List of career achievements by Serena Williams

This page lists various career, tournament, and seasonal achievements by tennis player Serena Williams.

Records

Grand Slam tournaments

• At the 1999 U.S. Open, became the second African-American woman to win a Grand Slam title
• By winning the 2001 Australian Open Doubles championship with Venus Williams, became the fifth pair to complete a Career Doubles Grand Slam and the only pair to win a Career Doubles Golden Slam.
• At the 2001 U.S. Open, marked the first time in the Open era, and second time in 117 years that sisters met in a Grand Slam final (with Venus Williams)
• In 2001 became the first player in tennis history to win the Season-Ending Championships on her debut
• Her 21 grand slam singles titles puts her 3rd in the all-time list of grand slam winners (Court 24 and Graf 22) and 2nd in the open era (Graf 22).
• At the 2002 Roland Garros, she became the first younger sister to defeat her older sister in a Grand Slam singles tournament.
• In 2002 became the first ever siblings to rank Top 2 at same time with sister Venus
• By winning the 2003 Australian Open, became the fifth woman to hold all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously.
• By winning the 2003 Australian Open, became the first African-American to win the championship.
• By reaching the final of the 2003 Australian Open, she and sister Venus became the first players to compete in 4 consecutive slam finals.
• By winning the 2005 Australian Open by defeating Mauresmo and Davenport, became the only player in tennis history to win three Grand Slam singles titles (1999 U.S. Open, 2002 Roland Garros) by beating the top two ranked players.
• By winning the 2007 Australian Open became the first unseeded player since Chris O'Neil (1978) to win a slam, she was ranked #81 in the world.
• Her six-year gap between Wimbledon titles is second only to Evonne Goolagong Cawley's nine years.
• Only player to have won three Grand Slam singles titles after saving match points (2003 Australian Open versus Kim Clijsters, 2005 Australian Open versus Maria Sharapova, and 2009 Wimbledon versus Elena Dementieva).^[1]
• Against Elena Dementieva, she played the longest recorded Wimbledon women's semifinal in the open era: 2 hours, 45 minutes.
• By winning the 2010 Roland Garros doubles with sister Venus, they became the first pair since 1998 to hold the four slams at the same time.
• By winning the 2010 Roland Garros doubles with sister Venus, they became the first pair in Open Era history to complete the Career Doubles Golden Slam twice (2001 & 2003 Australian Open, 1999 & 2010 Roland Garros, 2000 & 2002 Wimbledon, 1999 & 2009 U.S. Open, and 2000 & 2008 Olympic gold medalists).
• In 2014, she won her 6th U.S. Open title, the most in the Open Era (tied with Evert)
• In 2015, she won her 6th Australian Open title, the most in the Open Era (stands alone).
• In 2015, she won her 6th Wimbledon title. She became the only person in history, male or female, to win three of the four grand slams 6 times(AO 2003/2005/2007/2009/2010/2015, WIM 2002/2003/2009/2010/2012/2015, and USO 1999/2002/2008/2012/2013/2014).
• Upon winning the 2015 Wimbledon singles title, she became the only player, male or female, to win grand slam singles titles numbering in the double digits in two separate decades (ten in the 2000s and ten in the 2010s).
• She is only the fourth woman in the Open Era to win a tournament six or more times after Steffi Graf, Chris Evert, and Martina Navratilova. She's won 8 Miami Masters, 6 U.S. Opens, 6 Australian Opens, and 6 Wimbledon titles.
• After winning the 2003 Australian Open, she became the sixth player to win a Career Grand Slam.
• She is also only the third player to achieve a Career Grand Slam in singles and doubles after Margaret Court and Martina Navratilova
• Second player to win a slam singles titles in three decades after Martina Navratilova (USO 1999, FO 2002, AO 2010)
• Winner of all four Grand Slam singles titles in two decades (along with Court and Graf)
• Longest span between first (1999) and last (2014) US Open titles: 15 years
• First woman to win 50+ career matches in all four Grand Slams in the Open Era.^[2]
• First woman to win a grand slam tournament losing five sets en route to the title (FO 2015)
• Oldest player to hold all Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously (2014-2015)
• Only player, male or female, to complete the Career Golden Slam after turning 30 years of age (WIM 2012, OLY 2012, USO 2012, FO 2013, AO 2015).
• Third female player to win 70+ matches at 3 of the 4 grand slam events. She's won 70 at the Australian Open, 79 at Wimbledon, and 84 at the US Open (tied with Steffi Graf who won 73 US Open, 75 Wimbledon, and 87 Roland Garros matches...and Chris Evert winning 72 at Roland Garros, 98 at Wimbledon, and 103 at the US Open.)

