Serena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams ( born September 26, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan) is an American tennis player. She is the current number 1 in the world tennis rankings. In her career she won so far 17 Grand Slam tournaments in singles and 13 in doubles and two in mixed doubles. Serena Williams is one of five players to have won all four Grand Slam tournaments in a row. Moreover, it belongs to the group of players who have won each Grand Slam tournament at least twice in the course of their career. Four times Williams was selected by the ITF Player of the Year and three times she finished a season at No. 1 in the world rankings. In 2012 she won an Olympic gold medal in singles, three gold medals she won in 2000, 2008 and 2012 on the side of her older sister Venus Williams in doubles. Serena Williams belongs to the Jehovah's prominent members of the witnesses.
- 3.1 Individual
- 3.2 Double (22 )
- 4.1 Single
- 4.2 double
Career
As children moved the Williams sisters with her parents to Compton in Los Angeles. Venus and Serena Williams trained there and already in their schooling had success in tennis. 1991 Serena was housed by her father Richard in the tennis academy of Rick Macci, who had coached Jennifer Capriati and Mary Pierce. The family moved to West Palm Beach.
Career
Beginning of the professional career (1995-1998)
In October 1995, Serena Williams began at the age of 14 years, her professional career with the qualifying round at the Canadian Open in Quebec City, where she lost her first match with 1:6, 1:6. Only in March 1997, more than a year later, she launched another attempt at a professional tournament, but failed in Indian Wells again in the first round of qualifying. In November 1997, she succeeded then the breakthrough in Chicago when she could hit the top ten players Mary Pierce and Monica Seles in succession and was eliminated only in the semi-finals. Thanks to this success she was able for the first time among the top 100 in the WTA world rankings. She finished the season in 99th position
In 1998, she also took first in all four Grand Slam tournaments. Her best performance it achieved at the French Open, where she said goodbye with a three-set defeat in the second round against the eventual winner Arantxa Sánchez Vicario. For more stir their season performances ensured in double and mixed doubles. She won at her sister Venus side their first two tournaments in the doubles competition. In mixed they reached the finals even with three Grand Slam tournaments. Went the final at the French Open on the side of Luis Lobo still lost, they could celebrate with Max Mirnyi at Wimbledon and at the U.S. Open to win the tournament. To date, these two are their only title in the mixed competition. With a total of six quarterfinals during the season Williams finished the season in 20th place of the single and the double number 36 world ranking.
First Grand Slam success and establishment as a top ten player (1999-2001)
The 1999 season should bring the first major solo success in their careers. Back in February, she managed it the first tournament success when they won the title in Paris. A month later, her the next success for the slightly larger tournament in Indian Wells, where she defeated in three sets in the finals Steffi Graf. After a rather mixed clay court season and an injury, she returned to Los Angeles back on the tour and won the third season title. But an even greater success brought the U.S. Open. There they hit the top 5 players Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles and reached her first final at a Grand Slam tournament. In the final they met the world number one Martina Hingis, who defeated them 6-3, 7-6, and thus their first single success perfectly made at a Grand Slam tournament. Also in double Serena Williams was successful and overtook her second major success in the doubles competition after they had already won earlier in the season, the French Open along with her sister Venus. At the end of the season Williams still won the Grand Slam Cup in Munich its fifth season title and still wore a double success for winning the Fed Cup by the USA against Russia at. The season she finished in 4th place in the world rankings, in a double handed three season titles at the end to position 10
The 2000 season brought Williams three tournament victories and the final establishment among the top ten in the world rankings. The big success in the Grand Slam tournaments, she was left but denied. The most she came at Wimbledon, where she was beaten in the semifinals of her sister Venus. Thus, Williams lost in the previous year two spots in the rankings and finished the season at position 6 did have some success they double: she won along with sister Venus not only the first time the doubles competition at Wimbledon, but in September at the Olympic Games in Sydney and the Gold Medal. The Williams sisters were able to clear the final 6-1, 6-1 decision against opponents from the Netherlands itself.
