International Women’s Day 2024 – Serena Williams
This year International Womens Day is Friday 8th March 2024 and we asked our team for some of their most inspirational women. Family Law Solicitor, Lauren Sheffield, discusses Serena Williams…..
Who is Serena Williams?
Serena Williams was born on 26th September 1981, the youngest of five sisters. She is a wife and devoted mother to two daughters but is known for being one of the greatest tennis players of all time, having won 23 Grand Slam tennis singles and 4 Olympic Gold medals.
Serena’s journey from humble beginnings in Compton, California to being a global tennis star is nothing short of inspirational. Serena began playing tennis at a very young age, along with her sister Venus, but they could not afford to go to a tennis club so their father Richard Williams began coaching them and the sisters would often compete against each other.
Serena faced many challenges in her day-to-day life in Compton, where the tennis courts were not safe, but through determination and hard work she began to rise in the tennis world and at the age of 14 Serena turned professional.
By the age of 17 Serena had signed a multimillion-pound deal with sports brand Puma and won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open, making her the youngest female tennis player to win a Grand Slam. Throughout Serena’s career she also won at Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open.
Serena also won Gold Medals at the Australian Olympics (2000), Beijing Olympics (2008) and 2 Gold Medals at the London Olympics (2012), making her the most decorated tennis player in Olympic history.
Beyond her achievements on the court, Serena has used her platform to advocate for gender equality in sports and promoted racial justice and empowerment, Serena has never shied away from standing up for what she believes in and has been vocal about her experiences in motherhood. Serena has also launched her own fashion line and supported numerous charitable initiatives aimed at empowering women and minorities.
Why is Serena Williams an inspiration to me?
Serena has defied expectations, becoming one of the best tennis players of all time. She is an inspiration to women all around the world, to dream big and work hard and to always strive to be the best.
Serena has been resilient and determined in the face of adversity and, despite facing numerous setbacks and challenges, throughout her career she has always found a way to rise above and emerge stronger than ever.
Serena Williams is an inspiration to me as she has instilled herself with self-confidence so she believes in herself and knows that she can get over any obstacle that she is faced with, no matter what the circumstances may be.
Serena won the Australian Open in 2017, after finding out she was 8 weeks pregnant- what a woman!
March 2024