Sony Ericsson WTA Tour

JANUARY - Reached SF at Sydney (as top seed, l. to No.3 seed and eventual champion Dementieva); won 10th Grand Slam singles title at Australian Open (as No.2 seed, d. No.3 seed Safina in final); won eighth Grand Slam doubles title at Australian Open (w/V.Williams).

FEBRUARY - Reached SF at Paris [Indoors] (as top seed, withdrew prior to match vs. No.3 seed Dementieva w/right knee injury); reached SF at Dubai (as top seed, l. to No.6 seed and eventual champion V.Williams 76 third set).

MARCH - Runner-up at Miami (as top seed, l. to No.11 seed Azarenka in final).

APRIL - Fell 1r at Marbella (as top seed, l. to Zakopalova in 3s); withdrew from Charleston w/left leg injury.

MAY - Dropped opener at Rome (as No.2 seed w/1r bye, l. to Schnyder in 3s in 2r); fell 1r at Madrid (as No.2 seed, ret. vs. Schiavone w/right knee injury); reached QF at Roland Garros (as No.2 seed, l. to No.7 seed and eventual champion Kuznetsova 75 third set).

JUNE - Won 11th Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon (as No.2 seed, d. No.4 seed Dementieva 67(4) 75 86 in SF, saving mp down 5-4 third set, then d. No.3 seed V.Williams in final; first player ever to save mp en route to a major three times, having also done it at 2003 Australian Open, 2005 Australian Open); won ninth Grand Slam doubles title at Wimbledon (w/V.Williams).

JULY - Reached QF at Stanford (as top seed, l. to Stosur in 3s); won 16th Tour doubles title at Stanford (w/V.Williams).

AUGUST - Reached 3r at Cincinnati (as No.2 seed, l. to Bammer); reached SF at Toronto (as No.2 seed, l. to No.4 seed and eventual champion Dementieva); reached SF at US Open (as No.2 seed, l. to WC and eventual champion Clijsters); won 10th Grand Slam doubles title at US Open (w/V.Williams); made Top 3 doubles debut afterwards on September 14 (from co-No.9 w/V.Williams to co-No.3 w/V.Williams - previous career-high was No.5).

SEPTEMBER - Withdrew from Tokyo w/left knee and toe injury; reached 3r at Beijing (as No.2 seed, l. to No.13 seed Petrova 76 third set).

OCTOBER - Won 35th Tour singles title at Tour Championships (as No.2 seed, went 3-0 in RR stage to qualify for SF; d. No.4 seed Wozniacki in SF then No.7 seed V.Williams in final); qualified for Tour Championships in doubles (as No.2 seeds w/S.Williams, l. to Llagostera Vives/Martinez Sanchez in first match).

1995 - Made pro debut at Québec City, falling in qualifying (as unranked WC, l. to world No.149 Miller 61 61 in first round of qualifying); only match of year.

1996 - Did not play.

1997 - After falling in qualifying three times, made Tour main draw debut at Moscow, falling 1r (l. to Po); in second Tour main draw, reached SF at Chicago (as No.304 WC, d. No.7 Pierce and No.4 Seles en route; l. to No.5 Davenport); at No.304, was lowest-ranked player to beat a Top 5 player since 1990 (when unranked Rehe d. No.3 Sabatini) and lowest-ranked player ever to beat two Top 10 players in same event; rose from No.304 to No.102 afterwards on November 10, then made Top 100 debut on November 17 (rose to No.100).

1998 - First Top 20 season; SF at Sydney (l. to Sánchez-Vicario); QF six times, at Oklahoma City, Miami, Rome, Eastbourne, Los Angeles and Filderstadt; became fastest ever to have five Top 10 wins (in 16th pro match, d. No.10 Spirlea in Miami 2r; previous record-holder Seles did it in 33rd); all four pre-QF losses came at majors, falling 2r at Australian Open (l. to V.Williams), 4r at Roland Garros (l. to Sánchez-Vicario 46 75 63; led 64 52), 3r at Wimbledon (ret. vs. Ruano Pascual w/leg injury) and 3r at US Open (l. to Spirlea); made Top 50 debut on January 26 (after Australian Open; rose from No.53 to No.48) and Top 20 debut on June 22 (after Eastbourne; rose from No.22 to No.20); won doubles titles at Oklahoma City and Zürich (both w/V.Williams; third sisters to win a Tour doubles title together); won two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon and US Open (both w/Mirnyi); V.Williams won Australian Open and Roland Garros (both w/Gimelstob), completing a family mixed Grand Slam.

