Serena Williams – the greatest female tennis player who has ever dominated the women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles events, has decided to retire from tennis. Let’s review the milestones that made the name of the “Black Panther”.

Tennis history will certainly remember the name Serena Williams, as an unrivaled fighting machine in all the fronts she participated in. Serena is the owner of a huge Grand Slam collection, with a total of 39 titles, including 23 individual Grand Slams, 14 doubles victories and 2 mixed doubles championships.

Serena has won 349 Grand Slam matches, far surpassing the legendary Martina Navratilova (306 wins). She was the owner of 186 consecutive weeks as world number 1, equal to the legendary Steffi Graf.

Serena changed a part of tennis history. Her success and that of her sister Venus opened a new door for black players, breaking the stereotype that tennis is a white man’s sport.

According to Mouratoglou, Serena has invented a weapon called “tennis intimidation”, where Serena’s presence alone is enough to make her opponents afraid.

In her first professional season, 16-year-old Serena Williams was given a wildcard into the 1997 Ameritech Cup. She defeated Mary Pierce and Monica Seles, then ranked 10th, losing to Lindsay Davenport in the semi-finals while playing with an injured ankle. Photo: The Guardian

Serena (left), with her sister Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 1997. Photo: The Guardian

In her first Grand Slam event, Serena lost to her sister in the second round of the 1998 Australian Open. Photo: The Guardian

In 1999, Williams beat four former champions to reach the US Open final, where she took the crown from world number one Martina Hingis to become the only African-American woman to win a major. Photo: The Guardian

During an injury-plagued season in 2000, Serena lost to her sister Venus in the Wimbledon semi-finals. The sisters went on to win more doubles titles. Photo: The Guardian

The sisters faced each other again in the 2002 Wimbledon final… Photo: The Guardian

… Serena won for the first time, in straight sets, to reach her first world number one ranking. Photo: The Guardian

Venus takes a photo of her sister after they met again in the 2003 Wimbledon final. Photo: The Guardian

Williams plays Victoria Azarenka at Wimbledon Centre Court in 2009. Photo: The Guardian

Serena went on to beat her sister in another Wimbledon final in 2009. Photo: The Guardian

Williams shows her frustration after losing to Marion Bartoli at Wimbledon 2011 due to injury. Photo: The Guardian

Williams regained her form the following year, beating Agnieszka Radwańska in the 2012 final. Photo: The Guardian

Williams returns to action against Victoria Azarenka on Centre Court on day eight of Wimbledon 2015. She continues to push for another title. Photo: The Guardian

Williams leaves the court with the Venus Rosewater Dish after defeating Garbiñe Muguruza in the 2015 Wimbledon final. Photo: The Guardian

Williams celebrates her victory over Angelique Kerber in the 2016 Wimbledon final – her seventh Wimbledon title and 22nd Grand Slam title. Photo: The Guardian

… that same year, she also won the women’s doubles title with her sister Venus. Photo: The Guardian

Williams in a match against Nicole Gibbs at the 2017 Australian Open… Photo: The Guardian

Where she went on to beat her sister again in the final. Photo: The Guardian

Williams celebrates winning a point during her mixed doubles match with Andy Murray on day eight of the 2019 Wimbledon tennis championships. Photo: The Guardian

Williams was disappointed after losing to Simona Halep in the 2019 Wimbledon final. Photo: The Guardian

Williams celebrates with daughter Alexis Olympia after winning the ASB final in New Zealand in 2020. Photo: The Guardian

Williams defeated Naomi Osaka in the semi-finals of the 2021 Australian Open. Photo: The Guardian

Serena Williams attends the 2021 Met Gala in New York. Photo: The Guardian