27th September, 2013
World No 1 and 17-time Grand Slam Champion Serena Williams celebrated her 32nd birthday on Thursday. She has a lot to be thankful for.
She is deemed as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. She currently holds the record for the most wins in singles, doubles and mixed doubles among other male or female players. She is the only player to have achieved a Career Golden Slam in both the singles and doubles divisions. She has won four Olympic gold medals and she is the only tennis player to have received more than $50 million prize money. The list goes on. What more could she really ask for? Perhaps, a loving relationship with the person she loves the most? Why not?
Meanwhile, Serena has secured the year-end world No 1 ranking for the third time in her glittering career, the WTA said on Friday, after adding nine titles this season including two more Grand Slams.
The American power-hitter, now on a career total of 55 titles with 17 major wins, also achieved the feat in 2002 and 2009.
Serena joins Justine Henin and Martina Hingis as a three-time year-end No 1, with only Steffi Graf (8), Martina Navratilova (7), Chris Evert (5) and Lindsay Davenport (4) ahead of her.
“Serena has proven time and time again throughout her career that she is an incredible champion, both on and off the court,” said WTA chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster said in a statement.
“This season she continues to rewrite the record books, proving that she is one of the sport’s greatest athletes of all-time.”
Williams has summited the rankings six times and on Monday, she will have held the top position for a total of 156 weeks, the WTA said.
In February, she became the oldest world No 1 since computer rankings were introduced in 1975.
And this year Williams also became the first woman to surpass $9 million in prize money in a single season, pushing her career earnings past $50 million.