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Serena Williams recently triumphed at Wimbledon. This is nothing new for the number one female tennis player in the world. She has 68 single titles and 22 doubles titles – 36 of these are Grand Slam titles – as well as 4 Olympic gold medals. You know that she dominates the court, but there are many interesting things probably you do not know about her.
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1. Humble Beginnings
Serena began playing tennis at age 5. She started off in public courts. Her family did not live in the best area and she recalls needing to duck gunfire on her way home. But Serena and her sister Venus were very dedicated from a very young age. They were both home schooled and trained by their parents.
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2. The Baby of the Family
Her sister Venus is well known since she is also a professional tennis player. But Serena grew up with three other older sisters: Lyndrea, Isha, and Yetunde Price. Lyndrea is a Web designer and Isha is a lawyer. The eldest, Yetunde, was a registered nurse and owned a beauty salon before she was tragically killed in a shooting twelve years ago.
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3. She Cares About Charity
Serena supports multiple charities. After the 2010 earthquake devastated Haiti, Serena was one of the stars who chose to sacrifice their last day of preparation for the 2010 Australian Open in order to form a charity event. In 2011, she was appointed UNICEF international goodwill ambassador.
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4. An Amazonian
The athlete stands at 5’9”, or about 1,75m.
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5. She Holds Many Records
Serena is ranked No. 1 in women’s singles tennis. She made history at the 2014 US Open Championship by becoming the first woman to win three championship titles in a row. She won that title a few weeks before her 33rd birthday, which makes her the oldest major champion since Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1990. In 1999, she was the first black woman to win a Grand Slam professional tennis tournament since Althea Gibson in 1958. And so far, she is the only female player who has won over $72 million in prize money.
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6. A Friendly Sibling Rivalry
Together, Venus and Serena have won 13 Grand Slam double titles and are unbeaten in Grand Slam finals. But of the 25 times they have faced off against each other, Serena has won 14 of the matches.
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7. A Smart Business Woman
Serena developed her own line of clothing, called Aneres, and launched a collection of handbags and jewelry that she named Signature Statement. Both brands were featured in fashion shows during the New York Fashion Week.
SEE ALSO: The 10 Highest-Earning Athletes Of 2015
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