Winner of eight Grand Slam titles and former world No. 1, Serena Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan on September 26, 1981. She, along with elder sister Venus, has dominated women’s tennis for a long time with 14 Grand Slam titles between them. The Williams sisters showed exceptional talent in their early years, with Serena winning her first tournament at the age of four and a half. She turned a pro in 1995 and by 1997, had moved up to No. 99 in the world.
Serena won her first Grand Slam title in 1999 when she became US Open champion. In doing so, she became the first African American woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Althea Gibson in 1958. In 2001, she lost to sister Venus in the US Open final. In 2002, Serena was in peak form winning the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open by getting the better of Venus in the finals of all three events. More glory awaited her as she went on to win the 2003 Australian Open, again beating Venus, becoming only the ninth woman ever to bag all four Grand Slam titles. She called this achievement the “Serena Slam.” Continuing her excellent form, Serena successfully defended her Wimbledon title in 2003. She also won the Australian Open titles in 2005 and 2007.
Known for her fondness for colorful outfits on court, Serena has her own line of designer clothing by the name Aneres. The tennis star is also into acting and television shows. In 2002, she played Miss Wiggins in the season 3 episode "Crouching Mother, Hidden Father" of My Wife and Kids. The Williams sisters at present reside together in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, United States, Serena with her new fiancé rapper/producer M. White.
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