How’d She Do It? Serena Williams

“I don’t like to lose at anything…yet I’ve grown most not from victories, but setbacks. If winning is God’s reward, then losing is how He teaches us.” A quote stated by the infamous superstar Serena Williams. Today, I’m walking you through how Serena Williams came to be the success she is today.

Where it Started
Serena is the youngest of five daughters: three of which are her half-sisters Yetunde, Lyndrea, Isha Price and her full older sister Venus. Serena was born in Michigan but moved to Compton, California at the tender age of four years old.

The game of tennis was heavily influenced in Serena’s life for as long as she could remember. She did not attend regular school as the other kids in her neighborhood, instead her father home-schooled her and her siblings so they could perfect their craft of playing tennis. By the time Serena was nine, she began attending the Tennis Academy of Rick Macci in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Early Adversity

Although Serena was a great athlete, she also faced adversity and racism early on in her career. Due to the color of her skin, other people would make derogatory comments about her during her tournaments.

During that time, her record was like nothing anyone had seen before – ranking her number one in the 10-year-old and under players in Florida. Bigotry did not stop Serena from her dream of one day playing in the professionals.  It didn’t take long until Serena got her chance to play professional tennis amongst the pros.

Becoming a Pro

Not even 18 years old, Serena made her professional debut – although it was a struggle she knew she had what it took to play. By 1999, Williams won her first professional singles match. With her professional career taking off she experienced high and low moments, but never let the naysayers get the best of her during tough times.

Instead of crowds focusing on her sport ability, they took to her appearance instead. As many people who are under the spotlight like her would have folded under the pressure – Serena did not. She quieted the noise and focused on her gifts and abilities of playing the game. As many wins she conquered, she experienced struggles with injuries that followed.

An injury in the sports world is never an easy demon to face. However, with the support of her family and strong will, she did not let injury hold her back. It wasn’t until 2011 when she returned to the court with dominance greeting her with a career golden slam.

Tennis Player Turned Business Woman

With all of her businesses, Serena earns over $8 million a year. Her net worth is estimated to be upwards of $150 million and is only expected to rise in the coming years.  Serena not only perfected the game of tennis, but also learned how to invest her money so it can grow for her.

She has several endorsement deals with companies such as Nike, Beats By Dre, and Gatorade, to name a few. If the name Serena Williams does not make you want to be a go-getter and make your own money then we don’t know what to tell you. She is a champion for all women! She sets goals and reaches them without breaking a sweat.

Present Day Inspiration

She is married to husband Alexis Ohanian (founder of Reddit) and shares a beautiful baby girl with him. Serena has never let the word no or can’t be the reason why she doesn’t excel. Through her trials, she learned valuable lessons of working hard and staying true to herself.

She is one woman who believes hard work and dedication can make any dream become reality. Amongst her many roles and titles she has earned, the name mom holds the highest title. She continues to be a role model for young girls and women around the world showing that anything is possible if you’re your heart is in it.

Related: How’d She Do It? Karen Civil

Serena Williams is a true inspiration, on and off the court. She shows the power of working hard and facing adversity head on. I hope this read inspires you to look fear in the face and keep grinding! Are you a fan of Serena Williams? What do you think of her story? Post a comment below to share!

-Taelor

The CGS Team