Serena Williams, born on September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan, is an American former professional tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Her powerful playing style revolutionized women’s tennis, and she holds the most Grand Slam singles titles (23) in the Open Era.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Serena Jameka Williams |
| Date of Birth | September 26, 1981 |
| Place of Birth | Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | Alexis Ohanian (married in 2017) |
| Children | Alexis Olympia, Adira River |
| Occupations | Former Professional Tennis Player |
| Net Worth | Estimated $340 million (as of 2024) |
Early Life and Education
Serena Jameka Williams was the youngest of Richard and Oracene Williams’ five daughters. The family relocated to Compton, California, where Serena began playing tennis at the age of three.
Her father, Richard Williams, along with her mother Oracene Price, coached Serena and her sister Venus.
In 1991, the family moved to Florida to attend a tennis academy. Serena had a 46-3 record on the junior United States Tennis Association tour and was ranked first in the 10-and-under division.
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Serena’s father pulled her and Venus from national junior tennis tournaments to focus on school.
Career
Serena Williams turned professional in 1995. She won her first major singles title at the 1999 US Open.
From the 2002 French Open to the 2003 Australian Open, she was dominant, winning all four major singles titles (each time over Venus in the final) to achieve both a career Grand Slam and a non-calendar year Grand Slam, nicknamed the “Serena Slam”.
By winning the 2003 Australian Open, Williams became the holder of all four major singles titles, a feat that was named the “Serena Slam”. She replicated this success in 2014 and 2015, making her the only player other than Graf to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time twice.
Throughout her career, Williams won 73 WTA Tour-level singles titles. Along with her sister Venus, she has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles. The Williams sisters have the third most women’s doubles Grand Slam titles.
Serena and Venus are the only tennis players in history with four Olympic gold medals.
In August 2022, Serena announced her “evolution” away from professional tennis. She played her final match at the 2022 US Open.
Personal Life
Serena Williams married Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, in 2017. They have two daughters: Alexis Olympia, born in 2017, and Adira River, born in 2023. The family resides in Florida.
She won her record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam singles title while she was eight weeks pregnant at the 2017 Australian Open.
Serena Williams Net Worth
As of 2024, Serena Williams’ net worth is estimated to be around $340 million.
Records
- 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most in the Open Era.
- Only player to accomplish a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.
- Ranked as world No. 1 in women’s singles by the WTA for 319 weeks.
- “Serena Slam”: Holding all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously.
- Most hardcourt grand slam singles titles: 13.
- Most women’s singles matches won at majors: 367.
- Most singles majors won since turning 30 years old: 10.
