World-famous as one of the best tennis players in the history of the Women’s Tennis Association, Serena Jameka Williams was born on 26 September 1981, in the city of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA. Widely hailed as a legend in modern tennis, Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles in a total of 72 WTA singles titles.
So just how rich is Serena Williams, as of early 2017? Authoritative sources estimate that Serena has accrued a net worth of more than $180 million over the course of her career, since becoming a professional in 1995, the female player with the largest amount of prize money won, plus income from lucrative sponsorship deals. Considering Serena is also one of the WTA’s most successful doubles players as well – competing alongside her sister, Venus Williams – her considerable net worth is likely to increase.
Serena Williams Net Worth $180 Million
Serena Williams has been involved with tennis from her childhood; home-schooled and coached by her parents from the age of four, Serena grew up a true athlete – for a time, she was the #1 under-ten junior tennis player in Florida, and appeared in numerous junior tournaments until her father and coach Richard Williams, decided Serena should focus on schoolwork rather than sport for a time. Nonetheless, this did nothing to slow the future world number one, and Serena would debut as a professional tennis player in 1995. In 1997, ranked only #304 in the WTA rankings, Williams beat two top ten players in the Ameritech Cup Chicago tournament, making her the lowest-ranking player ever to have defeated two top ten players in one tournament. With such an auspicious beginning to her career, and with a mixed doubles win at Wimbledon in 1998, – alongside Max Mirnyi – Serena’s career was off to a rather spectacular start, as was her net worth.
Serena Williams would prove more than able to live up to expectations. To date, Serena has won a career Grand Slam (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open) twice, although not in the same year, but is one of the five women’s players ever to have held all these titles at the same time – a truly extraordinary feat. She has won Wimbledon and the Australian Open seven times, US Open six and French Open three times, which makes her very marketable, so that in addition to being the highest earning female tennis player in the world in terms of prize money won, Serena has also managed to translate her success into a series of lucrative endorsement deals over the years, including with sporting companies Puma, Wilson and Nike, as well as Gatorade, Delta Air Lines and Pepsi among many others, which have added significantly to her net worth.
Serena has been the #1 ranked WTA player six times to date, which includes her current, recently resumed reign as the world’s top professional female player. Serena Williams has climbed to the top in spite of spirited competition by some of the world’s most talented women’s tennis players, having, at one point or another beaten athletes including her own sister Venus, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and more recently vying with Angelique Kerber for the #1 ranking.
In her personal life, Serena remains single, having previously been romantically involved with the rapper Common until their breakup in 2010. However, she announced her engagement to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in December 2016.
Australian Open - W (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017), French Open - W (2002, 2013, 2015), Wimbledon - W (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016), US Open - W (1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014); Olympic Games: Gold medal - 2000 Sydney, (Doubles), Gold medal - 2008 Beijing (Doubles), Gol...
Nominations
Women's Tennis Association (WTA) - world No. 1 in singles (2002-2017), Current ranking - No. 2 (March 20, 2017)
Movies
Hair Show, Red Clay Heroes
TV Shows
"Serena" (2016), "7 Days in Hell" (2015), "Venus and Serena" (2012), "Punk'd" (2005-2007), "The Bernie Mac Show" (2006), "Trust Us With Your Life", "Drop Dead Diva"
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Quote
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[ to interviewer, 2015] You don't understand me. I'm just about winning.
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[observation, 2015, on addressing a bad on-court experience she had suffered many years before] I'm fortunate to be at a point in my career where I have nothing to prove. I'm still as driven as ever, but the ride is a little easier. I play for the love of the game. And it is with that love in mind, and a new understanding of the true meaning of forgiveness that I will proudly return to Indian Wells in 2015.
3
For all their practice, preparation and confidence, even the best competitors in every sport have a voice of doubt inside them that says they are not good enough. I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.
4
You never fail if you try. You only fail if you don't try. Go out there and try whatever you are dreaming of!
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I could lose 20 pounds and I'm still going to have these knockers and I'm going to have this ass, and that's just the way it is. addressing her fitness level after winning the 2007 Australian Open
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I've always said that I'm insatiable.
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I'm afraid I'm already a shopaholic. Fortunately, I'm no longer in denial, and the first step to recovering is getting out of denial.
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Fact
1
Speaks French well enough to do press conferences in the language.
2
One of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. [April 2014].
3
Release of her book, "How to Play Tennis: Learn How to Play Tennis with the Williams Sisters" by Serena and Venus Williams. [2004]
4
Unable to defend Australian Open title (lost in the third round). Missed the French Open and Wimbledon due to injuries and attempted a comeback at the US Open but lost in the 4th round. Only competed in 4 tournaments in 2006. Ranking has dropped to 95 in the world. [September 2006]
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Release of her book, "On the Line" by Serena with Daniel Paisiner. [2009]
6
Has dropped to #6 in the rankings. Has not played in a tennis tournament since July, 2003. She dropped off the tour due to knee injuries, but despite her recent announcement that she is healthy and fit she decided to withdraw from the Australian Open grand slam competition (where she is defending champion) as she continues to pursue TV and film appearances. [February 2004]
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Appeared in an infomercial, hosted by Vanessa Williams, for "Proactiv Solution" acne medication. [2007]
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Recently won her 7th major title at the Australian Open Came back from match points down to defeat reigning Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova in the semifinals then went on to defeat top seed Lindsay Davenport in the final. [January 2005]
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Release of the book, "Venus and Serena Williams: Athletes" by Anne M. Todd. [2009]
10
Recently won the Sony Ericsson Open for the 4th time in her career. Crushed the tournament's top seed Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-1 in the 4th round after Sharapova had defeated older sister Venus Williams. Made a dramatic comeback in the final against newly crowned world number one Justine Henin. Defeated Henin 0-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the final. Continues her remarkable comeback to the top of the tennis rankings. Ascended from 95 in the world last year to number 11 by winning the two biggest titles of the year so far. [March 2007]
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Lives in Palm Beach, Florida with her sister, Venus Williams, and two dogs, Jackie (a Jack Russell terrier) and Lauralie (a Maltese). They became limited partners of the Miami Dolphins. [2009]
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Appeared in an infomercial, hosted by Anthony Robbins and Tom Selleck, for "The Tony Robbins Ultimate Edge" system. [2008]
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Reestablished herself as the dominant force in women's tennis by winning the Australian Open for the 3rd time. Dominated the world's top ranked player Maria Sharapova in the final 6-1, 6-2 to win her 8th major championship title. [January 2007]
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In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated her earnings for the year at $14 million.
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She is a certified Fashion Designer and has her own clothing line called "Aneres" which is her name spelled backwards.
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On 25 January 2003, she won the Australian Open tennis championship, completing the 'grand slam' of women's tennis. "The Serena Slam Completed" was ranked #10 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Most Awesome Sports Moments (of the last 15 years)". [17 July 2005 issue]
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Elder sister Yetunde Price was murdered in Compton, California in Fall of 2003
Among her pets was a Yorkshire terrier by the name of Petey (named after one of her tennis heroes, Pete Sampras), Jackie the Jack Russell Terrier; and Bambi the pitbull.
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Her scenes of her first movie Black Knight (2001) were cut.
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Won the 2000 Olympics doubles competition with her sister Venus