30+ Things You Never Knew About Serena Williams
By Juliet Smith
1 year ago
1. She has a tragic family history
Image Source: independent.co.uk
Serena Williams has four sisters - one of them is the famous Venus Williams and three are her half-sisters Yetunde, Lyndrea, and Isha Price. On September 14th, 2003, Yetunde was sitting with her boyfriend in their SUV in suburban Compton when gang members opened fire on their vehicle. Yetunde was shot in the head and later died on the way to the hospital. The day that the killer was released from prison in 2018, Serena was so affected that she lost that day's tennis match in just 52 minutes.2. She has royal friends
Image Source: popsugar.com
Did you know that Serena Williams is actually best friends with none other than Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex? The pair originally met in 2010, but it was an event in 2014 that cemented their friendship. They were both playing in the DirecTV Beach Bowl celebrity football game, and hit it off immediately. "We hit it off immediately, taking pictures, laughing through the flag football game we were both playing in, and chatting not about tennis or acting, but about all the good old fashioned girlie stuff. So began our friendship," Meghan later said.3. Serena was homeschooled
Image Source: si.com
Most people know that Serena started playing tennis very early - around four years old. It seems that her parents were dedicated to her sports training, so much so that her and her tennis-player sister Venus Williams were home schooled all the way from elementary to high school.4. Before becoming a tennis pro, she studied fashion
Image Source: usopen.org
When it came to time to enroll in college, Serena did something that people may not have been expecting. She had already won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open aged just 17, but decided that she wanted to go and study something she was passionate about. She ended up at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale studying fashion.5. And even launched her own fashion line
Image Source: time.com
Serena did well at college, enjoying her course and the technical skills required to make patterns and outfits. After she graduated, she launched her very first fashion line, specialising in evening wear. Sadly, though, the line didn't take off - even worse, it was a total failure. She took this as a sign to head back to her roots in tennis - which worked out well for her.6. Her favourite city is Rome
Image Source: mirror.co.uk
Serena's favourite place in the world is the Eternal City, and she has a very good reason for that. In 2015, while having breakfast in the Cavalieri Hotel, Alexis Ohanian was dining at the table next to her. Though the two got talking, she had to play the Italian Open that same day, so they only had a little time together. However, they knew there was a spark.7. And she even got engaged there
Image Source: uk.news.yahoo.com
In 2016, Alexis took Serena back to the very place they met - the breakfast terrace of the Cavalieri Hotel. He'd decked the terrace out in roses and prepared a romantic meal for two, which shocked Serena. But there, on the terrace, is where he asked Serena to marry him. Obviously she said yes!8. Alexis is famous in his own right
Image Source: vogue.com
If you don't know Alexis Ohanian, then you probably know the site that he founded. Yep, Alexis is the co-founder of the social media and discussion website Reddit, which he founded with a college friend shortly after he graduated in 2005. Today, Alexis has a net worth of about $70 million, mostly thanks to the success of Reddit.9. She doesn't celebrate birthdays
Image Source: Instagram @serenawilliams
Serena Williams grew up in a religious family. In fact, her parents were Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian denomination. In this faith, they actually don't celebrate birthdays, and that's a tradition that Serena has kept up, even if she doesn't practice the religion as seriously anymore.10. She can speak French
Image Source: Instagram @serenawilliams
None of Serena's family are from France, but she figured that if she was going to play tennis around the world, she wanted to know another language. So, yes, Serena got herself a French coach and now speaks French. Many people didn't know this until she won the French Open in 2013 and gave a post-game interview entirely in French.11. But finds this scarier than playing tennis
Image Source: Instagram @serenawilliams
However, she has previously said that speaking a different language is far scarier than actually playing her sport at a high level. Serena admitted, "It’s way, way more nerve-racking than playing tennis," but still regularly gives interviews in French, especially if she's playing in France.12. She loves NFL
