Serena Williams: Tennis Legend

Serena Williams: Tennis Legend — page 1 — 4 Serena Williams

Serena Williams: Tennis Legend — page 2 — CHAPTER 1 BUILDING A CHAMPION Serena Williams stood at the baseline The 17 year old was one point away from her first Grand Slam title Martina Hingis waited for Williams to serve Hingis was the top seed in the 1999 US Open Williams prepared to start the point She rocked back She tossed the ball up with her left arm Then she smashed it across the net The white beads in her braids bounced on the back of her head Serena Williams celebrates a win at the 1999 US Open 5 Building a Champion

Serena Williams: Tennis Legend — page 3 — Hingis lunged to her right and swatted the ball back The two players each hit a backhand Williams hit another one So did Hingis But the ball floated high Williams waited at the baseline She was ready But the ball sailed out of bounds Williams could hardly believe it She had beaten the top ranked player in the world She had won her first Grand Slam title Any Grand Slam championship is memorable But Serena Williams's 1999 US Open win carried even more meaning It made her the first black woman to win the US Open since Althea Gibson did so in 1957 and 1958 Williams screamed and cried She went over to the stands to kiss her mother The win was a dream come true When she and her older sister Venus were growing up they talked about which Grand Slam event they wanted to win the most Serena always said the US Open The Williams sisters were destined to be tennis superstars Serena was born in Saginaw Michigan on September 26 1981 6 Serena Williams

Serena Williams: Tennis Legend — page 4 — Richard Williams and his daughters pose near a Compton tennis court in 1991 Her family moved to Compton California when she was a baby Compton was dangerous There was gang violence and racism Serena's father Richard grew up in Shreveport Louisiana He and other black people were treated unfairly because of 7 Building a Champion

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