At age 37, American Tennis superstar Serena Williams is making history yet again. Williams is now moving on to her ninth Grand Slam Wimbledon final. She has been playing professional Tennis since 1995, and will now compete for a record-tying 24th major singles title.
This year, Williams faced off against Barbora Strýcová in the 2019 Wimbledon Women’s Singles Semi-Finals. Strýcová is the first player from the Czech Republic to reach the Wimbledon singles semifinal in 32 years. But Williams ultimately came out the victor, securing her spot in the 2019 Wimbledon Final.
Though Williams has faced immense adversity both inside and outside of the court, she continues to succeed. This Wimbledon Final appearance marks Williams as one of the most legendary female athletes of all time. With her grit and determination, she has consistently pushed past obstacles and inspired generations of young people to strive for greatness and reach for the dream of being one of the greatest athletes in the world.
Outstanding Career of Serena Williams
Since Williams began her professional Tennis career in 1995, she has earned numerous titles and accolades. She has won a total of 23 major singles titles— the most by any man or woman in the Open Era. She is the only female singles player to have won singles titles at least 6 times in three of the four grand slams. With her 23rd grand slam title, Williams will tie the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles won by any professional Tennis player in the Open Era.
In addition to her individual accomplishments, Williams has also proved to be an outstanding women’s doubles Tennis player. She has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, the most of any player in the Open Era. Along with her sister Venus, she won a gold medal in women’s doubles Tennis at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and the 2012 Olympics in London.
Williams has also achieved career success off the court. Since 2002, she has been ranked by Forbes as the most highly-paid female athlete in the world, above household names like Maria Sharapova. This has allowed Williams to establish herself as a leader and role model within the Tennis community and in popular culture.
Impact of Williams on Tennis
The unmatched impact that Williams has had on the game of Tennis and popular culture is undeniable. Williams is widely credited with making the game more accessible to women and people of color, amplifying her message of positivity and acceptance on the court.
Being the face of Tennis for so many years has also proven to be immensely influential for younger generations of professional tennis players. Her success on the court and her commitment to inclusivity have lead many players to look up to her as a role model. Williams is also an especially major influence for female tennis players of color, inspiring them as well to strive for their goals and believe that they can succeed within their sport.
No matter the outcome of the 2019 Wimbledon Final, Williams’ accomplishments and legacy will continue to live on in the world of Tennis for many years to come.
Serena Williams’ 2019 Wimbledon Rivals
On her way to a record-tying 24th Grand Slam, Williams had some of the world’s top players standing in her way. Below are the names of four players who represented the biggest challenge to Williams during the 2019 tournament:
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Barbora Strýcová – Williams’ opponent in the 2019 Wimbledon Women’s Singles Final. Strýcová is a 33-year-old Czech player, who took a set off Williams in their quarterfinals matchup.
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Karolina Pliskova – Pliskova is a 27-year-old Czech player and Williams’ opponent in the semifinals of the 2019 Wimbledon. Pliskova is ranked sixth in the world and has been a consistent presence in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings for the past few years.
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Alison Riske – Alison Riske is a 29-year-old American player, who was a tough opponent for Williams in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Singles at Wimbledon in 2019. Riske is noted for her powerful forehand, which she used to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the first time in 2019.
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Julia Görges – Julia Görges is a 31-year-old player from Germany who faced off against Williams in the fourth round of this year’s Women’s Singles competition at Wimbledon. Görges has established herself as one of the top players in Women’s Tennis and is currently ranked twentieth on the WTA rankings.
Serena Williams – One of the Greatest Female Athletes in History
Serena Williams has cemented her legacy as one of the greatest Tennis players of all time. Her impact on Tennis will be felt for generations to come.
At age 37, Williams continues to rack up record-breaking titles and be the face of Tennis. With her ninth appearance at the Wimbledon Finals, Williams is poised to break a new record and take her already amazing career to a whole new level.
With her accomplishments in and out of the court, Williams will surely go down in history as one of the greatest female athletes ever. She continues to serve as an inspiration to athletes and young people all over the world, and she is sure to break more records in the years to come.