1999 - First Top 10 season, highlighted by 16-match spring win streak and first Grand Slam singles title; won first two Tour singles titles at Paris [Indoors] (d. Mauresmo in final) and Indian Wells (d. Graf in final), then extended streak to 16 to reach final at Miami (d. Hingis in SF for first win over a reigning No.1; l. to V.Williams); made her own Top 10 debut on April 5 (a week after Miami; rose from No.11 to No.9); went on 15-match win streak later in season, winning titles at Los Angeles (d. Halard-Decugis in final), US Open (d. No.1 Hingis in final) and Grand Slam Cup (d. V.Williams in final); was second African-American woman to win a Grand Slam singles title (Gibson won five, most recently in 1958); QF twice, at Rome and Berlin; four pre-QF losses came at Sydney (l. to Graf in 2r), Australian Open (l. to Testud 97 third set in 3r; held 2mp), Roland Garros (l. to Fernandez in 3r) and Filderstadt (l. to Testud 36 64 75 in 2r; led 4-2 second set and 5-1 third set); won doubles titles at Hannover, Roland Garros and US Open (all w/V.Williams); with V.Williams winning Oklahoma City during Paris [Indoors], first sisters to win singles titles in same week; with V.Williams already in Top 10 on April 5, first sisters to rank Top 10 at same time since April 22, 1991 (Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière, Katerina Maleeva); withdrew from Wimbledon w/flu and from Tour Championships w/back injury.

2000 - Another Top 10 season; won three titles at Hannover (d. Chladkova in final), Los Angeles (d. Davenport in final) and Tokyo [Princess Cup] (d. Halard-Decugis in final); runner-up twice, at Paris [Indoors] (l. to Tauziat) and Montréal (ret. vs. Hingis w/left foot injury); SF at Wimbledon (l. to V.Williams); QF twice, at Indian Wells and US Open (l. to Davenport); three pre-QF losses came at Australian Open (l. to Likhovtseva in 4r), Miami (l. to Capriati in 4r) and Amelia Island (ret. vs. Suárez in 2r w/left knee injury); withdrew from European clay season w/knee injury (from Amelia Island) and from Tour Championships w/left foot injury; won doubles titles at Wimbledon and Olympics (both w/V.Williams).

2001 - Another Top 10 season; won three titles at Indian Wells (d. Clijsters in final), Toronto (d. Capriati in final) and Tour Championships (received w/o in final from Davenport w/knee injury); runner-up at US Open (d. No.1 Hingis in SF; l. to V.Williams); QF in all six other events, at Sydney, Australian Open (l. to Hingis 62 36 86; led 4-1 third set), Miami, Roland Garros (l. to Capriati), Wimbledon (l. to Capriati 67(4) 75 63; led 76(4) 53) and Los Angeles (l. to Seles 62 36 76(2); held 6mp third set); won Australian Open doubles title (w/V.Williams; completed career doubles Grand Slam, fifth team to do so).

