Serenading Serena

TIME will tell whether Serena Williams comes to be acknowledged as the best female tennis champion ever. Some aficionados have insisted that while Serena’s claim to being the most dominant player (male or female) in the Open Era is indubitable, the Australian Margaret Court is in fact the best female tennis player ever, having amassed a total of 24 Grand Slam titles (Serena has 23). No matter what happens, there is no arguing the fact that Serena Williams, who turns 41 in a couple of weeks, has been the most influential tennis player of the past quarter of a century and one of the most fascinating sporting celebrities within the same period.

To say that the odds were stacked against Serena and her sister, Venus, is an understatement, and the fact that they fought their way out of the dire circumstances in Compton, California (they were born in Saginaw, Michigan) speaks volumes about their single-minded dedication to their craft. Then there was the influence of their father, Richard Williams, who had the notion of raising his two daughters to become tennis champions and would not be talked out of it.

From all accounts, Mr. Williams had an unorthodox and exacting approach, but the challenges he and his little daughters faced were far from orthodox. In his 2014 memoir, Black and White: The Way I see It, Richard Williams writes: “Training started early for my kids, but it wasn’t only on the tennis courts. I used to take Venus and Serena to work with me so they could learn the importance of planning, responsibility, and a strong work ethic, even at their early age.” In other words, Mr. Williams did not just bring up his daughters to be tennis champions. More important, he wanted them to excel in the game of life.

Looking at Serena’s record, we can confidently declare that she took her dad’s lessons to heart. Having turned professional in 1995 at the tender age of fourteen, Serena drew the line under a fabulous career with 858 tour victories, 73 singles titles, an Olympic gold medal and 319 weeks at No. 1. Not bad for a girl who was not expected to make it in a game that was once dominated by and thought to be the preserve of white players.

Beyond these astonishing numbers, Serena will go down in history for her impact on a new generation of players, including Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Taylor Townsend, and Frances Tiafoe, all of whom have spoken at different times about her influence on them. Serena may be done with tennis, but tennis is not done with her.

We celebrate and uphold her as a testament to grit, dedication and industry. We thank her and her sister for the absolute delight they’ve given tennis fans all over the world over the past couple of decades. We wish Serena good luck in her future endeavours.