Serena Williams Open Letter:To all incredible women who strive for excellence,When I was growing up, I had a dream. I’m sure you did, too. My dream wasn’t like that of an average kid, my dream was to be the best tennis player in the world. Not the best “female” tennis player in the world.
I was fortunate to have a family that supported my dream and encouraged me to follow it. I learned not to be afraid. I learned how important it is to fight for a dream and, most importantly, to dream big. My fight began when I was three and I haven’t taken a break since.
But as we know, too often women are not supported enough or are discouraged from choosing their path. I hope together we can change that. For me, it was a question of resilience. What others marked as flaws or disadvantages about myself – my race, my gender – I embraced as fuel for my success. I never let anything or anyone define me or my potential. I controlled my future.
So when the subject of equal pay comes up, it frustrates me because I know firsthand that I, like you, have done the same work and made the same sacrifices as our male counterparts. I would never want my daughter to be paid less than my son for the same work. Nor would you.
As we know, women have to break down many barriers on the road to success. One of those barriers is the way we are constantly reminded we are not men, as if it is a flaw. People call me one of the “world’s greatest female athletes”. Do they say LeBron is one of the world’s best male athletes? Is Tiger? Federer? Why not? They are certainly not female. We should never let this go unchallenged. We should always be judged by our achievements, not by our gender.
For everything I’ve achieved in my life, I am profoundly grateful to have experienced the highs and lows that come with success. It is my hope that my story, and yours, will inspire all young women out there to push for greatness and follow their dreams with steadfast resilience. We must continue to dream big, and in doing so, we empower the next generation of women to be just as bold in their pursuits.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams Open Letter : Hypothetically Speaking
Serena, ranked No. 1, has an astounding 41-5 record against the rest of the Top Five players on the WTA tour.
However, suppose we could suspend reality. Just for the sake of argument, let’s say Serena played in a hypothetical place where gender was not a factor. Suppose we could put estrogen and testosterone aside and focus on skill sets, records and intangibles, such as championship credentials.
Let’s rack her up against The Top 5
1.Serena Vs Roger Federer
Serena admires Roger Federer.
Born only a month apart, the two have a combined 32 Grand Slam titles.
Serena has the better serve. Last year, when they both won Wimbledon, Serena finished the tournament with a record 102 aces. Federer had 71.
If her serve was on, Serena could certainly win some cheap points off Federer.
However, Federer is far more consistent than Serena. He is also less likely to succumb to the huge lulls in performance Serena sometimes displays on the court.
Winner: Federer
2.Serena Vs Novak Djokovic
This would certainly be the most entertaining of all the matches.
Djokovic and Serena have a flair for drama.
How fun would it be to watch all the gamesmanship? Djokovic pounding his chest and Serena clenching her fist, screaming, “Come on!” after winners.
They like to poke fun at each other. Serena once called Djokovic and Nadal “weenies” after they complained about the blue clay at the 2012 Madrid Open.
Novak Djokovic is faster, quicker and probably has more stamina than Serena.
But Serena has a far better record against top-tier opponents. Djokovic has a 58.3 winning percentage against Top-10 players, the third lowest of the Big Four.
Winner: Serena
3.Serena Vs Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal has the movement to retrieve those ridiculous angles Serena throws at her opponents.
His counter-punching style could frustrate Serena, who likes to take chances and end points quickly.
Both are great champions and possess mental toughness.
Nadal would destroy Serena on clay, his best surface and her worst. He wins a ridiculous 93 percent of his matches on clay.
On the hard courts and on grass, Serena’s serve would give her an edge. She already has 193 aces this year. Serena is 67-8 at Wimbledon. She is a combined 123-17 at the U.S. Open and Australian Open.
Nadal has an 80.6 percent career record on grass and only 76.8 percent on hard courts.
Winner: Nadal on clay. Serena on hard courts and grass.
4. Serena Vs Andy Murray
Andy Murray and Serena won the U.S. Open last year. Murray’s win ushered him into the Big Four.
However, he’s not even close to being part of “The Greatest of All Time” conversations that involve Serena, Federer and Nadal.
Murray’s strength on the baseline would help in rallies against Serena, but Serena has a better overall game. Her serve, play at the net and shot selection are all better than Murray’s.
She has 15 Grand Slams. He just won his first. Murray has a 78.3 winning percentage on hard courts and 81.3 on grass. He struggles on clay, with a 60.8 winning percentage.
He wins against Top-10 opponents less than 57 percent of the time.
Winner: Serena
5. Serena Vs David Ferrer
Notice there’s no Serena in the picture with No. 4 David Ferrer.
That’s because they rarely share the same spotlight. They certainly haven’t posed together for any trophy ceremonies.
Ferrer as a tennis player is not in the same stratosphere as Serena.
She is taller than him. She serves better. Unlike Ferrer, Serena rarely tanks in big matches. Despite consistently finishing in the Top Five, Ferrer has an abysmal 36.4 winning percentage against Top-10 players.
In this matchup, Serena would plant herself in the middle of the court and push Ferrer from side to side like he was a tethered ball.
Even on his best day and her worst, Ferrer would find a way to lose like he did against Murray at the Sony Open in Miami.
Winner: Serena in a beat down.
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( With inputs – World Press)
