded by
Kim Clijsters
Preceded by WTA Most Improved Player
1999 		Succeeded by
Preceded by WTA Doubles Team of the Year
(with Venus Williams)
2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by WTA Player of The Year
2002
2008 		Succeeded by
Justine Henin
Incumbent
Preceded by
Jennifer Capriati
 ITF World Champion
2002 		Succeeded by
Justine Henin
Preceded by
Jennifer Capriati
 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year
2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Jennifer Capriati
 World Sportswoman of the Year
2002 		Succeeded by
Annika Sörenstam
Preceded by WTA Comeback Player of the Year
2004 		Succeeded by
Kim Clijsters
Preceded by
Venus Williams
 Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
2003-2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Venus Williams
 Best Female Athlete ESPY Award
2003 		Succeeded by


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