Born September 26, 1981 in Michigan, Serena Williams showed prowess on the tennis courts at a young age. She won her first tournament before her fifth birthday and went on to win 46 of the first 49 tournaments she ever played in. In 1991, her father stopped sending Serena and her older sister Venus to national junior tennis tournaments because he hoped to prevent his daughters from facing racism.
Since going pro in 1995, Serena has been ranked the World No. 1 female tennis player, won eight Grand Slam singles titles and won an Olympic gold medal in women's doubles. When she won the Australian Open in 2003 she became the most recent player, male or female, to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles
simultaneously. In 2008, Serena tied Venus for the fastest serve ever recorded by a woman with a 129 mph shot.
Williams' talent extends off the court as well. In June 2004 Serena launched her own clothing line, Aneras. While creating stylish clothing for women, she also uses the company to help raise money for The Owl Foundation. The Owl Foundation, founded by Serena's mother, helps fund programs that address learning problems for individuals who experience academic failure. Its mission is to ensure that every child is treated individually and is provided with the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.
simultaneously. In 2008, Serena tied Venus for the fastest serve ever recorded by a woman with a 129 mph shot.
Williams' talent extends off the court as well. In June 2004 Serena launched her own clothing line, Aneras. While creating stylish clothing for women, she also uses the company to help raise money for The Owl Foundation. The Owl Foundation, founded by Serena's mother, helps fund programs that address learning problems for individuals who experience academic failure. Its mission is to ensure that every child is treated individually and is provided with the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.
