Serena Williams retired in 2022 as a tennis legend, with her feats on the court set to be remembered long into the future.
Iga Swiatek has been emulating Serena Williams in recent times, but it will take quite some time for the Pole to fully reach the stunning heights the American did.
Carlos Alcaraz loved watching Williams at the Super Bowl, with the latter having taken part in Kendrick Lamar’s half-time show earlier this month.
Williams has also been busy with golf’s TGL, with the former world number one among the ownership team of Los Angeles Golf Club.
But she will, of course, be most fondly remembered for her efforts with a tennis racket, which include 23 Grand Slam singles titles.
Serena Williams beats Laura Golarsa in her first Wimbledon match
Her first Grand Slam title did, however, arrive in mixed doubles, with Williams winning that event at Wimbledon in 1998 alongside Max Mirnyi.
Before that, however, Williams was seeking singles success, with her first-ever Wimbledon match coming against Laura Golarsa.
And it was the future seven-time singles champion who emerged victorious, with the American beating the Italian 6-4, 6-3.
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Williams then beat Mirjana Lucic in round two before retiring hurt against Virginia Ruano Pascual in round three.
Golarsa meanwhile impressed in singles in her career, but was undoubtedly more of a doubles specialist, with the Italian winning six WTA titles in her speciality.
She reached number 23 in the world rankings, and retired with a 213-204 win-loss record, with her best Grand Slam singles finish coming in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 1989.
The Italian has since turned to commentary, but Golarsa has also founded the Golarsa Tennis Academy in Milan, where she helps train players for the future.
| Winner | Year | Tournament | Round | Score |
| Serena Williams | 1998 | Wimbledon | First round | 6-4, 6-3 |
| Serena Williams | 1998 | Sydney | Qualifying round three | 6-2, 6-0 |
Serena Williams and Venus Williams complete 1998 mixed doubles calendar Grand Slam
Williams didn’t need to wait long after her Wimbledon debut to taste Grand Slam singles success, winning the 1999 US Open.
But 1998 was still a year to remember for her and her sister Venus Williams, with the latter winning the Australian Open and Roland Garros mixed doubles titles with Justin Gimelstob.
Serena and Mirnyi meanwhile also clinched the US Open mixed doubles title that year, completing a calendar Slam for the iconic siblings.
They even met for French Open glory in 1998, where Venus and Gimelstob overcame Serena and Luis Lobo.
A year later, they would then combine for huge success, with the Williams sisters winning women’s doubles at the 1999 French Open and US Open.
The legendary sisters won a stunning 14 doubles titles together, ending their pairing with a 14-0 finals record.
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