2002 - First No.1 season, winning eight titles (incl. three majors), at Scottsdale (d. Capriati in final), Miami (d. No.3 Hingis, No.2 V.Williams and No.1 Capriati in QF, SF and final; only second woman at the time to beat Top 3 at same event, after Graf at 1999 Roland Garros), Rome (d. Henin in final), Roland Garros (d. No.1 Capriati in SF and V.Williams in final), Wimbledon (d. No.1 V.Williams in final), US Open (d. V.Williams in final), Tokyo [Princess Cup] (d. Clijsters in final) and Leipzig (d. Myskina in final); Roland Garros and US Open finals were first all-sister finals at those events, and Wimbledon final was first since Watson sisters played for first title there in 1884; Roland Garros final marked first time in 10 Grand Slam matches between sisters that the younger one prevailed; seventh in Tour history to win three straight majors in same year (after Wills-Moody, Connolly, Court, King, Navratilova and Graf); QF or better at all five other events, reaching SF at Sydney (ret. vs. Shaughnessy w/right ankle injury then withdrew from Australian Open), QF at Charleston (l. to Schnyder 26 64 75; held mp) and finishing runner-up at Berlin (l. to Henin), Los Angeles (l. to Rubin) and Tour Championships (l. to Clijsters); rose to No.3 on May 20 (after Rome), No.2 on June 10 (after Roland Garros) and No.1 on July 8 (after Wimbledon); was 11th player (second African-American, after V.Williams) to reach No.1; held it for 57 straight weeks (would lose it to Clijsters in 2003); on June 10, were first ever siblings to rank Top 2 at same time (V.Williams No.1); won doubles titles at Wimbledon (w/V.Williams) and Leipzig (w/Stevenson).

2003 - Finished at No.3 (after Henin, Clijsters); went 38-3 to start, winning titles at Australian Open (d. Clijsters 46 63 75 in SF, having trailed 5-1 third set and 2mp down 5-2; d. V.Williams in fourth straight Grand Slam final to play each other), Paris [Indoors] (d. Mauresmo in final), Miami (d. Capriati in final) and Wimbledon (d. V.Williams in final), finishing runner-up at Charleston (l. to Henin) and falling in SF at other two events, at Rome (l. to Mauresmo) and Roland Garros (l. to Henin 62 46 75; led 4-2 third set); Australian Open was fourth straight Grand Slam singles title, becoming fifth woman all-time to achieve the feat (after Connolly, Court, Navratilova and Graf) and ninth woman all-time to win each Grand Slam at least once; won Australian Open doubles title (w/V.Williams); Clijsters ended her 57-week reign at No.1 on August 11; underwent left knee surgery on August 1 to repair a partial tear, withdrawing from all events after Wimbledon (incl. US Open, Tour Championships).

2004 - Returned to Tour after eight-month lay-off due to knee rehabilitation and had fourth straight Top 10 finish; won titles at Miami (first tournament back; d. Dementieva in final) and Beijing (d. Kuznetsova 46 75 64 in final; down 2mp at 64 54); runner-up three times, at Wimbledon (l. to Sharapova), Los Angeles (l. to Davenport in final) and Tour Championships (l. to Sharapova 46 62 64 in final; led 4-0 third set); SF at Rome (l. to Capriati); QF four times, at Amelia Island, Roland Garros (l. to Capriati), San Diego (withdrew w/left knee inflammation) and US Open (l. to Capriati); two pre-QF losses came at Charleston (withdrew prior to 3r w/left knee inflammation) and Linz (l. to Jidkova in 2r); withdrew from Australian Open w/left knee rehabilitation.

2005 - After impressive run to sixth Grand Slam singles title, injury-plagued season resulted in first non-Top 10 finish since 1998; won Australian Open (d. Sharapova 26 75 86 in SF, saving 3mp; d. No.1 Davenport in final); having saved mp vs. Clijsters in 2003 Australian Open SF en route to title, became first player in Open Era to save mp en route to two majors (duPont did it at Roland Garros and US Open in 1942 and 1948); QF or better at next four events, at Paris [Indoors] (withdrew before QF w/GI illness), Dubai (ret. in SF vs. Jankovic w/right shoulder strain), Miami (l. to V.Williams in QF) and Amelia Island (ret. in QF vs. Farina Elia w/left ankle sprain); pre-QF losses came at last five events, at Rome (l. to Schiavone in 2r), Wimbledon (l. to Craybas in 3r), Toronto (withdrew before 3r w/left knee pain), US Open (l. to V.Williams in 4r) and Beijing (l. to Sun in 2r); withdrew from Roland Garros w/left ankle injury; did not qualify for Tour Championships for first time since 1998.

