Just a month ago, Serena Williams announced her retirement. Her decision, coinciding with the timing of Roger Federer's retirement, brought much nostalgia to fans worldwide. However, recently, Serena surprised everyone by deciding to pick up the racket again. Let's look at her illustrious career and explore why the world's richest female tennis player decided to make a "comeback."
An illustrious career
If men's tennis has Roger Federer, women's tennis has Serena Williams. They are two outstanding, enduring figures with the most influence in their respective arenas. Their success with the tennis ball has also translated into substantial earnings. With a net worth of $260 million, Serena Williams rightfully claims the title of the richest female tennis player to date.
This figure is well-deserved for a "treasury" of achievements that the American tennis player has collected. Since her debut in the mid-90s, she has achieved nearly all the glories, setting numerous new records. In a nutshell, she has won a total of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most in history. This is a dream figure for any athlete, whether it's Federer, Djokovic, or Rafa Nadal.
In addition, Serena also pocketed 14 Grand Slam titles in women's doubles and two victories in mixed doubles. She secured one Olympic gold medal in singles and three in doubles. Alongside these, there are dozens of WTA Tour trophies. At certain times, mentioning women's tennis meant mentioning Serena Williams. She held the world No. 1 ranking for... 319 weeks. That means she spent over 6 years at the top of the tennis world during her 20-year peak performance, a staggering achievement.
Together with her sister Venus Williams, Serena has transformed the landscape of tennis. It is estimated that during her glorious years, she accumulated nearly $95 million in prize money. Only the "big three" Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic earned more in winnings than her.
Serena Williams' extraordinary achievements on the court have made her a widely beloved figure. Thanks to this, she has been busy with various sponsorships. Some notable sponsors of the 41-year-old tennis player include Puma, AbbVie, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Audemars Piguet, Away, Beats Electronics, Bumble, DIRECTV, Ford Motor, Gatorade, Gucci, Hanesbrands, JPMorgan Chase, Nike, Procter & Gamble, Subway, Tapestry, and more.
Business acumen
Not only intelligent and powerful on the court, Serena Williams is also a sharp and visionary businesswoman. She is wise in entrusting her immense wealth. Serena Williams has invested in various projects and earned tens of millions, notably with Poshmark and SurveyMonkey. She also created "Serena Ventures," a reputable investment fund that raised $111 million. Williams also owns shares in the NFL team Miami Dolphins, the most prestigious American football league globally, and the women's soccer team Angel City FC, among others. Overall, most of her business deals have been big wins.
Of course, Serena Williams' investment portfolio includes a long list of luxury real estate. She owns a $6 million mansion in Beverly Hills, neighboring big stars like Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Ed McMahon, Gwen Stefani; a super-luxurious apartment in Paris with a direct view of the Eiffel Tower, and a beachfront villa in Palm, California.
She currently lives in a spacious mansion in Florida, USA, with her husband and daughter. The house was conceived and built by her sister Venus Williams, who also owns a furniture design company. The colossal estate covering 5,000 square meters is a perfect combination of Williams' aesthetic taste and her husband Alexis Ohanian's role as a billionaire, the founder of the renowned Reddit group.
Despite having all the high-end amenities in her home, Serena keeps everything "minimalistic." The 41-year-old tennis player confesses that she is "a simple person who enjoys a light living space." Therefore, her multimillion-dollar abode is designed to prioritize maximum light and open spaces. This is why her rooms are spacious and airy. In addition to the two seasonal swimming pools, the house also features an entertainment room, a workspace, a media room, a karaoke bar, a dry sauna room, and a wine cellar the size of a small apartment. Moreover, Serena Williams and her husband decided to open a "mini museum" within the mansion to display artworks by Leonardo, Radcliffe Bailey, David Kracov, and others.
Surprisingly, in her resort-like mansion, Serena Williams chose not to build a tennis court. This was a deliberate decision on her part, as she wants to keep her private life and work separate. All Serena has is a trophy display room, a place to preserve memorabilia, where she keeps the most glittering trophies of her illustrious career.
Back to tennis for more?
With everything—money, happiness, glory—Serena Williams still feels it's not enough. The tennis player has just decided to return to the sport that runs in her blood—tennis. Serena Williams declares, "I haven't retired; you may see me on the court again shortly."
WTA for a decade, but in the last 5 years, Serena hasn't clinched any major titles. Physical decline and the rise of talented young players have led to Serena's disappearance from the top stage. For an ambitious player like her, she won't allow herself to rest, especially when she's so close to Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles.
Just one more championship, and Serena will reach the milestone of 24 Grand Slam titles, entering the hall of legends. Serena missed out on glory in 2018 and 2019, losing in the finals of the US Open and Wimbledon. Therefore, she might only stop when she reaches the milestone of 24 Grand Slam titles. If she feels less confident in singles, Serena can put her trust in women's doubles, where her sister Venus is always ready to make history alongside her.
She also can't ignore the call of money. Even if she plays only 30 matches, half of what top players do, Serena still earned tens of millions of USD in 2022, mostly from commercial deals. It seems like brands just need her to play, and they will pour millions more into the 41-year-old tennis player's account. With that motivation, it's clear Serena understands she can't stop, she can't waste the opportunity to earn more.
Serena Williams' return to tennis is not just about winning more titles; it's about reclaiming her legacy, chasing her dreams, and continuing her journey as one of the greatest athletes of all time. And as long as there's still a chance to compete, Serena Williams will keep striving for excellence on the tennis court, inspiring generations to come with her resilience, determination, and unmatched skill.