5 Serena Williams achievements that are underrated ft. Golden Slam in singles and doubles
Serena Williams has one of the most well-rounded resumes in the history of tennis. Throughout her career, she broke and set numerous records. Her haul of 23 Major titles in singles is the most by a woman in the Open Era.
Williams' tally of 367 wins across all four Majors is also the most by a woman. She was ranked No. 1 in singles and doubles at the same time. She won six Major titles without losing a set and won 10 of them after turning 30 years old. She's also the only player to win 10 Major titles in two different decades.
The numerous achievements of Williams set her apart from her peers. On that note, here's a look at five of her somewhat overlooked achievements over the years:
#5 - Serena Williams has the third-most Major titles in doubles
Serena Williams, along with her sister Venus, have won 14 Major titles as a pair. This puts them in third place on the all-time list. Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver lead the list with 20 titles, followed by Natasha Zvereva, who won 18 titles.
Furthermore, the Williams sisters have won three Olympic gold medals in doubles, the only players to do so. They've also won each Major at least twice, and coupled with their multiple gold medals, they're the only pair in history to have a double Career Golden Slam.
Very few singles players have been able to demonstrate the same level of dominance in doubles as well. Williams' versatility puts her in a league of her own given her success across both disciplines.
#4 - Serena Williams is the only woman to win at least 60 matches across all four Majors
Williams is the only woman in the history of the sport to register at least 60 wins at all four Majors. She won 92 matches at the Australian Open, tallied 69 wins at the French Open, won 98 matches at Wimbledon, and notched up an impressive 108 wins at the US Open.
Williams' adaptability was the key to her success which lasted for two decades. To perform at such a high-level year after year on all three surfaces only solidifies her credentials as an all-time legend of the sport.
#3 - Serena Williams is the only player in tennis history to win three Majors at least six times
Williams is the only player in the history of tennis to have won three of the four Majors at least six times. She achieved this feat with her triumph at Wimbledon 2015. She defended her crown the following year to win her seventh title at the All-England Club.
Williams also won her seventh Australian Open title in 2017. She had a couple of chances to win the US Open for the seventh time towards the end of her career but came up short in the 2018 and 2019 finals. Nevertheless, this achievement is another feather in her heavily decorated cap.
#2 - Serena Williams is the only player to have won three Major titles after saving match points
Williams' mental strength was one of the attributes that ensured her longevity and success in the game. This was often visible when she snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on quite a few occasions. Competing at the Majors is a high-pressure situation, and to rally from the brink of defeat is not an easy task.
However, Williams did this thrice in her career. The first time she did this was at the Australian Open in 2003. She took on Kim Clijsters for a spot in the final, and not only did she overcome a 5-1 deficit in the third set, but she also saved a couple of match points to get over the finish line. She would beat her sister in the final to win her fourth consecutive Major, and complete the "Serena Slam".
Williams found herself on the verge of losing in the semifinals of the Australian Open once again, this time against Maria Sharapova in 2005. She had lost her last two high-profile matches against the Russian as well, going down to her in the finals of Wimbledon and WTA Finals in 2004.
Williams saved three match points to beat her and advance to the final. This marked a turning point in their rivalry, and she never lost to Sharapova again. She then defeated Lindsay Davenport to win the title. The last time she saved a match point en route to the title was at Wimbledon in 2009. She sneaked past Elena Dementieva in the semifinals after erasing a match point and beat her sister to claim the title.
#1 - Serena Williams is the only player to have a Career Golden Slam in singles and doubles
Williams is the only player, male or female, to have achieved the Career Golden Slam, winning all four Majors and an Olympic gold, in singles as well as doubles. She achieved this feat in doubles just a few years into her career.
Williams won her maiden Major title in doubles at the French Open in 1999 and captured the US Open title as well that year. She won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics and the Wimbledon title in 2000. Her triumph at the Australian Open 2001 completed the set. All of her doubles achievements are with her sister, Venus Williams.
Williams captured her maiden Major title in singles at the US Open in 1999. Starting from the French Open in 2002, she won four consecutive Major titles, which culminated in a Career Slam at the Australian Open in 2003.
It took Williams a while to nab the gold medal in singles. She eventually did claim it at the London Olympics in 2012 and accomplished a Career Golden Slam in singles to go along with her one in doubles.