2006 - Nearly finished outside Top 100 for first time after injury-plagued season; fell 3r at Australian Open (l. to Hantuchova) then withdrew from all events until summer w/left knee injury (incl. Roland Garros, Wimbledon); on April 10, ranked outside Top 100 for first time since November 16, 1997; on July 10, fell to No.140 (down from No.11 at start of 2006); ended six-month layoff with three summer events, reaching SF at Cincinnati (l. to Zvonareva), SF at Los Angeles (l. to Jankovic; returned to Top 100 afterwards, having spent 18 weeks outside) and 4r at US Open (as WC, l. to No.1 Mauresmo in 3s); played four events all year, lowest in Top 100 (next-lowest was V.Williams with six).

2007 - Seventh Top 10 season; won eighth career Grand Slam singles title at Australian Open (ranked No.81 and unseeded, d. six seeds en route to title, incl. top seed Sharapova 61 62 in final); was third-lowest-ranked player ever to win a Grand Slam singles title (after unranked Goolagong won there in 1977 and No.111 O'Neil won it in 1978); also won Miami (d. Sharapova in 4r and Henin 06 75 63 in final, saving 2mp down 60 54; at No.18, wins over world No.2 Sharapova and world No.1 Henin made her lowest-ranked in Tour history to beat world's Top 2 at same event - previous-lowest was No.17 Graf at 1998 Philadelphia); runner-up at Moscow (l. to Dementieva); QF six times, at Hobart, Rome, Roland Garros (l. to Henin), Wimbledon (l. to Henin), US Open (l. to Henin) and Stuttgart; three pre-QF losses came at Charleston (ret. 2r w/right groin strain), Zürich (ret. 1r w/right adductor strain) and Tour Championships (ret. in first RR match w/left knee injury then withdrew from tournament); having begun at No.95, returned to Top 20 on January 29 (after Australian Open; rose from No.81 to No.14) and to Top 10 for first time since September 25, 2005 on May 21 (after Rome; rose from No.11 to No.9); missed all pre-US Open summer hardcourt events w/left thumb sprain (suffered at Wimbledon).

2008 - Eighth Top 10 season of career, highlighted by ninth Grand Slam singles title, brief return to No.1 and finishing at No.2 (behind Jankovic); won first three Tour singles titles of season in 17-match spring win streak, at Bangalore (as No.3 seed, d. No.2 seed V.Williams 63 36 76(4) in SF, saving mp down 6-5 third set; d. No.4 seed Schnyder in final), Miami (as No.8 seed, d. top seed Henin, No.3 seed Kuznetsova and No.4 seed Jankovic in QF, SF and final; was fifth title there, tying Graf's all-time record; 62 60 win over Henin was most lopsided win over a reigning No.1 since Hingis l. to Dokic by same score at 1999 Wimbledon) and Charleston (as No.5 seed, d. No.2 seed Sharapova en route to final, then d. No.9 seed Zvonareva; was third career Tour singles title on clay, following wins at Rome and Roland Garros in 2002); won fourth title of year at US Open (did not drop a set en route; as No.4 seed, d. No.7 seed V.Williams, No.6 seed Safina and No.2 seed Jankovic in QF, SF and final); sixth woman in Open Era to win nine or more Grand Slam singles titles (joining Court, Evert, Navratilova, Graf, Seles); returned to No.1 afterwards on September 8 for 58th overall week at No.1 (first 57 came between July 8, 2002 and August 10, 2003; five-year, one-month gap is longest gap between No.1 stints for any player ever, male or female); held on for four weeks (bringing career tally to 61 weeks) before Jankovic regained it on October 6 and held it through end of year; runner-up once, at Wimbledon (as No.6 seed, l. to No.7 seed V.Williams in final; along with US Open win, now 9-3 lifetime in Grand Slam singles finals); SF once, at Stanford (as top seed, ret. vs. qualifier and eventual champion Wozniak w/left knee injury); QF four times, at Australian Open (as No.7 seed, l. to No.3 seed Jankovic), Berlin (as No.5 seed, l. to No.13 seed and eventual champion Safina 76 third set; snapped 17-match win streak), Rome (as No.5 seed, withdrew prior to match vs. Cornet w/back injury) and Olympics (as No.4 seed, l. to No.5 seed and eventual champion Dementieva 36 64 63; led 63 42); only three pre-QF losses of year came at Roland Garros (as No.5 seed, l. to No.27 seed Srebotnik in 3r), Stuttgart (as top seed w/1r bye, l. to Li in 3s in 2r; was first match as newly-returned No.1, but lost it to Jankovic afterwards) and Tour Championships (as No.3 seed, went 1-1 in RR stage, beating No.2 seed Safina but falling to No.7 seed and eventual champion V.Williams in 3s, then withdrawing from event w/abdominal injury); won two Tour doubles titles (both w/V.Williams) at Wimbledon (d. Raymond/Stosur in final; now 7-0 in Grand Slam doubles finals) and Olympics (d. Medina Garrigues/Ruano Pascual in final; was second Olympic doubles gold w/V.Williams, after 2000); on July 7, surpassed $20 million in career prize money alongside V.Williams (fifth and sixth women in Tour history to do so, after Navratilova, Graf, Davenport and Hingis); withdrew from Paris [Indoors], Antwerp and Dubai w/recovery from gum surgery, Los Angeles w/left knee injury and Moscow w/left ankle injury.