The year 2001 was as successful as the previous season. Once again, Williams three tournaments to decide for itself the first time, including the WTA Tour Championships in the season finale. After four quarter-final defeats in a row at Grand Slam level, they reached the final at the U.S. Open for the second time in her career. For the first time in the Open Era met there with Venus and Serena Williams, two sisters in a major final together. With 6:2, 6:4 the older sister kept the upper hand, Serena had to continue to wait for the second Grand Slam success after 1999. Successful it was in this respect again in the doubles at the Australian Open the Williams sisters have now managed by the success at the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. So they made it as the tenth in the women's doubles in tennis history to work together to win all four major titles at least once.
Jump to world class and the " Serena Slam" (2002-2003)
After three reasonably successful years, the 2002 season should be one of the most successful of their career. However, the year began with a setback, because Williams due to injury missed the Australian Open. End of February, she gave a successful comeback, she could consecutively win the tournaments in Scottsdale and Miami. In Miami, she suggested doing one after the other players to position 3, 2 and 1 in the world rankings. Even more successful designed the clay court season, where they also moved in next season's third title in Rome the final of the French Open. Respondent there was her sister Venus against which they prevailed 7-5, 6-3, or more than two years after their first triumph at the U.S. Open in 1999 was able to win her second Grand Slam tournament. With a winning streak of 12 games in back Williams stepped in and played Wimbledon without dropping a set until the final. There she met again on Venus and sat down this time with 7:6, 6:3 - her first solo success on the sacred grass of Wimbledon. Together, the sisters also won their second doubles title at Wimbledon. So Serena Williams was on 8 July 2002 for the first time out at No. 1 in the world rankings. Your winning streak ended after 21 games in the quarterfinals of Los Angeles, but at the U.S. Open, she tied seamlessly from the previous season success. Again they played without dropping a set in the final of a major tournament before where she could defeat her sister again. Three Grand Slam tournaments to win in one season in a row that was last Steffi Graf in 1996 succeeded. At the end of the season Williams started a new winning streak, come to an end in the final of the WTA Championships took place after 18 games, which she lost to Kim Clijsters. With a total of eight season titles and a match record of 56:5 it ended its first season at No. 1 in the world rankings.
At the Australian Open 2003, she joined with the goal of becoming the fifth player in history who could consecutively win all four Grand Slam tournaments. After winning their last two major championships without losing a set, it was demanded in Melbourne right in the first round of Émilie Loit three sets. Without any further problems then she reached the semifinals, where she could successfully turn a 1:5 residue in the deciding set against Clijsters. Final opponent was then once more Venus Williams, against whom they also prevailed in three sets. So Serena Williams had successfully completed the spurious Grand Slam, and the she was even referred to as " Serena Slam" of journalists. Also in double she was successful at the side of her sister in Melbourne, it should be her last major success in this discipline for the next five years. Your winning streak from Melbourne built Williams in the following weeks and months by tournament success in Paris and Miami in 21 games, before they suffered their first defeat in the 2003 final in Charleston against Justine Henin. The clay court season was less successful; in the semifinals of the French Open she lost again against Henin and thus had after 33 consecutive victories at Grand Slam level for the first time a defeat suffered. But right at Wimbledon she succeeded with a 4:6 -, 6:4 - and 6:2 in the final against her sister the whole sixth major success. However, it should be their last match in 2003; knee surgery forced her to a long break, because they then lost in August 2003 after about 13 months the lead in the world rankings. They finished the season after only seven tournaments on position 3
Changeable successes, injuries and falls from top of the world (2004-2006)
After eight months of tournament break Serena Williams was in March 2004 her comeback at the Tier I tournament in Miami, which they could decide for themselves. Further success came in the next few months but for the time being. At the French Open, Williams was beaten in the quarterfinals Jennifer Capriati and failed the first time after seven appearances again before the semifinal stage of a Grand Slam tournament. At Wimbledon, she managed the other hand, the third finals series, missed the hat-trick but against the 17 -year-old Maria Sharapova. Thus Williams since 1999 fell for the first time from the top ten in the world rankings. Also at the U.S. Open, it was enough for them not to win the title, in the quarterfinals, she lost again against Capriati. Thanks to their second season title in Beijing but she was qualified for the WTA Tour Championships at the end of the season. There, she reached the finals but lost again to Sharapova. The season ended Williams at No. 7 ranking.
