Serena Williams's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Serena Williams.

Serena Williams is a celebrated American former professional tennis player, frequently lauded as one of the greatest of all time. She held the world No. 1 ranking by the WTA for 319 weeks, ending the year as No. 1 five times. Williams secured 73 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including a record-setting 23 major women's singles titles in the Open Era, the second-most overall. Notably, she is the only player to achieve a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles, underscoring her exceptional skill and dominance in the sport.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1931: First year of the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year award

In 1931, the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year awards were first handed out. Serena Williams won the award for the third time in 2013.

1983: Last solo woman to receive Sportsperson of the Year

In 1983, the last solo woman received Sportsperson of the Year before Serena Williams in 2015.

1991: Ranked No. 1 Among Under-10 Players in Florida

By 1991, Serena Williams had a 46–3 record on the United States Tennis Association junior tour and was ranked No. 1 among under-10 players in Florida.

November 1997: First Main-Draw Match Win and Top 10 Upsets at Ameritech Cup Chicago

In November 1997, Serena Williams won her first main-draw match at the Ameritech Cup Chicago. She upset Mary Pierce and Monica Seles, becoming the lowest-ranked player to defeat two top-10 opponents in one tournament. She finished the year ranked No.99.

1998: Various Milestones and Titles

In 1998, Serena Williams defeated Lindsay Davenport, reached her first Grand Slam main draw at the Australian Open, reached six quarterfinals, withdrew from Wimbledon due to injury, and won mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon and the US Open with Max Mirnyi. She also won her first professional title in non-mixed doubles at the U.S. National Indoor Championships with Venus, finishing the year ranked No.20 in singles.

1998: Mixed Doubles Majors

Serena Williams won two mixed doubles majors in 1998.

February 1999: First Professional Singles Title

In February 1999, Serena Williams won her first professional singles title at the Open Gaz de France in Paris, defeating Amélie Mauresmo in the final.

1999: First Major Singles Title at the US Open

In 1999, Serena Williams won her first major singles title at the US Open, marking a significant milestone in her career.

1999: US Open Victory and Fed Cup Success

In 1999, Serena Williams won the US Open, defeating Martina Hingis in the final. The Williams sisters also won the doubles event at this tournament. She made her Fed Cup debut, defeating Rita Grande. She also won her third title at the JPMorgan Chase Open, beating Julie Halard-Decugis in the final.

2000: Wimbledon Doubles Title and Sydney Olympics Gold Medal

In 2000, Serena Williams won the Faber Grand Prix in Germany and the Wimbledon doubles title with Venus. She and her sister won the gold medal in doubles at the Sydney Olympics. She also won the Toyota Princess Cup, ending the year at No.6.

2001: Career Grand Slam in Doubles and Controversy at Indian Wells

In 2001, Serena and Venus Williams won the doubles event at the Australian Open, completing a Career Grand Slam. Serena won the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, but the tournament was marred by racist comments directed at Richard Williams, leading to a boycott that lasted until 2015.

2002: Simultaneously Holding All Four Major Singles Titles Begins

From 2002-2003, Serena Williams simultaneously held all four major singles titles.

2002: Miami Masters Win

In 2002, Serena Williams won the Miami Masters, defeating the world's top 3 ranked players (Hingis, Venus, and Capriati) at the same event. Earlier in the year, she won the title in Scottsdale, Arizona.

2002: US Open Win and Surface Slam

In 2002, Serena Williams won the US Open, defeating Venus in the final for the third Grand Slam in a row. She also won titles in Tokyo and Leipzig. She finished the year with eight singles titles and the No.1 ranking. Her three consecutive Grand Slam titles in 2002 made her only the third player in history to win the "Surface Slam".

2002: First Clay-Court Title Since 2002

In 2008, Serena Williams claimed victory at the Family Circle Cup, marking her first clay-court title since 2002.

2002: Dominance Begins at French Open

Starting in 2002 with the French Open, Serena Williams began a dominant streak, winning four major singles titles in a row. Each time she won, she defeated her sister Venus in the final.

2003: Simultaneously Holding All Four Major Singles Titles Ends

From 2002-2003, Serena Williams simultaneously held all four major singles titles.

2003: Avon Foundation Award

In 2003, Serena Williams received a Celebrity Role Model Award from the Avon Foundation for her work fighting breast cancer, and she won the "Young Heroes Award" from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater L.A. and Inland.

2003: Winning the Australian Open and Achieving "Serena Slam"

In 2003, Serena Williams won the Australian Open, completing a non-calendar year Grand Slam, which was nicknamed the "Serena Slam."

2003: Laureus World Sports Award

In 2003, Serena Williams won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year.

2003: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2003, Serena Williams won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award.

2003: Australian Open Victory and Career Grand Slam

In 2003, at the Australian Open, Serena Williams defeated her sister Venus in the final, marking her fourth consecutive Grand Slam final against Venus. This victory allowed her to complete a Career Grand Slam, becoming the sixth woman in the Open Era to achieve this milestone. Additionally, she became the fifth woman to simultaneously hold all Grand Slam singles titles, a feat celebrated as the "Serena Slam". The Williams sisters also secured their sixth Grand Slam doubles title at the same tournament in 2003.