SINGLES
Winner (35): 2009 - Australian Open, Wimbledon, Tour Championships; 2008 - Bangalore, Miami, Charleston, US Open; 2007 - Australian Open, Miami; 2005 - Australian Open; 2004 - Miami, Beijing; 2003 - Australian Open, Paris [Indoors], Miami, Wimbledon; 2002 - Scottsdale, Miami, Rome, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open, Tokyo [Princess Cup], Leipzig; 2001 - Indian Wells, Toronto, Tour Championships; 2000 - Hannover, Los Angeles, Tokyo [Princess Cup]; 1999 - Paris [Indoors], Indian Wells, Los Angeles, US Open, Grand Slam Cup.
Finalist (13): 2009 - Miami; 2008 - Wimbledon; 2007 - Moscow; 2004 - Wimbledon, Los Angeles, Tour Championships; 2003 - Charleston; 2002 - Berlin, Tour Championships; 2001 - US Open; 2000 - Paris [Indoors], Montréal; 1999 - Miami.

DOUBLES
Winner (17): 2009 - Australian Open, Wimbledon, Stanford, US Open (all w/V.Williams); 2008 - Wimbledon, Olympics (both w/V.Williams); 2003 - Australian Open (w/V.Williams); 2002 - Wimbledon (w/V.Williams), Leipzig (w/Stevenson); 2001 - Australian Open (w/V.Williams); 2000 - Wimbledon, Olympics (both w/V.Williams); 1999 - Hannover, Roland Garros, US Open (all w/V.Williams); 1998 - Oklahoma City, Zürich (both w/V.Williams).
Finalist (1): 1999 - San Diego (w/V.Williams).

MIXED DOUBLES
Winner (2): 1998 - Wimbledon, US Open (both w/Mirnyi).
Finalist (2): 1999 - Australian Open (w/Mirnyi); 1998 - Roland Garros (w/Lobo).

ADDITIONAL
American Fed Cup Team, 1999, 2003, 2007; American Olympic Team, 2000, 2008.

Coached by father, Richard Williams, and mother, Oracene Price; trainer is Esther Lee (formerly Kerrie Brooks); previously coached by Rick Macci ... Began playing tennis at age 5 at public courts in Compton, California ... Is youngest of five girls: Lyndrea, Isha, Yetunde (deceased September 14, 2003) and Venus ... Has participated in many clinics; makes numerous appearances at schools and charitable and community organizations, particularly those which target programs for at-risk youth ... Interested in fashion and acting; opened her own clothing line (Aneres) and often wears her own designs ... Favorite author is Maya Angelou ... Hobbies are watching movies and football, reading, acting, talking on the phone and spending time with family/friends ... Self-described as humorous with a great personality ... Favorite place to visit is Italy ... Likes to listen to Mariah Carey, Brandy ... Debuted custom-designed Nike apparel line in Paris in May 2004.

