Why Serena Williams is one of the Top 5 Greatest Athletes Ever?

By: Wayne D. Ayers II

Serena Williams isn’t the strongest athlete, isn’t the fastest athlete, and isn’t the athlete that jumps really high. She’s not the two sport athlete like Deion Sanders but she is the most dominating athlete ever to live on this planet. Serena first rise to the throne came in 2002, when she was ranked the number one tennis player on the planet. She has been the face of tennis for almost two decades. Most legendary athletes stay on top for about decade. 

Serena has a total of 23 Grand Slam singles titles marks the record for the most Grand Slam wins by a tennis player in the Open Era, and is second on the all-time list behind Margaret Court (24). If Serena wasn’t pregnant this year she would have either tied the record or broke the record for most grand slam titles. She is the only tennis player in history (man or woman) to have won singles titles at least six times in three of the four Grand Slam tournaments, and the only player ever to have won two of the four Grand Slams seven times each (seven Wimbledon titles and seven Australian Open titles). 

Serena Williams win percentage is 85% when she steps on the tennis court she has 85 percent chance of winning. That’s just flat out remarkable. Her winning percentage would be a great free throw percentage in basketball. Serena also has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, with her sister Venus, and the pair are unbeaten in Grand Slam doubles finals. As a team, she and Venus have the third most women’s doubles grand slam titles, behind the 18 titles of Natasha Zvereva (14 with Gigi Fernández) and the record 20 titles won by Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver. Williams is also a five-time winner of the WTA Tour Championships in the singles division. Serena has also won four olympic gold medals, one in women’s singles and three in women’s doubles an all-time record shared with her sister, Venus.

Serena longevity is the reason why she is in my top 5 athletes ever. She has been on top for almost 20 years. Most of the time Serena competes, she goes one on one. She doesn’t have 4 other teammates, or 10 other teammates out their with her. She has to play offense and defense. In team sports when your best player isn’t having the best day their teammates are still capable to lift them to a win. Serena doesn’t have that luxury, she can’t afford bad days because she will be eliminated from tournaments. Serena has delivered on the biggest stages so many times. If you don’t have her in your top athletes you need to reevaluate your list.