During the US Open 2022, as Coco Gauff revealed that her first-ever paycheck was for being a young Serena Williams’ stunt double for a Delta commercial, people were wondering what was Serena Williams’ first paycheck and what did she do with it. Around the same time, in an interview for CashApp, Serena Williams explained what she did with her own money, the first time she got it, as was reported by Tennis World.
“What’s the first thing you bought with your own money?” asked the interviewer.
Serena Williams answered, “I remember, I used to get a little allowance. I would buy a box of donuts, like the dozen. And I would sell them for a dime each. The box was 99 cents and actually I would sell them for a quarter each. So I was always, you know, turning and trying to make cash.”
This just shows Serena Williams’ business acumen and the want to earn more money from a very young age. The highest prize money-earning female tennis player today, Serena Williams has built a wealth of $300 million. Her sister Venus Williams has a net worth of $90 million, also one of the richest American female tennis players. But the disparity between the two just shows that Serena is just miles ahead.
The Williams sisters owe an insurmountable amount of debt to their father, Richard Williams. He sacrificed immensely to take his daughters to the tennis court from an early age. Not only that, Williams’s father taught her the value of money and the importance of earning it, especially since they are from an African-American background, an ethnicity that has been the subservient group in tennis historically.
Therefore, what it would mean to break the shackles and the glass barrier for all African-American women to follow? Case in point is Coco Gauff, who considers Williams her idol.
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“My dad always said ‘athletes lose their money. He always talked about the importance of not losing it once you get it and not just buying everything you see. That has stuck with me for my whole life,” continued Serena Williams.
She emphasized the value of money, and what it stands for. This was a result of her father’s teachings and her upbringing in that household. Serena Williams retired with 23 Grand Slams to her name. Throughout her playing career, she signed a $12 million deal with Puma and a 5-year $40 million deal with Nike.
Her other endorsements include Aston Martin, AbbVie, Anheuser-Busch InBev, AT&T, IBM, Intel, Hanes, Gucci, Gatorade, Ford Motor, Tempur, Subway, Walt Disney Company, etc.
