Serena Williams Still Succeeds Despite Her Failures
Serena Williams is one of,if not the greatest tennis player of all time. What makes her so different is she doesn’t just make mistakes,she learns from them.
This week, the US Open concluded without Serena Williams winning. Even after failing to earn Olympic golds, her supporters and even her critics were sure Williams would capture the title, but she didn’t. However, Serena Williams is such a rare and gifted athlete who can fail but still be immeasurably successful.
The US Open started really well for Serena. She made quick work of the first round, beating Ekaterina Makarova in two straight sets and making her way eventually into the semi-finals but then Williams just couldn’t take the heat. She lost against Karolína Plíšková, stopping her bid for a 23rd Grand Slam victory and losing her ranking of number one in the world, ranking second in the world now.
Even after losing doubles at the Olympics, she didn’t let it get her down. The reason why is because she knows how talented she is. Serena Williams knows that no matter what happens, her place in tennis history is already written. She will consistently be known as one of the greatest to ever play the game, but she is able to raise from the ashes, a new and more improved person.
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 08: Serena Williams of the United States walks onto the court before playing against Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic during her Women’s Singles Semifinal Match on Day Eleven of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2016 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images for USTA)
The best example I have for that is her 2001 match at Indian Wells. During her match at Indian Wells, Serena was not only booed off the court but also taunted with racist remarks. The remarks didn’t just touch Serena though, they were also directed at her sister, Venus and her father, Richard Williams. From then on, Williams did not appear or play any matches at Indian Wells, even going as far to say “I’m not going to be playing at Indian Wells…I’ve had some extremely life-altering things that happened to me there. So I told Larry Scott there are things that happened there that he understands shouldn’t happen, especially me being African-American.”
In 2015, Williams changed her mind and decided to return to Indian Wells. She broke the news via an article on Time, “I’m fortunate to be at a point in my career where I have nothing to prove. I’m still as driven as ever, but the ride is a little easier. I play for the love of the game. And it is with that love in mind, and a new understanding of the true meaning of forgiveness, that I will proudly return to Indian Wells in 2015.”
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That quote really showed you exactly the person that Serena Williams is. She plays because she loves the game which is why her failures are so important. If she didn’t fail, she wouldn’t be where she is today or become the greatest player in the world without the incident in 2001. Since 2001, she has gone from being a 19-year-old kid into an extremely successful and respected woman.
If 2016 is a “down year” for Serena Williams, then I can’t wait to see what 2017 has in store. She might be 34 years old, but she’s got the drive of someone much younger. Her failure shaped her into the successful woman she is today and is why she’s truly one of the greatest athletes of all time.