Serena Williams is the world's number one tennis player amongst women. Born on 26th of September 1981 at Saginaw in Michigan in the US, she lives at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida. Her elder sister, Venus occupies the number two spot in women's rankings.
Their father, Richard Williams with the dream of producing world-beaters, first coached Venus and Serena in California where they lived in the 80s. The family moved to Florida in 1991 so that the sisters, who had already won some junior tournaments, could train under Rick Macci, Jennifer Capriati's coach. Richard Williams then suddenly withdrew his children from the junior circuit so that they could concentrate in their studies. He also took over the coaching as well as the promotion of his prodigious daughters.
Serena turned professional in 1995 and did not meet with immediate success. In 1997 she was ranked 304, but showed signs of what was to come when she beat Mary Pierce and Monica Seles in the Ameritech Cup at Chicago and jumped to the 100th spot on the rankings. In 1998 she won the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon with Max Mirnyi and improved her ranking to 21.
Serena won her first Grand Slam singles title in 1999 defeating Martina Hingis in the finals of the US Open. She then teamed up with her sister to clean up the doubles title. She finished the 1999 season ranked in the top five, with Venus in third spot. Venus, though injured at the beginning of 2000, dominated the women's tour that season and teamed up with Serena to win the women's doubles titles at Wimbledon and at the US Open. They then combined to fetch for USA the doubles gold at the Sydney Olympics. Venus won the singles title too.
The year 2001 saw Serena winning some and losing some. In the US Open that year she beat Davenport and Hingis in the run up to the final clash with her sister. She finished runners up losing in two sets. The 2002 season however belonged entirely to Serena, for she beat Venus in the finals of the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. She occupied for the first time the number one rank in women's tennis, sending her sister to the second spot. Serena started the 2003 season with a bang, winning the Australian Open, beating her sister in three sets, but was shocked by Justine Henin-Hardenne in the semifinals of the French Open.
Their mother, Brandi, has home schooled Serena, along with Venus and three other sisters. Having received their school diplomas, Serena and Venus have specialized in the Fashion Design from the Art School of Florida.