The Rarest of Athletes - Serena Williams

So often women are overlooked for their athletic prowess and aren't seen in the same light as men when it comes to sports. Highlight clips are shorter. Coverage isn't televised on the main networks, or as frequently, and they never get nearly the amount of hype. Quite simply, the athletic ability of women is taken for granted by the majority.  

Enter, Serena Williams.

Winner of her FOURTH CONSECUTIVE Grand Slam tournament (U.S. Open, Australian Open, French Open, and now Wimbledon) over the weekend, Williams captured her 21^st major title, one shy of the all-time record set by Steffi Graf. In addition, she has compiled an astonishing record of 39-1 this year, including 21 straight Grand Slam victories (28 overall). With her win at the French, she became the first woman in the Open Era to win 50 matches at each Grand Slam.

 Her career at a glance:

		YTD	CAREER
WTA SINGLES TITLES		4	68
WTA DOUBLES TITLES		0	22
W/L SINGLES		39-1	723-121
W/L DOUBLES		0-1	177-28

GRAND SLAM HISTORY - SINGLES		YTD	CAREER
AUSTRALIAN OPEN		7-0	68-9
FRENCH OPEN		7-0	54-11
WIMBLEDON		7-0	79-10
US OPEN		?	79-9
Overall		21-0	280-39

                            (Info from wtatennis.com)

                              

Her numbers speak for themselves. It's her athletic ability that sets her apart. 

Arguably the rarest athlete in women's sports.

Every time she faces adversity, she delivers. At Wimbledon alone, Williams found her share of difficulties. In the third round, she was two points away from defeat, yet regained her composure and came through in the 3^rd set 7-5. Then, after having to play her sister for the first time in six years at the tournament, she faced two former number ones. She was down a set against Azarenka before putting that behind her and cruising to a 3-set victory. She followed that by pummeling world number 4 Sharapova. Then, even in the final, Williams lead 5-1 in the second set. However, Garbine Muguruza stormed back (with help from William’s errors) to make it 5-4. As Serena served for the match, she again saw the game get away from her, falling behind 0-40. She responded with two aces, a forehand winner, and two points later made history.

Most people don’t realize just how grueling the sport of tennis can be. It seems to many as more of a laid back sport in a similar category as golf. But having played in college myself, I can attest just how tough it is. Professionally, these players travel all over the world and deal with different types of surfaces, climates, and conditions. They have to adjust not only to each condition, but to each opponent. They have to play matches in consecutive days or every other against the world’s best. Then travel to the next destination and do it all over again. And that is what makes Serena’s run all the more impressive.

Williams has turned her career into one of the best in all of sports history! With two more Grand Slam victories, she will stand alone atop the all-time list. But don't think she needs that to strengthen her credentials as the G.O.A.T. She has already established that. 

And just as we tend to take so much for granted in this life, the same can be said about the tennis player that is Serena Williams. Even in her stature alone, she is an athlete we will never again see in women's tennis. 

So whatever you’re doing when the last slam of the year rolls around (August 31^st), just remember one thing: we may witness something that very well may never happen again in the history of tennis.

A GRAND SLAM.