The 2005 season started for them with a great success. At the Australian Open, she reached the final after they repelled three match points in the semifinals of Sharapova and the game still had to rotate. Even in the final against Lindsay Davenport she could still win and thus celebrate her seventh Grand Slam success in the game despite individual lost the first set. It should be their only tournament success in 2005, however. Until Wimbledon, she participated only in five other tournaments and had to abandon it several times or completely do without. The French Open she missed due to injury. At Wimbledon, Williams lost then already in the third round against Jill Craybas. It was so early no longer excreted at a Grand Slam tournament since the 1999 French Open over six years ago. After three more early tournament losses, among other things, in the second round of the U.S. Open against her sister Venus, she finished the season at position 11, and thus for the first time since 1998 outside the top ten.
An even more significant slippage should bring the 2006 season. In their title defense in Melbourne they had already failed in the third round to Daniela Hantuchová. It was her last game for about six months. Only at the tournament in Cincinnati, she returned back in mid-July on the tour. The reason for the longer -month break persistent injury problems were formally specified. Later it was announced that Williams had suffered at this time from depression and a return to professional tennis has long been uncertain. As the number 139 in the world she finally gave her comeback in Cincinnati and reached the semifinals a respectable result. Also at the show in Los Angeles a few weeks later, Williams reached the semifinals before she ended prematurely in 2006 after a second round defeat at the U.S. Open. For the first time since 1998, she finished a season without a tournament victory and ended the year at number 95 just barely inside the top 100 in the world rankings.
Successful comeback and return to the tennis throne (2007-2009)
With new motivation Williams kicked off the 2007 season. Publicly its lack of fitness, however, was widely criticized and given no chance to play a serious role in the Australian Open. Her sponsor Nike doubted obvious to Williams, because he announced, in case of early exit in Melbourne not continue their contract. But Williams battled through to the finals and could turn against Shahar Peer the resignation yet, although both competitors could serve to win the match while both in the third round against Nadia Petrova and in the quarter-finals. In the final they met the world number two Sharapova, who was considered the favorite in the match, but Williams 6:1, 6:2 was clearly put in their place. Her next tournament, the Tier I tournament in Miami could, they decide for themselves. It should remain the only tournament victories in 2007 because she was always thrown back from minor injuries. In the remaining three Grand Slam tournaments she was eliminated in the quarterfinals each - each time against Justine Henin, who won two tournaments for themselves. The season finally ended Williams at No. 7 in the world rankings.
The 2008 season should bring in the rankings even further forward Williams. Your title at the Australian Open, she could not defend though, rather they lost for the fourth time in a row the quarter-finals of a major tournament. However, after she won consecutively the tournaments in Bangalore, Miami and Charleston. Your winning streak of 17 games ended against Dinara Safina in Berlin. After a disappointing Drittrundenaus at Roland Garros, Williams played without dropping a set for the fourth time in her career before the Wimbledon final, which she lost to her sister Venus with 5:7, 4:6. Along with her sister, however, celebrated in the doubles competition at Wimbledon the first joint title for over five years. Accordingly, great were the expectations of the Williams sisters at the Olympic Games in Beijing. Serena difference there in individual, although in the quarter- finals from where her sister's side but managed to win the title again in a double, eight years after her first gold medal in Sydney in 2000. The successful revenge for the lost Wimbledon final against Venus Williams Serena succeeded then in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, where she was able to prevail almost 7:6, 7:6. The last two games they could win there and decide for the third time after 1999 and 2002, the last Grand Slam tournament of the season for themselves. This also the first time since 2003, she climbed back to # 1 in the world rankings. But the results of the last weeks of the year were not sufficient to defend this position until the end of the season. So Williams finished the 2008 season finally at position 2
