Taking a Look Back at the Incredible Career of Serena Williams

News has recently come out that one of the best female tennis players of all time is pregnant. Now we take a look back at the legendary career of Serena Williams.

Serena Williams’ place in tennis history is already solidified. At 35 years of age, Williams has achieved more than almost any other player, and has shown no signs of slowing down. This week it was announced the Williams is pregnant, casting some doubt on whether she will continue to play. Whether she does or not is anyone’s guess, so here we take a look back at her incredible career.

Early days as a professional

Serena Williams began playing tennis at the age of 3. By the time she was 10, she has accumulated a 46-3 record with the United States Tennis Association, and was seen by most experts as an extremely talented young prospect.

At just 14 years of age, Serena competed in her first professional event. She lost in the first round here, but gained some valuable experience playing at a high level. She did not compete in another pro event until 1997, when she made US gambling news by upsetting Mary Pierce and Monica Seles. She ended her year as the number 99 ranked women’s pro in the world.

By the time 1999 came around, Williams was ranked number 4 in the world, with a number of high-profile victories over players with much more experience. It was around this time that the world began to see just how talented she was, and is a defining moment in the career of Serena Williams.

Injuries and comeback

After winning many different major titles, including the 2002 Wimbeldon Championship, Williams underwent knee surgery during the summer of 2003. Some questioned whether this meant the end for her career, as she was forced to spend more than eight months on the sidelines.

After recovering, Serena made her comeback at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami, taking first place. The next two years were somewhat inconsistent, as she struggled to compete with the top players during Wimbledon and the US Open. At the end of 2006, she was ranked 97th, the lowest since 1997.

At the beginning of 2007, she told the media her intention to regain a spot in the top 10 rankings, and managed to win some major tournaments including the Sony Ericsson Open. In 12 months, she was ranked 7th, the highest rank for an American since 2003.

Rise to the number-1 ranking

From 2007 onward, the career of Serena Williams was flourishing. Despite coming in as a tennis betting underdog according to sites like Intertops, she claimed her 10th grand slam singles win at the 2009 Australian Open, which immediately put her in the number one ranking.

She continued to prove she was the best with more victories over the next several years. She earned victories at Wimbledon in 2010 and 2012, at the US Open in 2012 and 2013, and the French Open in 2013.

There was no question at this point who was the best player in the world. Serena Williams was a household name at this point.

Later career and pregnancy announcement

Despite competing in her 30’s, the career of Serena Williams did not slow down. She was regularly the betting favorite at major tournaments according to most online sportsbooks in the US, and was earning more money and any of her peers.

In April of 2017, Williams made headlines by announcing on Snapchat that she was 20 weeks pregnant, meaning she managed to win the Australian Open, and her 23rd Grand Slam single, pregnant. That’s an incredible accomplishment, and just shows the type of athlete Williams is.

We at GamingZion recently covered the betting odds for the 2017 French Open, and before her surprise announcement, she was listed as the betting favorite with odds of 3.00. The odds are now being changed, but it seems likely that Intertops will list fellow top player Simona Halep as the favorite.

Will the career of Serena Williams come to an end after her pregnancy? That remains to be seen. For now, all we can do it look back with astonishment at what she accomplished.

If you want to bet on tennis online in the US, make sure to head to Intertops today, and tell us what you think is next for Serena Williams in the comment section below.