Serena Williams, the name that many will mention when they speak about women tennis, the very name that commands utmost respect and reverence, there have hardly been any athletes in history who have attracted those levels of praise. In addition to being a tennis great, she is a modern-day champion, a being of substance, and an epitome of strength. Owing to her 23 Grand Slam titles, which is the highest in history, one cannot write her biography and ignore how incredible it was for her to achieve that level of fame. However, this story, like many others, is also plagued with layers of misunderstanding and turmoil, which always leads to the birth of what is termed as the ‘glory delusion’.
One word: Power
Serena Williams was born in 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan and born into the world of tennis with presence of mind through her sister Venus. They were trained by their father Richard Williams, and the two sisters’ journey began in the rundown courts of Compton California. But the systemic obstacles did not stop the Williams sisters from defying expectations and showing that greatness in tennis is not limited to factors of race and geography.
Serena’s development into one of the best women players in history was facilitated by an assortment of factors including the fortitude of her mental game, her powerful serve and killer forehand. It was towards the end of 1997 when she began actively participating at WTA tournaments and by the age of 17, she had already made a name for herself after clinching the Grand slam championship at the 1999 US open. One can only look back to that point in time and say that the game of tennis was about to undergo some exceptional changes. Serenas thunderclap served was a game changer for this sport and so was her unique combination of power and strategy.
What’s more, Serena can also be perceived as a symbol of determination and a businesswoman. After being diagnosed with a life threatening pulmonary embolism (in 2011) and undergoing an emergency C-section immediately after the birth of her daughter in 2017, she worked harder than ever to resume playing professional tennis. During these times, she has demonstrated how true champions deal with difficulties.
The Dazzling Sensation: An Icon of Culture
In addition to being a tennis player, Serena is an influential figure. In a sport that is predominantly white, Serena a black woman managed to touch the hearts of many during a time where she was needed the most. Her fashion style- a mix of catsuits and tutus which some viewed as ‘unconventional’ stand out fashion on the court- challenged societal norms while encouraging self expression.
In addition, Serena has never failed to utilize her voice and platform in supporting the various causes that are dear to her. She has fought for equality in regards to women’s wages in sports, because she cares for justice against racial discrimination and she supported the Black Lives Matter campaign. In 2019, Forbes described her as the highest female athlete in terms of payments, stating that the majority of her wealth comes from contracts with giants including Nike, Gatorade and Wilson, which is quite natural for a global icon.
The Deception: Myths and Misunderstandings
Serena has certainly grafted her fair share of fame as well as controversies during the course of her career. There is always a certain degree of behavioral expectations whenever anyone is compelled to perform, especially sport and Serena has not averred these expectations – her demeanor in the combative moments has received harsh criticism. Some critics say that she shows her temper and is emotional which they believe is impolite, however this view does not identify the stem of the issue which is that sentiment of prejudice against women, especially colored women.
Perhaps the memory which most sticks to people is during the contest between Naomi Osaka and Serena in the finals of US Open 2018. After the umpire Carlos Ramos, during a controversy, issued some disciplinary actions against her, the penalties actually completely overshadowed the win. While some blamed Serena for not staying poised, other bore witness to the fact that it is simply not fair when professional women athletes are treated as a lesser version than men just based on the fact that men are aggressive and heated but women are always reprimanded for the same.
Moreover, there exists another layer of falsehood that comes in the form of how Serena’s achievements are always put in regard. Many people recognize her as one of the best female athletes, but many times she is overlooked in discussions about greatest athletes of all times including the male ones, which does not change the fact that she must be regarded as one of the greatest. This is indicative of social discourse that refuses to evolve and keeps undermining the achievements of women in sport even when Serena’s feats come ahead of many men contemporaries, say, for the sake of argument.
The Legacy: Redefining Greatness
Whereas Serena retired from tennis in 2022 with a self proclaimed statement of ‘evolving from tennis’ she remains to have had an everlasting impact on the game as well as society. She was at the forefront of changing not only the game with her presence on the court but changing the image of the game through her outreach, business opportunities and charity work. Her Serena Ventures investment firm for example only invests in lesbian and POC-based startups and so she continues to be a vital change.
It’s her legacy for the new generation of tennis players such as Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez, who have emerged because of her. These athletes regard Serena as a source of inspiration and exude similar attributes and at such her confidence, skill and activism.
Concluding Remarks
Serena Williams’ life is a journey filled with great success and unmistakable achievements but there are many things that may be taken negatively such as the story of greatness. Indeed- she may have been labelled a ‘trendsetter’ but that also came with some amount of scrutiny specific for a powerful colored woman. The problem of ‘glory deception’ is that there are always subtle biases that underline her invincible history and limit her accomplishments.
In connection with this, Serena Williams is portrayed not as just a tennis icon but an ‘iconic ideal’ that transformed the conventional stereotypes and expectations from an athlete, in terms of sporting, gender or race considering ‘doing it’ not ‘having done it’ through defining in what is a true victory.
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