10 milestones that define Serena Williams' career

Her undying passion for the game is matched only by her fierce aggression on the court. These are just two of the attributes that have made Serena Williams the greatest player of her generation and one of the greatest to have ever stepped on the tennis court.In a career spanning nearly two decades, Serena has won a whopping 19 singles Grand Slam titles, 13 women’s doubles titles and two mixed doubles titles. Dubbed by the media as the ‘Queen of the Court’, Serena, on April 1st, 2015, reached yet another milestone in her illustrious career: She beat Sabine Lisicki in the quarter-final of the Miami Open to take the total number of wins in her career to 700.In the light of this stunning accomplishment, we rewind the clock backwards to take a look at some of Serena’s greatest achievements in her career:

#1 The incredible talent

Serena Williams was just three years old when she would wield the tennis racquet for the first time. Her father Richard took upon himself to coach both Serena and her sister Venus. At nine, Serena was the number one ranked player in the under 10 age category in the United States of America with an astonishing 46-3 career record.

However, for reasons both personal and political, her father pulled her (and Venus) out of the junior circuit, and took on the job of coaching his daughters full-time. Serena would later go on to say that, not having taken the more conventional path of playing the junior tennis circuit had proved beneficiary to her and her sister while adding that it needn’t work for all.

#2 Turning pro

Serena made her professional debut at the age of 14 in 1995,before going on to break into the top 100 two years later.

Aged 14, Serena made her professional tennis debut at the Bell Challenge in 1995. Although, she won just the two games before eventually bowing out against Anne Miller in the qualifying event, Serena had succeeded in announcing herself to the world of tennis.

It was in 1997, however, that Serena would first display her enormous potential. While it is nigh inconceivable today to think of Serena being out of the top 100, she was ranked as low as 304 when she brought down Monica Seles and Mary Pierce, ranked four and seven respectively, to make her presence felt on the professional circuit.

#3 The beginning of a great rivalry

Two historic events marked 1998 for Serena – One was her debut in a Grand Slam at the Australian Open, the other being her first professional match against elder sister Venus. Venus went on to win the match and the foundation stone for the most remarkable rivalry in women’s tennis had been laid.

This rivalry would divide the entire tennis fraternity, let alone the Williams household. However, despite the on-court rivalry, the two have always maintained a healthy relationship off the court.

#4 Grand Slam success

It was in 1999 that Serena Williams managed to keep her date with destiny. After having tasted victory at the French Open, where she and Venus won the doubles title, Serena set her sights higher, going into the US Open.

Monica Seles, Conchita Martinez and then defending Champion Lindsay Davenport, all became casualties to the Serena Juggernaut. In the final, she upset World No. 1, Martina Hingis to become only the second African-American woman after Althea Gibson to win a singles Grand Slam. She also broke into the top ten in 1999, ending the year ranked number four.

#5 Doubles\' delight

Serena was outshone by her sister Venus through the years 2000 and 2001. Venus went on win and successfully defend her Wimbledon and US Open titles in this period while also going on to clinch the Olympic Gold at Sydney. However, the duo performed one wonder after another on the doubles circuit.

The pair, by clinching the doubles title at the Australian Open in ‘01, became the fifth doubles team in the history of the game to complete a ‘Career Grand Slam’.

#6 Serena Slam!

Serena defeated her sister and defending champion Venus Williams to clinch her first Wimbledon crown in 2002.

Following a two-year drought at the Grand Slams, Serena was more determined than ever to clasp her hands around the most precious pieces of silverware in tennis going into 2003. Her rivalry with elder sister Venus was now at its peak, with the latter having gotten the better of Serena in the semi-final at Wimbledon in 2000 and in the final of the US Open the following year. In the intervening period, Serena had exited all four Grand Slams in the quarter-final stage.

In 2002, after an injury forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open, a reinvigorated Serena Williams renewed her tryst with the Grand Slams when she defeated defending champion Jennifer Capriati in the final. The Serena juggernaut had now been set in motion. Over the course of the next nine months, anyone and everyone who stood in her way were brushed aside by her unique brand of tennis, which combined a strong serve with her hard hitting strokes from the baseline.

She went on to win at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open in 2003, becoming the fifth woman to hold all four major titles simultaneously, a feat which the media dubbed ‘Serena Slam’.

#7 Depression, injuries and career slump

At the peak of her career in 2003, Serena was undone by a series of injuries.

It took two Belgians in Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, to bring the Williams’ wagon to a screeching halt at the French Open in 2003. Both Williams sisters bowed out in the semi-finals of that event, Venus losing to Clijsters and Serena to Henin.

But the duo recovered in no time, setting up the title clash which Serena subsequently won. This was followed by an eight-month layoff owing to a knee injury. For the first time since 2001, Serena ended a year (2004) without a single Grand Slam to her name. But, she sprang back, warding off injuries to win the Australian Open title in 2005, defeating World Number one Lindsay Davenport in the final.

Her triumph at the Australian Open was followed by, what can aptly be described as the most dismal phase in Serena’s career. Her career, rattled by injuries and depression, was on a downward spiral and she ended the year ranked 95.

#8 Defying the odds

Ranked 81, Serena Williams looked forward to 2007 with renewed vigour. While experts and commentators were sceptical of Serena’s fortunes, with some like Pat Cash expressing their apprehensions volubly. Serena seemed focused and confident of arresting her decline.

Her unexpected and thumping victory in the Australian Open, in the final of which she defeated Maria Sharapova with ease, showed all and sundry that her optimism wasn’t misguided. Throughout the year, Serena showed remarkable progress conquering all but Justine Henin, who got the better of her in three Grand Slam quarter-finals.

2008 saw the Williams’ sisters reassert themselves in women’s tennis, with Venus clinching the Wimbledon title and Serena the US Open. Venus had, in fact, overcome her sister at Wimbledon in their first title clash since 2003. Serena went on to end 2008 ranked number 2, with her career now poised for yet another golden period.

#9 Oldest World Number One

Although the period which followed her return to the top 10 in 2008 was beset by injuries, Serena refused to allow them to deter her and continued in her rich vein of form, her retinue of Grand Slam titles only getting heavier with each passing year.

On February 8, 2013, however, she achieved a unique milestone. Regaining the top ranking for the sixth time in her career, after she dislodged Victoria Azarenka from the position, Serena became the oldest World Number one in WTA’s history aged 26 years. In the meanwhile, she also went on to win the Gold medal in the singles event at the London Olympics to complete a ‘Career Golden Slam’.

#10 700 Wins!

Serena Williams in a jubilant mood after she beat Sabine Lisicki at the Miami Open to register her 700th career win

Pushing 34, Serena seems as invulnerable and indestructible as she was when she shocked Martina Hingis as a teenager in the 1999 US Open final, setting new milestones to conquer and finding new records to break each day.

On the first of April, 2015, Serena registered her 700th career victory against Sabine Lisicki in the quarter-final of the Miami Open. While her detractors have made it a habit of writing her off every time, she hasn’t shown the slightest sign of weakness. Serena has gone about her business, adding new chapters to an already glorious chapter in the history of women’s tennis.

Maybe her 700th win is but the beginning of yet another golden period in her illustrious career. Her fans sure hope so.