Image Source: sportscasting.com
Yep, that's right, tennis isn't the only sport that Serena Williams enjoys. In fact, she cemented her love of American football by becoming a minority owner in the NFL team the Miami Dolphins. Her sister Venus joined her in the venture in 2009 which will no doubt make them a tidy bit of cash, too.13. There's a reason her nails are always on point
Image Source: thecut.com
Serena is known for her fashion and style, on and off the court. That includes her nail art. She loves trying new things when it comes to her nails, often playing matches with the most jazzy sets possible. But did you know that in 2010, Serena Williams actually became a qualified nail technician? She did this to help launch her own nail collection.14. She eat a mostly vegan diet
Image Source: Instagram @serenawilliams
Athletes have to be aware of what they eat; world champions even more so. Serena Williams has taken healthy eating to another level by becoming a part-time vegan, or a 'vega-tarian' as she calls it. During training, she tries to eat a majority vegan diet, but during the off-season, introduces more 'cheat' foods and comfort favourites, including chicken and cheese.15. Excluding wheat, which she is allergic to
Image Source: womenshealthmag.com
But even though Serena isn't strict about her vegan diet, she does have to be strict about one thing. The world-star tennis player is actually allergic to wheat, meaning that bread and pasta have to be kept out of her diet. She also has an allergy to peanuts - one of the more common allergies.16. But says her last meal would be fried chicken
Image Source: delish.com
Serena has worked hard to be a top athlete, but at the end of the day, she's just like us - in that she would love to sit down with a full plate of fried chicken. In fact, she's said that this would probably be her last meal. She also celebrated her wedding anniversary with husband Alexis by eating a Popeyes Chicken Sandwich.17. She's not a big spender
Image Source: elle.com
With all her Grand Slam titles and other tennis wins, Serena Williams has amassed a huge fortune. In fact, some estimates put it at an incredible $250 million. However, she's loathe to spend that money. She's admitted that she rarely spends money on herself, though, naturally, she will part with it for her daughter. She's also advised people to invest their money.18. Her middle name is Jameka
Image Source: npr.org
Serena Williams is such an icon that most people have no idea that that isn't actually her full name. In fact, she's actually called Serena Jameka Williams. Jameka is a name of of African or Jamaican origin that means "Yahweh May Protect". Well, considering her career, it seems her middle name certainly has protected Serena!19. She might have saved her own life once
Image Source: independent.co.uk
Serena Williams didn't shy away from talking about the difficult birth of her daughter. The tennis player had to have an emergency C-section when her daughter's heart rate dropped during labour. Afterwards, Serena knew there was something wrong with her, and pleaded medical staff for a CT scan and a blood thinner. It turned out she was experiencing a pulmonary embolism, and Serena's intuition basically saved her life.20. You'll find interesting things in her fridge
Image Source: housebeautiful.com
We've already mentioned that Serena isn't one to shy away from comfort foods. But this means that in her fridge you'll find all manner of strange combinations of food, both healthy and unhealthy. She's admitted that some of her most frequent buys include coconut water, Gatorade, ginger, and wheat grass.21. But she hates one popular fruit
Image Source: cnn.com
However, while she loves to try new foods and eat healthily, there is one superfood that she doesn't enjoy - and that's avocado. "The texture is so yucky in my mouth," she explained. She also steers clear of tomatoes, though doesn't mind them if they're diced small enough.22. She once appeared on Law and Order
Image Source: imdb.com
Serena's had a pretty interesting career. As well as becoming a global tennis star, she's also pursued fashion, nail art, and, finally, acting. In fact, Serena's appeared in plenty of TV shows and movies over the years, including one episode of Law and Order: SVU. She guest-starred in a 2004 episode as Chloe Spiers.23. And has said that she would love to be an actress
Image Source: essentiallysports.com
