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Serena Williams: Top five career highlights from the record-setting tennis player

Serena Wiilliams: leaving Indian Wells with a knee injury
Image: Serena Wiilliams: One of a kind in modern tennis

Serena Williams' achievements on the tennis court have made her a global sporting icon and in celebration of Women’s Sport Week, we look back on her career highlights.

There are fewer greatest forces in women's sport than Williams, who has won an incredible 19 Grand Slam titles.

The American is looking to triumph at the French Open for a third time this week in Paris, but on a week where women's sport takes centre stage, it's the perfect time to take stock and celebreate the greatness of this phenomenal athlete.

Grand Slam queen

Serena Williams lifts the Australian Open trophy after her victory over Maria Sharapova in the 2015 final
Image: Williams lifts the Australian Open trophy after her victory over Maria Sharapova in the 2015 final

Williams won her 19th Grand Slam title at the 2015 Australian Open, overcoming on-court sickness to beat Maria Sharapova in straight sets.

The hard-fought win meant Williams has now won one more major singles title than Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova and is just three behind the open-era record of 22 held by Steffi Graf.

Williams said after the victory: "I would love to get to 22. I mean, 19 was very difficult to get to. But I have to get to 20 first, and then I have to get to 21. It will be a very big task."

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That task could become easier if she wins this week at Roland Garros - she takes on Timea Bacsinszky on Thursday in the semi-finals.

Top dollar

Serena Williams screams after winning a point
Image: Williams' drive has amassed her a huge amount of prize money

Williams has proved over the years that success in the women’s game can yield big financial reward.

Currently, she stands as the highest earning women athlete of all-time. As of May 25 this year the American had won £43.3m (the first woman ever to win over £39.1m in career prize money) - over £19m more than her greatest tennis rival Sharapova has amassed in her 12-year career.

If Williams goes all the way in the French Open this year, she’ll add another £1.3m to her career earnings. 

'Serena Slam'

Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert after the 2014 US Open final
Image: Serena Williams (C), Martina Navratilova (L) and Chris Evert after the 2014 US Open final

After winning the 2003 Australian Open, she became the ninth player to win a career Grand Slam, following in the footsteps of the likes of Billie Jean King, Evert and Navratilova.

By winning in Melbourne, Serena added that Grand Slam title to the French Open, US Open and Wimbledon crowns she won the previous year, beating her sister Venus Williams in every final.

Golden oldie

Image: Serena and her sister Venus dominated women's tennis in the early part of the 21st century

Age is no boundary for Williams. Much like a fine wine, she has flourished as her years have increased.  

In beating Petra Kvitova 3-6 6-3 7-5 to advance to the semi-finals of the Qatar Open in 2013, Williams, who was 31-years-old, overtook Evert to become the oldest woman to hold the WTA No 1 ranking since the computer rankings were introduced in 1975.

Her stint at the top was the fifth time she held the position and officially announced her back at the top table of women’s tennis after a three year absence from the No 1 ranking.

Olympic hero 

After winning singles and doubles gold at the London Olympics, Williams became the joint-most decorated tennis player in the history of the Olympics, a record shared with her sister Venus, with four gold medals

Having previously won gold in doubles in Sydney in 2000 and Beijing in 2008, Williams’ victory over Maria Sharapova in London created history as she became the first person to win the 'Golden Slam' - all four Grand Slams and an Olympic gold - in both singles and doubles.

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