Portrait · Vinod Divakaran / Doha Stadium Plus Qatar / CC BY 2.0 Serena Williams Tennis player, producer and entrepreneur
Born 1981
Serena Jameka Williams is an American tennis player, producer and entrepreneur born in Saginaw, Michigan. Her parents, Richard Williams and Oracene Price, taught themselves tennis through books and videos to coach their daughters. Serena trained with her father and Venus on public courts in Compton, then worked with Rick Macci after the family moved to Florida. Her father limited junior tournaments to avoid burnout. In a later long-form interview she recalled the fun of childhood tennis and his emphasis on positive thinking. Her first professional qualifying event came in Québec City in 1995; the WTA main-draw record began in 1997. The 1999 US Open brought her first major singles championship. Victories at Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open in 2002 led into the 2003 Australian Open, completing the first Serena Slam. A second run holding all four major singles titles ended at Wimbledon in 2015. Her 23 major singles championships are the women’s Open Era record, with wins across every major surface. She also built a major doubles record alongside her sister Venus. Olympic success included Sydney and Beijing doubles gold and both London singles and doubles gold. Her later career includes a final major singles title at the 2017 Australian Open and an Auckland tour title in 2020. The WTA’s historical record documents 319 weeks at singles No.1 and repeated Player of the Year honors. After stepping away following the 2022 US Open, she returned to competition in 2026; USTA’s tournament reporting confirms another doubles appearance with Venus. With Carlos Alcaraz she also reached the US Open mixed-doubles quarterfinals. Work beyond the court includes film and television roles, from scripted guest appearances and animation to documentaries about her life and career. She executive produced King Richard, where Demi Singleton portrayed the younger Serena, and Copa 71, a documentary recovering women’s football history. In the Arena revisits her career, while The CEO Club follows business leaders including Williams. The Zina festival record identifies another producing role. Her writing includes a book collaboration with Venus and Hilary Beard, the memoir On the Line with Daniel Paisner, and the illustrated children’s book The Adventures of Qai Qai. She founded WYN Beauty and discusses investing and joining Toronto Tempo’s ownership group in a 2025 TIME interview. She married Alexis Ohanian. Those accounts retain their publication context rather than turning historical tastes into a present routine.
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Connected people 01 Autobiographies and fantasy novels Direct long-form interview; later watch interview says time for reading had become scarce.
Recorded with an attributable source 02 Cover source The Adventures of Qai Qai Serena Williams Authored picture book, illustrated by Yesenia Moises.
Named item linked to an attributable source 03 Cover source On the Line Serena Williams with Daniel Paisner Coauthored memoir; exact ebook reference edition.
Named item linked to an attributable source View image source 04 Cover source The Secret Rhonda Byrne Influential reading named in a dated Q&A; displayed edition is a reference, not her owned copy.
Named item linked to an attributable source 05 Cover source Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson Influential reading named in a dated Q&A; displayed edition is a reference, not her owned copy.
Named item linked to an attributable source 06 Cover source Venus and Serena: Serving from the Hip Venus and Serena Williams with Hilary Beard Coauthored book; exact reference edition identified independently by ISBN.
Named item linked to an attributable source View image source 01 Making Love Out of Nothing at All — Air Supply Named in the historical Q&A; current playlist unestablished.
Recorded with an attributable source 02 John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis Her historical dinner-party soundtrack answer.
Recorded with an attributable source 01 Strawberries without cream A historical preference from her Q&A.
Recorded with an attributable source 02 Chicken, rice and gravy; gumbo; vegan sushi Historical cooking.
Recorded with an attributable source 01 Strength, cardio, HIIT and stretching Dated Tonal investor/ambassador interview; no present frequency inferred.
Recorded with an attributable source 01 Protein and real food Direct Factor partnership answer; no complete daily plan or health advice.
Recorded with an attributable source 01 Cleansing, serum and moisturizer Article describing her historical beauty demonstration; WYN founder context, exact variants not catalogued.
Recorded with an attributable source 01 Not located in the reviewed sources Serena Williams reviewed 2026-10-02: No personally worn body perfume established in two actually checked canonical beauty interviews. Indexed Lincoln in-car scent is not body fragrance or proof of independent use.
Evidence review current to 2026-10-02 Not verified 01 Christopher “Chip” Rafael Nadal Named companion in the dated Dogue interview.
Recorded with an attributable source 02 Yorkshire terrier Historical wedding report.
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