Serena Williams - the greatest female tennis player to have ever dominated in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles - has decided to retire from her illustrious tennis career. Let's review the milestones that have defined the legacy of the "black panther."
Tennis history will certainly remember the name Serena Williams, as an unbeatable warrior on all fronts she stepped on. Serena is the holder of an impressive Grand Slam collection, with a total of 39 titles, including 23 individual Grand Slam victories, 14 doubles titles, and 2 mixed doubles championships.
Serena has won an astonishing 349 matches at Grand Slam events, surpassing the legend Martina Navratilova (306 wins). She once held the world No. 1 ranking for 186 consecutive weeks, matching the legendary Steffi Graf.
Serena has changed the history of tennis. Her success, along with her sister Venus, has opened up a new door for players of color, breaking stereotypes that tennis is a sport for white people.
According to Mouratoglou, Serena innovated a weapon called "tennis intimidation", where just her presence alone was enough to instill fear in opponents.
In her first professional season, 16-year-old Serena Williams was granted a wildcard entry to the 1997 Ameritech Cup. She defeated Mary Pierce and Monica Seles - then-ranked 10th, lost to Lindsay Davenport in the semifinals while playing with an injured foot. Photo: The Guardian
Serena (left), competing with her sister Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 1997. Photo: The Guardian
In her first Grand Slam event, Serena was defeated by her sister in the second round of the 1998 Australian Open. Photo: The Guardian
In 1999, Williams defeated four former champions, advancing to the US Open final, where she dethroned world No. 1 Martina Hingis to become the only African American woman to win a major title. Photo: The Guardian
In a season marred by injuries in 2000, Serena lost to her sister Venus in the Wimbledon semifinals. The two sisters continued to accumulate women's doubles titles. Photo: The Guardian
The two sisters faced each other again in the Wimbledon final in 2002… Photo: The Guardian
… Serena won for the first time, in consecutive sets, to achieve her first world No. 1 ranking. Photo: The Guardian
Venus takes a photo of her sister after they met again in the Wimbledon final in 2003. Photo: The Guardian
Williams competes against Victoria Azarenka at Wimbledon Centre Court in 2009. Photo: The Guardian
Serena continued to defeat her sister in another Wimbledon final in 2009. Photo: The Guardian
Williams shows her disappointment after losing to Marion Bartoli at Wimbledon 2011 due to injury. Photo: The Guardian
Williams regained her form the following year by defeating Agnieszka Radwańska in the 2012 final. Photo: The Guardian
Williams returns in a match against Victoria Azarenka on Centre Court on day eight of Wimbledon 2015. She continues to demand another title. Photo: The Guardian
Williams leaves the court with the Venus Rosewater Dish after defeating Garbiñe Muguruza in the Wimbledon 2015 final. Photo: The Guardian
Williams celebrates victory against Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon 2016 final - her seventh Wimbledon title and her 22nd Grand Slam title. Photo: The Guardian
... that same year, she also won the women's doubles title with her sister Venus. Photo: The Guardian
Williams in a match against Nicole Gibbs at the 2017 Australian Open… Photo: The Guardian
Where she continues to defeat her sister once again in the final. Photo: The Guardian
Williams defeats Naomi Osaka in the semifinals of the 2021 Australian Open. Photo: The Guardian
Serena Williams attends the 2021 Met Gala in New York. Photo: The Guardian