She's also admitted previously that she has considered going into acting seriously. In 2002, the tennis player explained that she had hired an acting coach and was attending some acting classes - when she wasn't flying around the world to win tennis tournaments, that is. In the end, though, her tennis career took priority, and she didn't have the time to start an acting career.24. Before she met her husband, she had a musician boyfriend
Image Source: instyle.com
Alexis and Serena's love story is iconic, but did you know that she had a similarly famous boyfriend before the Reddit co-founder? Between 2007 and 2010, Serena Williams dated rapper Common. What started as a guest role in his music video for 'I Want You' ended up being a long relationship, but they eventually called it quits in April 2010.25. Her favourite workout song might surprise you
Image Source: tonal.com
To stay on top of her game, Serena has to workout a LOT. This includes high-intensity interval training and cardio workouts at home, and some strength training. With all that time spent in the gym, she must have a motivational workout playlist. Her favourite workout song? David Bowie's 'Fame'.26. She's had her fair share of injuries
Image Source: absnews.go.com
Being a world-class athlete certainly increases your chances of injury. Over her career, Serena's had her fair share of them, including one particularly grisly injury that actually had nothing to do with tennis. In 2010, as she was leaving a restaurant, she stepped on broken glass, tearing the tendons in her right foot. She had to have 12 stitches, and didn't fully recover for months.27. Including one life threatening one
Image Source: Instagram @serenawilliams
We already know how Serena's life was put in danger during labour by a pulmonary embolism, but actually that's not the first time that Serena has suffered from the life-threatening disease. In 2011, she was hospitalised for a pulmonary embolism which may have been triggered by deep vein thrombosis. This has left her highly conscious of the symptoms of blood clots.28. She has won four Olympic medals
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As well as her 23 Grand Slam titles, Serena Williams has also made it to the Olympic Games. In fact, she has four Olympic gold medals, three of which she earned in women's doubles with her sister Venus. At the London Olympics in 2012 she won her first gold medal in singles tennis.29. And has a tennis term named after her
Image Source: Instagram @serenawilliams
Ever heard of a Serena? If you're interested in the world of tennis, then you probably have - but did you know that it's named after the great Serena Williams? A Serena is when a tennis player is the reigning champion of all the Grand Slam tournaments at the same time, but these didn't all happen in the same year.30. Her favourite sport to watch isn't tennis
Image Source: thenewdaily.com.au
You'd think that as a famous tennis star, she would also love watching the sport. However, there is another that she adores, and that's gymnastics. Serena has also expressed her love for US gymnast Simone Biles, and has penned several posts on social media in support of the incredible athlete.31. Her Family Moved To Florida So Young Serena Could Go To Tennis Academy
Image Source / The GuardianThere's nothing like a supportive family! Her family were so behind her career in tennis that when she was nine years old, they moved to Palm Beach, Florida, so that she could attend Rick Macci's tennis academy and hone her skill.32. She's Great At Pattern-Making
Image Source / SewportSerena has said that she's always enjoyed mathematics, which makes sense why she'd enjoy her time at the fashion institute she attended when it came to the technical aspects of material and patterns. She apparently excelled at pattern-making in particular while at fashion school.33. She Had A Baby With Her Husband In 2017
Image Source / Us WeeklySerena has definitely not let her family life fall on the wayside to become a tennis champion, because alongside marrying Alexis Ohanian, she's also started a family with him when the couple welcomed their baby daughter back in 2017.34. She Won The U.S. Open At 17
Image Source / USOpen.orgSerena was only 17 years old when she won the title at the U.S. Open back in 1999. This was the beginning of her tennis legend status, but what an epic way to start that status! This was the same time she was also pursuing fashion school - she makes multitasking look easy!35. Her Tennis Training Started When She Was Just 3
Image Source / Linda Ikeji's BlogFor most of us in the middle of our lives still trying to work out what the heck we're doing, for Serena her tennis career started at just 3 years old. Her training started at this young age, while the majority of her time was spent on the tennis courts. This is also why she was able to play professionally by the time she reached her mid-teens!36. Her Heritage Is A Mystery
