Serena Williams: The Most Dominant Force In Women's Tennis

Serena Williams is a professional athlete who has conquered the different labels that media and society have given her throughout her professional career. Mini Cooper

Getting to that spot was not easy for her “It was a very difficult time getting there because my coach was kinda unfair and didn't want to give me my spot.”. She challenged many of her teammates to get the spot that she felt that she deserved. There was a point where her coach told her that she could have the spot, but the next day he had her play multiple people for that same spot. This behavior and other factors made Emma upset, frustrated and at some points infuriated, but she kept her head up and her coach finally saw that she earned fifth singles and he awarded her with it. Emma told me that tennis is not only a physical strain but also a mental one. According to Nuzzi “To win tennis you need mental strength. If you don't have that you'll never make it as a good tennis player ”. One thing that was a mental hurdle for Emma was the fact that people were watching her, this made her overthink what she was doing and she wasn't able to focus on the actual game. Emma has the tendency to psych herself out before a match over little things such as spectators, weather conditions and the fear of defeat, even though she knows that she is more than ready to

Althea Gibson: the first African-American to win the French championships, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Nationals.

Serena is more than just a tennis player. She is a fashionable athlete. During a match in 2002, Serena was wearing a black lycra catsuit at the US Open. This was a number one discussion topic among sports enthusiasts at the time.

On the afternoon of August 8th, 2016 a young girl was facing the tennis match of her life. The Girls 14s Nationals were coming to a close and the championship trophy was only 3 games and 1 set away. Everything she had dreamed for was so close, yet so far. The extremely sunny sky glared into her eyes, making it impossible to think. But she couldn’t lose hope now, if she won this match, she would be crowned the Girls 14s Nationals Champion for Tennis. All she had to do was clutch this game. Just a few more points…

Althea Gibson was born in 1927 in South Carolina to two sharecroppers on a cotton farm. Her family later during the Great depression moved to Harlem. With the support of her neighbors for money, she received lessons at the Cosmopolitan Tennis Club and in 1941, she won the ATA national championship in the girls division (Trong).Althea gibson was a great influence and role model for African Americans by being the first African American to win as many championships as she did , showing what African Americans could accomplish in tennis, and opening doors for African Americans . Althea Gibson influenced African Americans by being the being the first African American to win as many championships as she did.

History has referred to her as "the Jackie Robinson of tennis" for breaking the color barrier. On August 22, 1950, Althea Gibson, an American sportswoman, became the first African-American woman to be a competitor on the world tennis tour. She was the first to win a 'grand slam' title in 1957. She was a pioneer in both amateur tennis and professional golf forging a road for future greats to include Tiger Woods and Venus Williams. She was also the first black woman on the LPGA tour.

The Williams sister’s have had to suffer under the oppression of the lily white sport of tennis. Throughout Serena’s very successful career there have been multiple cases where one of the judges, either a line judge or a head umpire, have cost her a championship based on the calls that they have made. In 2004, Mariana Alves, cost Serena a trip to the championship game after making five bad calls in a row in favor of Serena’s opponent. As

During the earlier years of my tennis career, about the age of seven, my parents had learned of a nearby organization at Watkins Park Maryland. The organization was known as the Prince George’s Tennis and Education Foundation. It was here where I began to make my largest strides in my life, both academically and athletically.

Tennis is more than just a sport for Damien Heller-Chen, it is a lifestyle. When he was six years old, he got introduced to tennis and found it as a very enjoyable sport. Many sports are intense and competitive, which is why Heller-Chen chose tennis, as he fell in love with a less competitive sport. Heller-Chen enjoys the feeling of having control in the game. He feels empowered since he is center stage of the game and not on a team. Tennis takes dedication as he practices for eight to 14 hours a week at The Boars Head.

Serena Williams had many hard times in her childhood. Richard and Oracene Williams raised their five daughters in the poor city of Compton, California. They gave birth to Serena Jameka Williams September 26, 1981 (“Serena Williams Biography”). Richard enjoyed tennis very much and would often have Serena and her older sister Venus practice for hours in the terrible tennis courts (“Venus & Serena Williams Biography”). Richard was extremely supportive and hoped all the best for his children. “He would ask what tournament she wanted to win, and then, enter them for that very competition which they often then went to win” (Sheyin). At ten years old, Serena was on the junior United States Tennis Association tour and won first place in the ten and under division! Worried at first, Richard pulled them out due to his desire for them to stay focused at school. He also noticed some parents say some harsh things because of their racial background. After his daughters

One of the biggest things that she pushed for in her career was equal pay for men and women in sports. This was a struggle for her as she had trouble paying for her tennis. In the early days of her playing she was not allowed in the picture of her first tennis club because she was not wearing the proper tennis skirt, but instead had on shorts. Her family did not have a lot of extra money to put into her expensive tennis career and it was hard for them to afford the elitists sport. She along with other women had to stand up and risk being band from the tennis league when they signed one dollar contracts with the Virginia Slims to bring attention to the struggle for equal play. It became apparent to Billy even from the young age that she was when she was not allowed in the picture because of her attire that women where not

Serena Williams, despite being an all-star tennis player is continually defined by the media, not by her talent but rather her marketability as a black athlete. The media continues to define her in ways they feel society should place a person of color that has reached success, and that place is the “model" person of color. When a person of color reaches success, the media attempts to define them as model persons of color (who people of color should aspire to be), so they can mold them into a place that ultimately fits the white imagination. The white imagination is defined in The Meaning of Serena Williams as “who is worthy, who is desirable, and who is associated with the good life," aka factors that the media ultimately would deem marketable.

She is the Captain of her tennis team and is constantly working to try to improve her abilities.

Tennis dates back many centuries ago, and is believed to be played by ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. It has evolved over the years, and today the tennis style is tremendously different from previous centuries. Many different tennis styles have been adapted over the years, and today tennis has become a more aggressive sport. It is very different from when the players use to ding the ball back and forth across the net. Today tennis is played with a lot more force and it has become a more engaging sport from the sport it used to be just a century ago. The William Sisters, Venus and Serena Williams, have had a huge impact on the game of tennis. When they peaked to fame it changed the way everyone saw the game of tennis.