At the beginning of 2009, Williams succeeded after 2003, 2005 and 2007, the fourth title at the Australian Open. On the way to their 10th overall Grand Slam success, they had to suffering a loss rate only in the quarter- final against Svetlana Kuznetsova. By winning the title, she was again for a few weeks the number 1 in the world rankings, had this position but release it again after she succeeded no other tournament success in the coming months and they conceded even three Erstrundenniederlagen in a row during the clay court season. At the French Open she failed in a tight quarter-final match against Kuznetsova, before she moved into the finals again at Wimbledon. Unlike the previous year, she could this time against sister Venus 7-6, 6-2 to enforce. For the first time since 2003 had the American so can win two major titles in a season again. In the doubles competition, Williams was also successful and could together with Venus for the first time a defending doubles title at Grand Slam level successfully. It was already her second major success in this discipline in the 2009 season after the Australian Open in January, already had gone to the Williams sisters. But was unsuccessful Williams title defense at the U.S. Open, which ended in the semi-final against Kim Clijsters. In doubles, it was enough, however, to win the title, apart from the French Open had Serena and Venus Williams for all Grand Slam tournaments in 2009, won in this discipline. At season's end, the American was able to celebrate its third season title by the WTA Tour Championships she could decide for the second time. With this success in the last tournament of the year it secured beyond the top position in the world rankings; for the second time after 2002 she finished a season as the No. 1, also at position 2 of the twin world rankings.
Season 2010
As in the year before she won the Australian Open in singles and the doubles with her sister. With a three-set victory over Justine Henin she won her 12th Grand Slam singles title. In early March of the year they could look forward to winning a trophy off the court. For the second time after 2003, she was named Best Female Athlete of the year with the Laureus Award.
On April 26, Serena Williams stood as the seventh player 100 weeks long at the top of world rankings. Before that, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis and Justine Henin had succeeded.
After weeks of injury breaks and numerous tournament cancellations ( Dubai, Miami and Charleston ) joined Williams again until early May at a WTA event at. As top-seeded player she had a bye in the first round and reached the semi-finals rather unsettled services. There she defeated Jelena Jankovic in a hard- fought match in the tiebreak of the third set. Also at the tournament in Madrid, she had a bye in round one due to their semi-finals in the previous week. In the second round she defeated in the longest match of her career Vera Dushevina after about three and a half hours. All sentences were decided in the tiebreak. But already in the next round, she was eliminated by Nadia Petrova. On the other hand she could with her sister the doubles tournament win ( in the final against Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta ) and adjusted as before to World No. 2 in doubles.
Also at the French Open, she went to the singles and in doubles. In individual could with rather easy victories to advance to the quarterfinals. Only against Pavlyuchenkova she gave a block. In the quarterfinals, she then had to play against Samantha Stosur, who had previously thrown Justine Henin out of the tournament. After they had fought back from 2:6, 3:5, she forgave in the third set at 5-4 a match point and lost the set with 6:8. In doubles, she could with her sister advance to the finals. Set to number 1 in the semi-finals they defeated the world rankings Liezel Huber Leading. Thus, it was the new number one in the double world rankings. In the final, the Williams sisters won against Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik, and achieved so that a "non-genuine Grand Slam" - previously they had already won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last and the Australian Open this year.
Thus, it was listed as only sixth player at the same time as number 1 in singles and doubles. In front of her that was only Martina Navratilova, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport and Kim Clijsters successful.
