Serena Williams is one of the most decorated players in the history of tennis, having won 23 singles titles and pioneering power and pace in the women’s game. The American superstar excelled in all four Grand Slams, as she is also widely credited for eventually convincing organizers for women to get equal prize money as men. One tournament which would always hold a special place in her heart is the Wimbledon Championships. Having played at the All England Club from 1998 to 2022, Serena Williams won 7 titles and ended up as the finalist on 4 occasions.
Serena Williams will be missing out on the Wimbledon Championships for the first time since her retirement in September 2022. While the US Open 2022 was her swansong in the game, Williams did play in the Wimbledon 2022 edition but little could one have predicted that it would be her last appearance in the tournament. Much to the shock and disappointment of her supporters, Williams crashed out in Round 1 itself, with the main reason being that she hadn’t played much tennis since a year leading up to that much. However, that loss can never diminish her impact on the competition.
Wimbledon 2023: Serena Williams and her legacy
Such has been Serena’s dominance on the surface that there are records she owns solely till date. With women’s singles tennis getting more competitive, resulting in no one outstanding player as such, Serena Williams is likely to own them for a long period of time.
One of those records is winning 3 singles titles after the age of 30, achieving the feat in 2012, 2015 and 2016. 2016 was the last time Serena won the Wimbledon title. She made it to the finals in 2018 and 2019, but could not cross the last hurdle.
The second record is Serena Williams’ first and last title win spanning an incredible 14 years. Many remember Serena being a young 21-year-old back in 2002, defeating her elder sister, Venus Williams in the final. It was a turning point for the 7-time champion, who went to become the biggest box-office women’s player in both singles and doubles competitions. Cut to 2016 and a 35-year-old, determined Serena beat Germany’s Angelique Kerber to stamp her authority as the greatest to have ever played on the surface.
Another record which Serena Williams owns is having played her first and last final across 17 years. However, she shares this achievement with none other than Venus Williams. As Venus gets ready to play in the Wimbledon 2023, it remains to be seen if she can turn back the clock and make it No.18.
Movie and post retirement life
A biographical drama movie was released in 2021 based on Serena Williams’ life, called ‘King Richard’ which made her a household name even amongst those who don’t follow tennis regularly. Serena Williams was one of the executive producers of the film alongside Venus Williams.
Serena reportedly lives with her husband Alexis Ohanian and daughter Olympia in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California. She purchased a $7.5 million property, becoming neighbors to some of the most influential celebrities in the world, back in 2017. As of 2021, the tennis legend planned to spend most of her retired life in Miami, Florida.
Recently, Serena Williams also made headlines as she revealed that she is expecting her second child later this year, having already won praises for her take on motherhood.
