Talking about the youngest of the Williams sisters means going beyond her sports figure. She is an icon of the feminist struggle and racial equality, who raised her powerful voice to claim rights when few did.
“The first level of her legacy will be that of a woman who, along with her sister and her family, was able to get out of a difficult situation growing up in Compton, outside of Los Angeles, without many resources, and play a sport that was still traditionally white and quite expensive”thought Martin Blackmangeneral manager of development of the USTA, to the AFP agency.
Dozens of players, like the Japanese Naomi Osaka or the american teenager Coco Gauff they were inspired by it. Her tennis, arrogant and overwhelming, clouded them, but also because of her convictions. Her example radiated to thousands of young people who were encouraged to seek a better path.
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It is worth mentioning that the same former tennis player affirmed on Monday night, after her satisfactory debut in the US Open, that it was time to concentrate on other aspects. She is an investor in different companies, she remarked that she hired many women, especially African-Americans, a detail always taken care of by the super athlete.
Tennis will never be the same
In times when equality between men and women began to be talked about, Serena was equated with men: her power was something to talk about. It is enough to mention that she has one of the fastest serves in history with 207 km / h, a blow that helped her build an aggressive style of play from the base, at times impossible to contain and that instilled fear in the rivals of she.
There were no half measures for the one born on September 26, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. Perhaps because her life had no place for grays. Her family moved to Compton, a rough neighborhood in California, when she was little, and her father, Richard Williams, who was a coach, took her five daughters to practice. Thus she forged herself the former number 1 in the world, which she won or lost by exploiting each impact in her matches.
“In 100 years we will still be talking about Serena Williams”He launched Daniel Medvedev, leader of the ATP ranking. The American won 73 titles -far from the 167 of Martina Navratilova-, of which 23 were Grand Slams, one short of the absolute record held by Margaret Court.
In 1999 he won the US Open, his first major tournament, at just 17 years old. She was the first African-American player to win a major since Althea Gibson triumphed in the same event in 1958. In almost 25 years of WTA competition, she won all the Slams on more than one occasion: she was crowned seven times in Australia, three at Roland Garros, seven at Wimbledon and six in the United States.
Serena Williams 1999 US Open.mp4
USTA
Her rise to the top of women’s tennis came on July 8, 2002. In total, she held the world No. 1 for 314 weeks, the third historical record behind Steffi Graf’s 377 and Navratilova’s 331. She is also third with 133 consecutive weeks, with the same leads ahead of her (186 and 156, respectively).
Of course, not everything was rosy in the professional career of Serena Williams. In the US Open itself, he experienced disconcerting moments full of controversy, such as in the 2009 edition, when in the semifinal against Kim Clijsters -ultimately champion- he threatened the line judge with putting “a ball in her throat” after calling her a foul standing. That point she gave the match point to the Belgian, who later won by disqualifying the American for violating the code of conduct.
The most violent episode in Serena’s career occurred in 2018, in the US Open final that had Osaka as the winner. In different sections of the game, the local idol had crosses with umpire Carlos Ramos. Accused by the judge of receiving instructions from her coach, the former World No. 1 was sanctioned with one point. “I never cheated, you owe me an apology,” launched the player, who tried to “liar” and “thief” to the French. She finally lost a game and left the Japanese with the title in hand.
His last Grand Slam trophy was in 2017, when he won the Australian Open. some weeks later confirmed that she was pregnant. She had been a champion of a major in full gestation. Olympia Ohanian She was born in September of that year, and after the cesarean section, she had to be operated on four more times for pulmonary embolism, symptoms she has suffered since 2010.
Due to this situation, Williams was forced to wear special clothing during tournaments, something that pleased the public and marketing but not the different organizations. “It will no longer be accepted. One must respect the game and the place”snapped Bernard Giudelli, president of the French Tennis Federation in 2018 when the three-time Roland Garros champion wore a tight black one-piece suit. Serena stated that she was for health, but that she would start wearing special stockings to promote blood circulation in her legs.
https://twitter.com/Nike/status/1033211014899060737
In 2004, her contract with Puma ended and she signed a new agreement with Nike, a company that still sponsors her today and with whom she designs her own clothing. She or she at least she designed while playing. Throughout her career, the North American won almost US $ 95 million in prizes, a figure that could be quadrupled due to commercial ties. Forbes lists repeatedly ranked her among the highest paid women in sports history.
“There comes a time in life when we have to decide to go in a different direction. I have to focus on being a mother, on my spiritual goals, and finally discovering a different but just as exciting Serena. I’m going to savor these next few weeks.” “he gave his opinion before the US Open, in tune with the “now is the moment” that he started after his debut.
There are no more deafening screams in the Arthur Ashe. The largest tennis stadium in the world lies in solitude, sad, in full mourning for the retirement of the last warrior. The US Open will not be the same. The whole sport begins a new cycle. Serena Williams has already delivered her testimony.
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Serena Williams’ goodbye to tennis. In this US Open she wore a six-piece dress of her own design (for her titles in New York) and full of diamonds.
US Open
Source: Ambito

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