Image Source / NPRMany people have wondered about Serena's heritage, and she's never specifically said what her actual heritage is. She grew up in the United States, but some believed she was Jamaican - rumours she denied. The only information she's provided is hints that she has African roots.37. She's The Greatest Female Tennis Player Of All Time
Image Source / ForbesThis goes without saying, but during her career, Serena has won 32 Grand Slams, and what people call her own 'career Grand Slam' was when she won four major tournaments: Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the Australian Open and the French Open.38. She's One Of The Highest Paid Athletes In The World
Image Source / BritannicaDespite the massive fortune she amassed for her winnings and tennis skills, Serena isn't one to hoard it all. She's known for giving back as much as possible, including donating to charities, working with non-profit organizations and even helping found the Serena Williams Secondary School in Kenya.39. She Helped Build Schools In Jamaica
Image Source / Jamaicans.comAs well as donating a substantial amount of money to help build schools in Africa and Jamaica, Serena has also been hands on with the charity work, too. She travelled to Jamaica to underdeveloped areas to physically help build schools there - even sharing a social media snap of her in a hard hat building a wall frame.40. She Often Likes To Vacation In Jamaica, Too
Image Source / Sandals ResortsObviously a place close to her heart for more than one reason, Serena has also travelled to Jamaica multiple times for vacations, and usually stays at a beachfront villa - splashing out around $20,000 per week for the privilege. It looks like Jamaica is her favourite holiday spot.41. She Bought An Apartment In Paris
Paris - France
42. Her Sports Illustrated Cover Was Controversial
Image Source / TIMEBack in 2015, Williams was named as the Sportsperson of the Year (and rightly so). This meant that Sports Illustrated magazine got a sparkly new cover with Serena Williams on it, but apparently it was quite controversial because some people said it was "too sexy".43. She Founded The Serena Williams Foundation
Image Source / Tennis WorldThe charity formed by Williams, the Serena Williams Foundation, was made to promote equity and to help people live their best possible life, through education, race, disability, gender and anything else standing in people's way. An empowering charity from an inspirational woman.44. Serena And Venus Have Won 22 Double Titles Together
Image Source / OlympicsSerena and Venus are awesome tennis players in their own right, and although Serena has won more titles than Venus, they are an unstoppable force when playing tennis doubles. They've won 22 double titles together, which includes 14 Grand Slams and 3 Olympic gold medals.45. She's The Only Female Tennis Player To Have Won Over $50 Million
Image Source / Us WeeklySerena has won a lot of money as well as a lot of titles. She's got four Olympic medals, 36 Major titles and amassed over $50 million in prize money during her career - the only female tennis player to have made that much.46. She's A Dog Lover
Image Source / The MirrorSerena Williams is actually a dog lover, too, and her family life alongside her husband and daughter was made bigger by two family dogs - Christopher Chip Rafael Nadal and Lauralei. Sadly, Lauralei recently passed away, and Serena posted a touching tribute to her best friend.47. Pizza Is One Of Her Favourite Foods
Image Source / RedditSerena revealed before that pizza is one of her favourite foods (like the rest of the world). Because she's now vegan, it's made chowing down on pizza that little bit harder, but she compromises by eating vegan pizza instead.48. She Drinks Over A Gallon Of Water A Day
Image Source / Tennis365
49. She Always Makes Time To Reenergize Her Mind
Image Source / Women's HealthSerena always makes sure there's time in her busy schedule to relax and rejuvenate her mind. For Serena, this could be spending time with her daughter, or watching something casual on television so that it's not too taxing.50. Her Favourite Kitchen Item Is The Toaster Oven
Image Source / Cooking Indoor
This is probably really handy for someone so busy. But for the woman who could probably afford every kitchen gadget imaginable, she still swears by the simple toaster oven as her favourite kitchen device.
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