People think she is too aggressive on the court, especially after being accused of receiving signals from her coach in the finals of the US Open in 2018. People told her she looked ridiculous when she wore her “Wakanda” style suit. In response she wore a tutu for her next games. She was told she was crazy when she and her sister, Venus Williams,  bought shares in the Miami Dolphins, which made them the first African American women to own part of an NFL team. She was also “crazy” when she signed a $12 million contract with Puma when she graduated high school. 

In my eyes, Serena Williams is not crazy or aggressive. She’s powerful and girls should look up to her. Seeing her retire is sad, but she leaves behind a legacy with big shoes to fill. Williams took home an abundance of championships, titles and medals, along with knowing that she made a huge impact on women all over the world. 

Growing up in Compton, California, William’s father taught her the basics of tennis on pothole littered courts. She started on the junior US Tennis Association 46-3, ranking No. 1 in the 10 and under division. In 1995, she went pro ranking No. 99 moving up from No. 304  the prior year. 

Collectively she has captured 23 Grand Slam titles, six US Open championships, seven Australian Open championships, seven  Wimbledon championships, and three French Open championships. This list does not include doubles and medals won at the Olympics. 

In 2003, she found out her half-sister was murdered. Later in 2017, the man who murdered her sister had been paroled three years short of his full sentence. When she discovered the news, she fell into a slump. She left tennis for a period of time and came back like she never left. In my mind, she took the time she needed to process the situation so she could come back and play her best tennis. 

When she gave birth to her daughter in 2017, she revealed there were many complications with the pregnancy. Before she was pregnant, she had had problems with blood clots before, but while she was pregnant, the issue became more prevalent. She felt helpless, not being able to tend to her child even though she was physically unable to do anything strenuous. But, she returned to tennis too early and pulled out of a tournament just a short three months after coming back. 

Serena Williams has made a huge impact on the tennis community by leveling up her play and by displaying her strength on the court. She has also touched many young girls to be the strong and independent people they are.