Prize money and earnings

• First woman to win US$6,000,000 in prize money in a single year: 2009.
• First woman to win US$12,000,000 in prize money in a single year: 2013. (Record: $12,385,572)
• First, and only, woman to win US$40,000,000 in career prize money (in 2012).
• First, and only, woman to win US$50,000,000 in career prize money (in 2013).
• First, and only, woman to win US$60,000,000 in career prize money (in 2014).
• First, and only, woman to win US$70,000,000 in career prize money (in 2015).
• Holds the record for most seasons (17) earning $1,000,000 or more. In 1999-2005 and 2007-2016.
• Holds the record for most seasons (5) earning $5,000,000 or more. In 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.
• Holds the record for most seasons (4) earning $7,000,000 or more. In 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.
• Holds the record for most seasons (3) earning $9,000,000 or more. In 2013, 2014, 2015.
• Holds the record for most seasons (2) earning $10,000,000 or more In 2013 and 2015.
• She stands as the highest earning female athlete of all-time in terms of prize money, across all sports, with $75,360,291 (as of 1 February 2016).

Olympic Games

• In 2012, after winning the singles and doubles gold in the olympics became the most decorated tennis player in the Olympics with a record of 4 gold medals shared with sister Venus.
• At the 2012 Olympics in London, Serena Williams won gold medals in singles and doubles, joining sister Venus Williams (2000 Sydney) and Helen Wills (1924 Paris) as the only women to win a gold medal in both singles and doubles in the same year at the Olympics.
• In 2012, she and sister Venus became the first team to win a record 3 doubles gold in the Olympics as a team
• Oldest player to hold all Grand Slam titles in singles and the Olympic Gold simultaneously (US Open 2014-Wimbledon 2015, 2012 Olympics)

Ranking

• Oldest player to reach No.1 ranking (31 years, 4 months in 2013).
• Oldest player to hold No. 1 ranking (34 years, 122 days) as of 25 January 2016.
• Oldest player to win a grand slam singles title at 33 years and 289 days (Wimbledon 2015).
• At 1997 Ameritech Cup in Chicago, became the lowest ranked player in tennis history (No.304) to defeat two Top 10 players, Monica Seles and Mary Pierce, in one tournament
• On June 7, 2010, became the 7th player to hold the no. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles simultaneously
• At 2007 Sony Ericsson Open in Miami became lowest ranked player (Number 18) to defeat the Top 2 players in the world in the same tournament by defeating Number 1 Henin & 2 Sharapova
• Longest winning streak against No 1 player (years): 4 (shared with Davenport, Graf and Venus Williams).
• By winning the 2008 U.S. Open she makes the longest-ever gap between stints at No.1 (five years, one month)
• During the 2002 Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami, became the second player after Steffi Graf in the Open era to defeat the first (Jennifer Capriati), second (Venus Williams), and third (Martina Hingis) ranked players at the same tournament.
• On July 13, 2015, became the 1st player to have more than twice as many points as anyone else on the WTA Rankings.^[3]

Other

• At the 1998 Lipton Championships in Miami became the fastest woman in tennis history to record 5 Top 10 wins by defeating Irina Spîrlea in 2nd Round (16 career matches)
• At 1999 Open Gaz de France in Paris marking the first time in tennis history that sisters won titles in the same week (Venus Williams won Oklahoma City)
• At 1999 Evert Cup in Indian Wells became the second non-seeded player to win a Tier I event
• At the 1999 Lipton Championships in Miami became the first pair of sisters in the Open era to meet in a tournament final (with Venus Williams)
• In 2012 Wimbledon, in her semifinal match against Azarenka, she hit a record 24 aces in a match, which was surpassed by Sabine Lisicki at the 2015 Aegon Classic in Birmingham.
• At the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, she set a record for most aces served in a tournament, hitting 102 aces in the tournament, which was the most of men or women at the Championships that year.
• Most hardcourt grand slam singles titles: 12 [6 Australian Open & 6 U.S. Open] (stands alone).
• Only player, male or female, to ever accomplish a Career Golden Slam in singles and doubles.
• Winner of most Miami Masters Titles, Men or Women, after winning her 8th title in 10 finals at the tournament in 2015

