Serena Williams was only 21 when she was first named world No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) in 2002. Since then, Serena has repeated the feat no fewer than eight times, spending a total of 319 weeks as world No. 1.
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She holds a total of 39 Grand Slam titles, 23 of which were for Grand Slam singles. To many tennis commentators and players, Serena Williams is quite simply the greatest female tennis player of all time.
But Williams' journey to the top was not an easy one, and she had to fight for her victories every step of the way. Her story is an inspiration to girls, women and all visible minorities who are forced to confront judgments and prejudices on the path to their dreams. With that in
Serena Williams' Most Inspirational Quotes
1. Growing up I wasn’t the richest, but I had a rich family in spirit. Standing here with 19 championships is something I never thought would happen. I went on a court just with a ball and a racket and with a hope.
2. Think of all the girls who could become top athletes but quit sports because they're afraid of having too many defined muscles and being made fun of or called unattractive.
3. I decided I can’t pay a person to rewind time, so I may as well get over it.
4. I think you have to love yourself before you fall in love. I’m still learning to love myself.
5. I don’t like to lose -- at anything -- Yet I’ve grown most not from victories, but setbacks. If winning is God’s reward, then losing is how he teaches us.
6. There’s one thing I’m really good at, and that’s hitting the ball over a net, in a box. I’m excellent.
7. Family’s first, and that’s what matters most. We realize that our love goes deeper than the tennis game.
8. With a defeat, when you lose, you get up, you make it better, you try again. That’s what I do in life, when I get down, when I get sick, I don’t want to just stop. I keep going and I try to do more. Everyone always says never give up but you really have to take that to heart and really do never definitely give up. Keep trying.
9. I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.
10. You can be whatever size you are, and you can be beautiful both inside and out. We’re always told what’s beautiful and what’s not, and that’s not right.
11. I always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best. I always see myself in the top position.
12. The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.
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13. I’m definitely not a fearless individual.
14. I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.
15. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.
16. I’ve had to learn to fight all my life – got to learn to keep smiling. If you smile things will work out.
17. Since I don’t look like every other girl, it takes a while to be okay with that. To be different. But different is good.
18. Everything comes at a cost. Just what are you willing to pay for it?
19. Luck has nothing to do with it, because I have spent many, many hours, countless hours, on the court working for my one moment in time, not knowing when it would come.
20. I think in life you should work on yourself until the day you die.
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