Serena Williams is one of the wealthiest Americans in the world and arguably the most renowned player in tennis. However, it hasn’t been an easy journey to the pinnacle of fame for the 40-year-old American.

Earlier, she had to endure many hardships during her childhood. Her father, Richard Williams, helped her through such tough times and has been the backbone of her illustrious career.

Serena Williams, on her arduous journey to the top 

Back in 2019, in one of her interviews, Serena Williams spoke about her journey as a teenager. She explained how she and Venus Williams were exposed to a specific environment by their dad that defined them as players. “You’d see different people walking down the street with AK-47s and think, ‘Time to get in the house,‘” she said. 

She further stated, “When you hear gunshots, you get low. It really shaped me for the rest of my career both on and off the court in terms of taking a chance and how to be different and how to stand out.” 

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Serena, as a player, has accomplished what many can only dream of. She won her first ever Grand Slam at 17, and has now retired from the sport with 23 major titles, the highest among both male and female tennis players in the Open era.

Her US Open 2022 campaign was cut-short

Post the third-round exit from the US Open, Serena Williams, one of the greatest players of all time, retired from professional tennis. The Australian star Ajla Tomljanovic defeated the legendary American in three sets on September 2, 2022, at Arthur Ashe Stadium. She went down against the Australian in three sets, 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-1. It was one of the tournament’s most watched matches, lasting three hours.

Williams shed some tears as she left the court. Whilst expressing her gratitude to her parents and sister, she broke down and was seen in happy tears during her on-court post-match interview.

Despite dealing with such adverse conditions early during childhood, Serena Williams has emerged as one of the best tennis players in history. Her journey has been inspiring, and she seems to motivate many youngsters to achieve their dreams just like her.

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