Awards

1998 WTA Newcomer of the Year Tennis Magazine/Rolex Rookie of the Year 1999 WTA Most Improved Player of the Year Tennis Magazine Player of the Year 2000 WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams) Teen Choice Awards – Extraordinary Achievement Award Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.68) Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year for team sports (with Venus Williams) 2001 Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.71) 2002 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year WTA Player of the Year ITF Women's Singles World Champion Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.72) Gazzetta dello Sport Sportswoman of the Year United States Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year 2003 34th NAACP Image Awards President's Award Best Female Athlete ESPY Award Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Avon Foundation Celebrity Role Model Award BET Award for Female Athlete of the Year Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.60) 2004 WTA Comeback Player of the Year Family Circle/Prudential Financial Player Who Makes a Difference Award Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award BET Award for Female Athlete of the Year Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.63) Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2) Teen Choice Awards – Female Athlete Award Glamour Magazine Sportswoman of the Year 2005 BET Award for Female Athlete of the Year Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.62) Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2) Dirty Awards – Best Sports Athlete Female 2006 Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.87) Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2) 2007 BET Award for Female Athlete of the Year Laureus World Comeback of the Year Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1) Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.69) 2008 WTA Player of the Year Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.69) Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2) 2009 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year SI.com Best Female Athlete of the Decade Glamour Magazine Women of the Year Award BET Award for Female Athlete of the Year Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1) Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award ITF Women's Singles World Champion ITF Women's Doubles World Champion (with Venus Williams) ESPN Second Best Tennis Player of the Decade (with Roger Federer at No.1) WTA Player of the Year WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams) WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams) Doha 21st Century Leaders Awards – Outstanding Leadership Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.67)

2010 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year TIME Magazine The World's 100 Most Influential People Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.61) BET Award for Female Athlete of the Year Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1)[4] WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams) Forbes 30 Utterly Inspiring Role Models Teen Choice Awards – Female Athlete Award Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (No.55) 2011 BET Award for Female Athlete of the Year Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.84) TIME Magazine 30 Legends of Women's Tennis Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award US Open Series Champion Forbes Most Powerful Black Women in the U.S. (No.10) The Root 100 2011: Influencers and Iconoclasts (No.41) Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1) 2012 Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.77) BET Award for Sportswoman of the Year WTA Player of the Year[5] WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Venus Williams) ITF Women's Singles World Champion[6] L'Équipe Champion of Champions United States Sports Academy Female Athletes of the Year Award Teen Choice Awards – Female Athlete Award AIPS Sportswoman of the Year 2013 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.56) Best Female Athlete ESPY Award Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1) US Open Series Champion WTA Player of the Year ITF Women's Singles World Champion L'Équipe Champion of Champions espnW Impact 10 (No.1) AIPS Sportswoman of the Year Gazzetta dello Sport Sportswoman of the Year 2014 BET Sportswoman of the Year TIME Magazine 100 Most Influential People Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.69) Teen Choice Awards – Female Athlete Award US Open Series Champion Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1) WTA Player of the Year ESPN Tennis WTA Player of the Year ITF Women's Singles World Champion AIPS Sportswoman of the Year 2015 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year BET Sportswoman of the Year Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award ESPN Tennis WTA Player of the Year Woman's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1) Harris Poll Top 10 Athletes of All-Time (No.4) Harris Poll Top 10 Greatest Tennis Player (No.1) WTA Player of the Year WTA Social Fan Favorite - Post of the Year WTA Social Fan Favorite - Aww of the Year WTA Social Fan Favorite - Womance of the Year (with Caroline Wozniacki) ITF Women's Singles World Champion Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year[7] United States Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year L'Équipe Champion of Champions AIPS Sportswoman of the Year Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards- Queen of Swag 2016 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year[8]

Recognition

In 2005, Tennis Magazine ranked her as the 17th-best player in 40 years.^[9]

In June 2011, she was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by Time.^[10] In 2014 she was named one of ESPNW's Impact 25.^[11]

See also

• List of Open Era tennis records
• WTA Tour
• WTA Awards

References

1. "SERENA & MARGARET: AN UNMATCHABLE FEAT?". WTA. 2008-12-04.
2. Serena: 50 Wins At Every Grand Slam
3. Historic Ranking Milestone for Serena
4. "Tiger is Still America's Favorite Sports Star, but Shares Title with Kobe Bryant". Harris Interactive. July 20, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
5. "Serena Williams named WTA Player of the Year". Retrieved December 1, 2012.
6. "Djokovic and Williams named 2012 ITF World Champions". Retrieved December 11, 2012.
7. "Serena Williams is Sports Illustrated's 2015 Sportsperson of the Year". Sports Illustrated. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
8. Young, Henry; Davies, Amanda (April 19, 2016). "Laureus Awards: Novak Djokovic & Serena Williams win 'Sport's Oscars'". CNN. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
9. "40 Greatest Players of the Tennis Era (17–20)". Tennis Magazine. May 17, 2006. Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
10. William Lee Adams (June 22, 2011). "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future – Serena Williams". TIME. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
11. "2014 espnW Impact 25". espnW.