2003: Spring Titles, French Open Loss and Wimbledon Victory

In the spring of 2003, Serena Williams secured singles titles at the Open Gaz de France and the Sony Ericsson Open. Her 21-win streak ended with a loss to Henin at the Family Circle Cup final. She also lost to Mauresmo in the Rome semifinals. Despite being the top seed, she lost to Henin in the French Open semifinals. Williams rebounded by winning the 2003 Wimbledon Championships against Venus, her second consecutive Wimbledon title and sixth Grand Slam singles title. She withdrew from events and had knee surgery in August, ending her 2003 season early.

March 2004: Comeback and NASDAQ-100 Open Win

In March 2004, after eight months away from tennis, Serena Williams started her comeback at the NASDAQ-100 Open, winning the title for the third consecutive year.

2004: Family Circle and Prudential Financial Award

In 2004, Serena Williams won the "Family Circle and Prudential Financial Player Who Makes a Difference Award".

2004: China Open Victory and Tour Championship Final

In September 2004, Serena Williams won the China Open, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova. Her successful season qualified her for the Tour Championships, where she lost to Maria Sharapova in the final after suffering an abdominal injury. Williams finished 2004 ranked No.7.

2005: Australian Open Win and Injury Struggles

In 2005, Serena Williams won her second Australian Open and seventh Grand Slam title, moving her back to No.2 in the rankings. However, she suffered from a recurring ankle injury, causing her to miss the French Open. She finished 2005 ranked No.11.

2007: Strong Performances, Injury and Year-End Ranking

In 2007, Serena Williams had strong performances, including winning the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, but faced challenges such as a collapse at Wimbledon due to a muscle spasm and quarterfinal losses at the French Open and US Open. She finished the year as No.7 and the top-ranked American for the first time since 2003.

2007: Comeback of the Year

In 2007, Serena Williams won the Laureus Comeback of the Year award.

2007: Return to Form

Starting in 2007, Serena Williams gradually returned to form despite continued injuries, reclaiming the world No. 1 singles ranking.

2008: Olympics and US Open Triumphs and Return to No.1

In 2008, Serena Williams and Venus won the gold medal in doubles at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. She also captured her third US Open title, returning her to No.1 for the first time since 2003. She ended 2008 ranked No.2, her strongest performance since 2003.

2008: Hopman Cup Win and Title Wins

In 2008, Serena Williams started by winning the Hopman Cup for the US. She then won three consecutive singles titles at Bangalore, her fifth Miami title, and the Family Circle Cup, her first clay-court title since 2002. She withdrew from the quarterfinals in Rome due to a back injury.

2009: Simultaneously Holding All Four Major Women's Doubles Titles Begins

From 2009–2010, Serena and Venus Williams simultaneously held all four major women's doubles titles.

2009: Doubles Victory, WTA Tour Championships Win and Year-End Ranking

In 2009, Serena Williams and Venus won their third Grand Slam doubles title of the year at the US Open. Serena also won the WTA Tour Championships, defeating Venus in the final. She finished the year ranked No.1, earning a record-breaking $6,545,586 in prize money. She was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press and the International Tennis Federation World Champion in both singles and doubles.

2009: Australian Open Victory and Prize Money Leader

In 2009, Serena Williams claimed her tenth Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open, defeating Safina. This victory restored her No.1 ranking and made her the all-time career prize money leader in women's sports. She and Venus also won the doubles event at the Australian Open. She then withdrew before her semifinal match against Dementieva due to a knee injury.

2009: Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam Begins

Starting with the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, Serena and Venus Williams achieved a non-calendar year Grand Slam in doubles.

2010: Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam Completion

By the 2010 French Open, Serena and Venus Williams completed their non-calendar year Grand Slam, granting them the doubles world No. 1 ranking.

2010: Simultaneously Holding All Four Major Women's Doubles Titles Ends

From 2009–2010, Serena and Venus Williams simultaneously held all four major women's doubles titles.

2010: Australian Open Victory and Leg Injury

In 2010, Serena Williams won the Australian Open, defeating Justine Henin for her twelfth Grand Slam singles title. She and Venus also successfully defended their doubles title. She later sat out several events due to a leg injury.

2010: Laureus World Sports Award

In 2010, Serena Williams won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year.

2010: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2010, Serena Williams won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award for the second time.

2012: Return to Dominance, Olympic Gold at Wimbledon Championships

Beginning with the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, Serena Williams returned to dominance, claiming Olympic gold and completing the career Golden Slam in singles.

2012: Wimbledon singles and doubles titles

In 2012, Serena Williams won her fifth Wimbledon singles title, her 14th Grand Slam victory, and set records for aces served. She and her sister also captured their fifth trophy in Wimbledon doubles.