Official Website: www.serenawilliams.com

- Awards received for tennis accomplishments include Tour Most Impressive Newcomer Award (1998; won by V.Williams in 1997); Tennis Magazine/Rolex Rookie of the Year (1998); Tour Most Improved Player, Tennis Magazine Player of the Year (1999); Tour Doubles Team of the Year w/V.Williams (2000); Tour Player of the Year (2002); ITF Women's Singles World Champion (2002); ESPY Female Athlete of the Year, Female Tennis Player of the Year (2003); honored at 2003 Charleston for becoming fifth in history to complete non-calendar year Grand Slam (after winning 2003 Australian Open; nicknamed Serena Slam); Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year (2003); Tour Comeback Player of the Year, ESPY Best Female Tennis Player (2004); Laureus World Comeback of the Year (2007); and Tour Player of the Year (2008); also in April 2003, Shock Absorber presented her $66,800 to equal men's prize money.
- Charitable work includes donating $10,000 to Clarendon (South Carolina) School District 1 (where Althea Gibson was born) - $8,000 for computer laptops and $2,000 for the Serena Williams Scholarship; participated in Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign in October 2003 issues of Vogue, Essence, Lucky and Self; designing shoe for Stuart Weisman charity auction; and co-founding the Serena Williams Secondary School in Kenya (opened in November 2008).
- Accolades received for charity work include Celebrity Role Model Award from Avon Foundation in 2003 (for work in breast cancer); Young Heroes Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater L.A. and Inland (2003); Family Circle and Prudential Financial Player Who Makes a Difference in 2004 (for outstanding contributions of time/energy to worthy causes).
- TV appearances include Venus and Serena: For Real (reality show that followed Serena and Venus off the tennis courts for ABC Family); Fast Cars and Superstars (June 2007); Law and Order: SVU (NBC crime drama); E! True Hollywood Story (May 2004: The Williams Sisters); CNN (People in the News); ESPN (one-hour special in February 2004: All Exclusive with Ahmad); My Wife And Kids (Damon Wayans sitcom); Street Time (on Showtime); The Simpsons (as guest voice w/Venus); ER (NBC drama); appeared in rapper Memphis Bleek music video; also made cameo in Martin Lawrence's Black Knight movie.
- Magazine appearances include Forbes Magazine (July 2004 Celebrity 100 list), 2003 and 2004 SI Swimsuit Issue, Vogue Italia, Upscale, Lifetime, Parade, ESPN Magazine, SI, Ebony, Vogue, InStyle, Tennis Magazine, Jet, Savoy, New York Post, USA Today, SI For Kids and Biography.
- Other honors include ranking No.1 on 2003 Top 10 Most Marketable Female Athletes in Sports Business Daily (from a poll of 60 marketers, sponsorship consultants and members of media); ranked No.7 among A&E and Biography Magazine's Top 10 most significant people (2002); named by People Magazine in Top 25 Most Intriguing People (2002); named by Ebony as one of 57 Most Intriguing African-Americans (2002); was one of BBC's Sports Personalities of the Year (2002); named by Time as one of the People Who Mattered (2002); voted best female athlete in the world by AP and Spanish news agency EFE (2002); one of the 12 Coolest Girls in Sports in SI For Women (November 2001); in People's 25 Most Intriguing People (1999).
- Has many sister milestones w/V.Williams, incl. first to have each won a Grand Slam singles title, first to meet in a Tour final, first to win Grand Slam doubles title together; S.Williams was also fifth all-time to win four straight majors.
- Tour mentor was Zina Garrison in the Partners for Success Alumni program.
- By virtue of QF win over Henin at 2008 Miami, is now 10-10 lifetime against No.1s (5-5 vs. Hingis, 1-1 vs. Davenport, 1-0 vs. Capriati, 1-0 vs. V.Williams, 0-1 vs. Mauresmo and 2-3 vs. Henin); 62 60 win over Henin was most lopsided defeat of a world No.1 since Hingis fell to then-No.129 Dokic by same score in 1r of 1999 Wimbledon (Hingis was top seed, Dokic was qualifier).