Season 2011
Her comeback after almost twelve -month injury break ended in the second round of Wimbledon - her earliest resignation there since 2005 The defending champion defeated the in-form Marion Bartoli, who had already won the warm-up tournament in Eastbourne, 3:6, 6:7. . When hard court tournament in Stanford came for revenge. In the final, this time Williams retained after a competitive first set, Bartoli was in the 4:2 lead, 7:5 and 6:1 the upper hand and thus secured their 38th career title. In Toronto she could reloading No. 39 immediately. Also at the U.S. Open, she stood for a semi-final victory over the world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the final, where she defeated Samantha Stosur in straight sets. At the end Serena Williams was already back in 12th place
Season 2012
At Wimbledon, she already won their fifth single and ( along with her sister Venus) fifth doubles title. On hard court let them follow it like their 43rd career title one week. In the finals of Stanford defended against her compatriot Coco Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-3 for the title. At the Olympic Games in London, she went to both the individual as well as with her sister in a double. She was able to repeat the success of its sister from the year 2000, when this won both competitions. In the singles final, she defeated Sharapova 6-0 clear, 6-1 and won gold at the same time her first individual medal. With Venus defeated her in the doubles final Andrea Hlaváčková and Lucie Hradecká with 6:4, 6:4. They defended their title in 2008 without losing a set. With their respective fourth gold medal, the Williams sisters were also the most successful tennis players in the Olympics.
In early September could decide Williams is the fourth time the women's singles at the U.S. Open for themselves. As the number four -seeded she defeated under anderemAna Ivanović ( quarterfinal ) and Sara Errani ( semifinals ) and reached the final without dropping a set, where she met the world No. Wiktoryja Azarenka. Williams defeated her opponent in a narrow, 138 -minute match in three sets ( 6-2, 2:6, 7:5 ) after Azarenka in the third set win the match with a 5-4 lead and his serve just two points ahead of the had stood. At age 30, Williams was the then second-oldest U.S. Open champion after the Australian Margaret Smith Court (1973 )
The end of October defeated Williams in the finals of the WTA Championships in Istanbul Sharapova in straight sets ( 6-4, 6-3 ). So she won for the third time the world title and was also the hitherto oldest winner of the season ending tournament. The French sports newspaper L' Équipe they chose then to the " World Sportswoman of the Year ".
Season 2013
Williams started the season with a tournament victory in Brisbane, missed the Australian Open but her third Grand Slam success in series. In the quarterfinals, she had to admit defeat Sloane Stephens. In February, the finals lodged Premier 5 tournament in Doha, in order to secure for more than two years of interruption again number 1 in the world rankings. Williams was subsequently in the oldest number one in the history of the world rankings. Then they started the longest winning streak of her career. She was consecutively successful in the tournaments in Miami, Charleston, Madrid and Rome. The title win in Madrid was about the 50th tournament victory in her career.
At the French Open, she joined with a group of 24 victories in a row. Once she was there failed in the previous year for the first time in her career at a major tournament in the first round, Williams played this time without dropping a set before the quarter-finals. There, she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova in three sets before high house with 6:0 and 6:1 against Sara Errani won for her semi-final match. In the final, Williams met with the number 2 in the world rankings, Maria Sharapova. In the third final duel at a Grand Slam tournament Serena Williams retained at the end of 6:4 and 6:4 the upper hand. She was able to make the 13th time in a row a match against Sharapova victorious. For Williams, it was the total of 16 major titles and the second success at the French Open after her first title win in 2002.
On September 8, she won the U.S. Open in 2:45 hours her 17th title at a Grand Slam tournament. So she sat down in a rematch of last year's final against Azarenka through. With this success, the current world number one pulled equal with Steffi Graf, who also won the title five times in New York.
In the final WTA Championships in Istanbul, it reached as defending champion after beating Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitová and Agnieszka Radwańska the semifinals, where she defeated Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 2:6 and 6:4. In the final, they then secured against Li Na with 2:6, 6:3 and 6:0 fourth win at the WTA Championships.
Tournament Win
Singles
Double (22 )
Career statistics and tournament balance
Singles
Legend: S = tournament victory; F, HF, VF, AF = finals / semifinals / quarterfinals / knockout stages; 1, 2, 3 = eliminated in the first / second / third main round; RR = Round Robin ( Group Stage ); n a = not discharged; a K. = other category; PO ( Playoff) = promotion and relegation round of Fed Cup; K1, K2, K3 = participation in the Continental Group I, II, III in the Fed Cup.
Were considered the tournaments Tier I ( to 2008), or the tournaments of categories Premier Mandatory and Premier 5 ( since 2009).