2013: French Open title and Wimbledon defeat

In 2013, Serena Williams claimed her second French Open title and 16th Grand Slam title overall, becoming the fourth woman in the Open Era to win each Grand Slam tournament at least twice. She was later defeated at Wimbledon by Sabine Lisicki.

2013: Year-end No.1 ranking and awards

In 2013, Serena Williams finished as the year-end No.1 for the third time, becoming the oldest No.1 player in WTA history. She was named the ITF World Champion for the fourth time and received several ESPY Awards.

2013: Rogers Cup, US Open, China Open wins and WTA Championship

In 2013, Serena Williams won her third Rogers Cup title, the US Open for her 17th Grand Slam, and the China Open. She triumphed at the WTA Championships, becoming the first female player to win more than $10 million in a season.

2014: Second instance of Simultaneously Holding All Four Major Singles Titles Begins

From 2014–2015, Serena Williams simultaneously held all four major singles titles for the second time in her career.

2014: US Open win and WTA Finals title

In 2014, Serena Williams won her third consecutive and sixth overall US Open singles title, tying Evert for most US Open singles titles in the Open Era. She also claimed the WTA Finals title, finishing the year ranked No.1.

2014: Winning Four Majors in a Row Begins

Starting in 2014, Serena Williams began a streak of winning four major singles titles in a row, achieving a second "Serena Slam".

December 2015: Sportsperson of the Year by Sports Illustrated

In December 2015, Serena Williams was named Sportsperson of the Year by Sports Illustrated magazine.

2015: Second Serena Slam

From 2014-2015, Serena won all four majors in a row to achieve a second "Serena Slam".

2015: Australian Open title and milestones

In 2015, Serena Williams won her sixth Australian Open singles title and 19th career Grand Slam singles title, surpassing Evert and Navratilova. She also became the eighth woman in the Open Era to record 700 match wins in her career and went on to win a record eighth title in Miami.

2015: French Open and Wimbledon titles

In 2015, Serena Williams won her third French Open and 20th Grand Slam singles title, making her only the third person in history to win each Grand Slam at least three times. She also claimed her sixth Wimbledon singles title and 21st Grand Slam singles title overall, completing her second 'Serena Slam'.

2015: Surface Slam and Holding All Four Major Singles Titles

In 2015, Serena Williams won the Surface Slam (major titles on hard, clay, and grass courts in the same calendar year). From 2014-2015, she simultaneously held all four major singles titles.

September 5, 2016: Tying Graf's Record

On September 5, 2016, Serena Williams's marked her 186th consecutive week ranked No.1, tying her with Graf for the longest run in WTA history.

2016: Highest Paid Woman Athlete

In 2016, Serena Williams was the world's highest-paid woman athlete, earning almost $29 million.

2016: Laureus World Sports Award

In 2016, Serena Williams won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year.

2016: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2016, Serena Williams won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award for the third time.

September 1, 2017: Birth of Daughter

On September 1, 2017, Serena Williams gave birth to a daughter and suffered a pulmonary embolism after delivery, which delayed her return to training.

2017: 23rd Major Singles Title at Australian Open

At the 2017 Australian Open, Serena Williams won her 23rd major singles title, surpassing Steffi Graf's Open Era record.

2017: Named Greatest Female Tennis Player of the Open Era

In 2017, BBC Sport users selected Serena Williams as the greatest female tennis player of the Open Era.

2017: Only Woman on Forbes' List

In 2017, Serena Williams was the only woman on Forbes' list of the 100 highest-paid athletes, earning $27 million in prize money and endorsements.

2018: Laureus World Sports Award

In 2018, Serena Williams won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year.

2018: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2018, Serena Williams won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award for a record fourth time.

2018: Tennis.com Panel Concludes Williams is the GOAT

In 2018, a Tennis.com panel concluded that Serena Williams is the greatest female tennis player of all time.

December 2019: Associated Press Female Athlete of the Decade

In December 2019, the Associated Press named Serena Williams Female Athlete of the Decade for the 2010s.

2019: 13th Consecutive Year in Grand Slam Final

In 2019, Serena Williams reached the final at Wimbledon, making it the 13th consecutive year in which she played in a Grand Slam final. She also became the oldest Grand Slam finalist in the Open Era, though she lost the final to Halep.

January 2020: First Title as a Mother at ASB Classic

In January 2020, Serena Williams won her first singles title as a mother at the ASB Classic, defeating Jessica Pegula in the final.

2020: Greatest Female Tennis Player in History

In 2020, the Tennis Channel ranked Serena Williams as the greatest female tennis player in history.

2020: Tennis Channel Ranks Williams as Greatest

In 2020, the Tennis Channel ranked Serena Williams as the greatest female tennis player in history.

June 2022: Return to Professional Play at Eastbourne International

In June 2022, Serena Williams returned to professional play, teaming up with Ons Jabeur for the Eastbourne International. The pair won two matches before retiring from the tournament due to an injury sustained by Jabeur.