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Setting the scene
Richard Williams trained daughters Venus and Serena on public courts in Compton, California, using hand-drawn practice schedules and video of tennis pros. Serena was the younger by fifteen months but often matched her sister's intensity.
What happened
Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan, and raised in Compton. She turned professional in 1995 and won her first Grand Slam singles title at the 1999 U.S. Open, defeating Martina Hingis.
Why it still matters
Serena finished with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, Olympic gold medals, and a fashion and venture-capital career. Memorable detail: she won the 2017 Australian Open while roughly eight weeks pregnant, not knowing she was expecting until medical staff suggested a pregnancy test after the tournament.
Background
23 Grand Slam singles titles followed.