Serena Williams’ 23 Grand Slam singles titles (tied for most in the Open Era with Margaret Court’s 24 total, though 13 were pre-Open Era) cemented her as the greatest female tennis player in history. Her 2017 Australian Open victory—while 8 weeks pregnant—was her last major title, leaving her one shy of Court’s record despite reaching four more finals.
The 23rd Slam
January 28, 2017, Melbourne. Serena defeated sister Venus 6-4, 6-4 in the Australian Open final, winning her 23rd major singles title. She didn’t drop a set in the tournament. She was two months pregnant with daughter Alexis Olympia (born September 2017) but didn’t know it yet.
The victory made her the oldest woman (35) to win a Grand Slam in the Open Era. It broke Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22 majors. Only Margaret Court’s 24 stood ahead—but 13 of Court’s came before the 1968 Open Era.
Dominance Across Eras
Grand Slam Breakdown:
- Australian Open: 7 titles (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017)
- French Open: 3 titles (2002, 2013, 2015)
- Wimbledon: 7 titles (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016)
- U.S. Open: 6 titles (1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014)
She completed the “Serena Slam” (holding all four majors simultaneously) twice: 2002-2003 and 2014-2015. She won 39 major titles total (23 singles, 14 doubles, 2 mixed doubles).
The Chase for 24
After giving birth via emergency C-section (life-threatening complications), Serena returned to tennis in 2018. She reached four Grand Slam finals (2018 Wimbledon, 2018 US Open, 2019 Wimbledon, 2019 US Open) but lost all four.
The 2018 US Open final loss to Naomi Osaka was marred by controversy—Serena received a code violation for coaching (disputed), smashed her racket (penalty point), and called umpire Carlos Ramos a “thief” (game penalty). She was fined $17,000. The episode sparked debates about sexism in officiating.
Retirement
Serena announced her retirement in August 2022, saying she was “evolving away from tennis” to focus on family and business. She played her final match at the 2022 US Open, losing to Ajla Tomljanović in the third round. The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd gave her a 4-minute standing ovation.
She retired at 23 majors, one shy of Court’s 24. But her dominance in the modern, competitive Open Era is unquestioned. She spent 319 weeks at world No. 1 (3rd all-time behind Graf and Martina Navratilova).
Beyond Tennis
Serena built a venture capital firm (Serena Ventures) with $111M fund investing in diverse founders. She married Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in 2017. She had a second daughter, Adira River, in 2023.
Her impact on tennis transcends statistics—she brought power, athleticism, and Black excellence to a historically white sport. She inspired generations of players, including Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff, who grew up idolizing her.
Source: WTA Serena Williams