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Rediff.com  » Sports » Factbox - Wimbledon champion Serena Williams

Factbox - Wimbledon champion Serena Williams

July 11, 2015 23:06 IST
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Serena Williams

Factbox on American Serena Williams, who won her 21st Grand Slam and sixth Wimbledon singles title with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Spain's Garbine Muguruza on Saturday:

Born in Michigan on September 26, 1981. (Age: 33)

Seed: 1

GRAND SLAM CAREER: 21 wins - Australian Open (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015); French Open (2002, 2013, 2015); Wimbledon (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015); U.S. Open (1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014)

Williams is third on the list of female Grand Slam title winners.

Is one of only five women, after Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf, to hold all four Grand Slam titles at same time.

She also owns 13 women's Grand Slam doubles titles with Venus and has won four Olympic gold medals: Singles (2012), doubles (2000, 2008, 2012).

MAKING HER NAME

Serena Williams

Serena Williams celebrates after winning the singles title at Wimbledon. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Learned to play the game with older sister Venus in Compton.

Both were coached by their father Richard.

Turned professional in September 1995.

Won her first WTA Tour title in Paris in 1999, beating Amelie Mauresmo in the final.

Beat Martina Hingis in the US Open final in 1999, becoming the first African American woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Althea Gibson in 1958.

TENNIS CAREER

Serena Williams

Failed to make another Grand Slam final until 2001 when she lost in the US Open final to older sister Venus.

Missed the 2002 Australian Open with injury then embarked on an incredible run that included winning five of the next six Grand Slams and losing in the semi-finals of the 2003 French open.

Career affected by injury over the next four years, winning two Australian Open titles in 2005 and 2007 but failing to advance beyond the quarter-finals at the other three.

Won US Open in 2008 to break the Grand Slam drought, having not won a major title since the 2007 Australian open.

At the 2009 US Open, Williams was fined $175,000 and placed on a two-year probation for unsportsmanlike behaviour in her semi-final loss to Kim Clijsters.

Joined Billie-Jean King on all-time Grand Slam list in sixth with 12th Grand Slam title at 2010 Australian Open.

She missed the US Open in 2010 because of medical complications after cutting her foot on glass while celebrating her win at Wimbledon.

In 2011, she underwent surgery after a life-threatening blood clot was detected on her lung. She made the US Open final but lost to Australia's Sam Stosur.

Won Wimbledon title in 2012 and followed that up with Olympic gold medal on the same grass courts beating top seed Victoria Azarenka in semi-finals and third seed Maria Sharapova in the final.

Won fourth US Open title in 2012, beating Azarenka in the final.

Crashed out to teenage compatriot Sloane Stephens in Australian Open quarter-final in 2013 but rebounded to claim her second Roland Garros title, one of 10 titles she wins that year to reclaim world top ranking.

Knocked out early in 2014 Australian Open, but claims seven titles, including her sixth US Open, which is her third in succession, to join compatriots Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18 Grand Slam wins.

Defeats Maria Sharapova in the 2015 Australian Open final to claim her 19th Grand Slam title.

Despite battling a bout of flu, she wins a third successive major title and 20th overall by overcoming Czech left-hander Lucie Safarova in the French Open final.

Claims so-called 'Serena Slam' by winning sixth Wimbledon crown to hold all four majors for the second time in her career.

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