Serena’s Power Serve

Serena Williams never shies away from the limelight. During a recent photo shoot in New York, Williams performed under the lights like a seasoned thespian on Broadway. Wearing a ruffled, retro two-piece bikini in coral, she calculated every move as if she was preparing to deliver a scene-stealing monologue. With each moment that passed, she angled her sculpted figure while the photographer snapped continuously to capture the perfection that is Serena Williams.

Taking the perfect shot in front of cameras has become second nature for the 27-year-old Williams. Since captivating the tennis world as a fierce 16-year-old from Compton, Calif., she has won 10 Grand Slam singles titles, two Olympic gold medals and amassed career earnings of over $22.7 million. If Williams walked away from the Women’s Tennis Association today, she would be remembered as one of the greatest female tennis players of all time.

But what if she walked away today? At this stage of her career, Williams’ off court persona has almost superseded her tennis game. Her presence continues to expand with her attention-grabbing photos that are all over celebrity blogs and her business acumen has helped broaden her exposure. In April, Williams partnered with the Home Shopping Network to launch her Signature Statement collection of handbags, jewelry and dresses. She also owns a clothing line called Aneres.

However, Williams’ socialite status and entrepreneurial endeavors have led to criticism from those in the tennis community. In the past, tennis legends such as Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova have questioned her focus and determination on the court. “Still, a question lingers — do you ever consider your place in history?” Evert said in an open letter to Williams that was published by TENNIS Magazine. “Is it something you care about? In the short term you may be happy with the various things going on in your life, but I wonder whether 20 years from now you might reflect on your career and regret not putting 100 percent of yourself into tennis.”

Williams counters that her outside interests will prepare her for the inevitable moment when age will force her to put down the tennis racket.

“The transition from being a tennis player to a businesswoman has been easy because my mom and dad always taught Venus and I to be more than tennis players,” says Williams, who currently ranks as the No. 2 player in the world, behind Dinara Safina. “If we didn’t bring home straight A’s from school, we weren’t allowed to play tennis. My parents encouraged me to do different things because as an athlete, anything can happen on any given day. You always have to have something to fall back on. As far as I can remember, I have always had things I could have done besides play tennis.”

Rick Macci, a tennis trainer who worked with Serena and Venus at his academy in Florida in the early 1990s, doesn’t believe that Serena’s outside interests have diminished her ability to dominate women’s tennis.

“I think Serena and Venus are still the best two players in the world,” he said during a recent telephone interview. “They don’t play as much as other players because they have other interests now. If they played more, they would go undefeated every year.”

Williams would undoubtedly concur. While at a press conference for the Italian Open earlier this month, she told reporters, “Quite frankly, I’m the best in the world.” Contrary to what her detractors may say, nothing suppresses Williams’ desire to conquer opponents and she maintains an unyielding adoration for tennis.

During the summer months, she gets the chance to fall in love with the game all over again. If she participates in all three WTA Grand Slam tournaments (French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open) this summer, it’s likely that she will regain her No. 1 ranking before fall.

“The thing that motivates me to continue to strive for greatness is that I love tennis,” she emotes. “I love playing and traveling and entertaining. The fact that people will pay to see me play is the ultimate courtesy that someone can give another. Tennis has opened so many doors for me. I have traveled to different countries that I probably would’ve never been to. I have also helped other people who may not have had the same opportunities as me.”

For the most part, Williams’ parents (Richard Williams and Oracene Price) are responsible for instilling the values that have allowed Serena and Venus to dominate a sport that hasn’t always been open to minorities. Their rigorous training and the importance they placed on education prepared them to achieve a feat that has never been done before. 

“I knew from the moment that I saw them play as kids that they were going to be special,” Macci says. “I knew that they could dominate because of their speed and strength. They both changed the game of women’s tennis more than anybody who came before them. No one is even close. You will never have the No. 1 and 2 players in the world in the same house again. As long as they play, they will be at the top.”
 
As Williams finds her place in the spotlight on and off the tennis court, she’s also compelled to assist other individuals as they journey to find the light that will guide them toward greatness.

“It’s important for me to have a family who is dedicated to helping me become great,” she says. “But [not] everyone … has the support that I have. I’m blessed to have that support. But I think the biggest support that you can have is belief in self — because you can really go far if you believe in yourself. Everyone has doubt at some point because it’s normal. But no one ever really fails. You only fail when you don’t try. Sometimes it’s hard for me to maintain composure when things go bad, but I never give up.”

Anyone who has witnessed the rise of the Williams girls knows that quitting is not in their DNA. Serena’s disdain for negative feedback will allow her to remain a force in the WTA as she proceeds to delve into fashion and business. Although critics may continue to disapprove of her ventures outside of tennis, it’s clear that she has the self-control and wherewithal to handle more than one chore at a time.

“Discipline plays a role by teaching me what it takes to be a champion,” she admits. “It also helped me with the things I do off the tennis court. Because I have so much discipline on the court, I am able to do other things — such as design clothes, philanthropy and run a business. It has helped me in more ways than one.”