Serena Williams

From Compton Courts to Greatest Tennis Player of All Time

sports business
Serena Williams

Net Worth

$300M

Born

September 26, 1981 (age 44)

Country

United States

Occupation

Professional Tennis Player, Entrepreneur

Gender

female

Generation

Millennial

Marital Status

married

Children

2

Single Parent Household

No

Education

High School

Industries

sports, business

Wealth Category

multi-millionaire

Wealth Origin

self-made

First-Gen Wealth

Yes

Overcame

  • • Grew up in Compton, far from elite tennis facilities
  • • Faced racial discrimination throughout career
  • • Life-threatening pulmonary embolism in 2011
  • • Complications during childbirth in 2017

Serena Williams is an American former professional tennis player widely regarded as the greatest female tennis player of all time. She won 23 Grand Slam singles titles—the most by any player in the Open Era—and 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her sister Venus. Her dominance spanned nearly three decades, revolutionizing women's tennis with her power, athleticism, and competitive fire.

Career Timeline

1981

Born in Saginaw, Michigan

1995 Age 13
Turning Point

Turned professional at age 14

1999 Age 17
Milestone

Won first Grand Slam title at US Open

2002 Age 20
Milestone

Won first Wimbledon and French Open; completed first half of Career Grand Slam

2003 Age 21
Achievement

Completed Career Grand Slam by winning Australian Open

2010 Age 28
Milestone

Won fourth Wimbledon; held all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously (Serena Slam)

2011 Age 29
Setback

Suffered life-threatening pulmonary embolism; missed nearly a year

2012 Age 30
Milestone

Won Wimbledon and Olympic gold medals in singles and doubles

2017 Age 35
Achievement

Won Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant; complications after childbirth

2017 Age 35
Milestone

Married Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit

2022 Age 40
Turning Point

Played final professional match at US Open; retired

Notable Quotes

"I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall."

— Interview, 2012

"I've had to learn to fight all my life—got to learn to win. You have to want it."

— Interview, 2015

"The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another."

— Interview, 2019

"I don't like the word 'balance.' I like the word 'priority.'"