Williams sisters knocked out of doubles at US Open by Czech duo

The younger Willams sister announced her retirement from tennis in a Vogue interview, on Tuesday, August 9. Here’s a look at her scintillating career.

Serena has won 23 Grand Slams. The most by any player. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - the most decorated men's players - all have less Grand Slams than her.

The American tennis phenom shares the record for consecutive weeks spent as world number one.186 weeks. That’s just over 42 weeks. Three and a half years. The only other person to hold that record? Steffi Graf.

She also holds the record for Olympic medals. Four golds. GOLDS. She shares the record with her elder sister, Venus.

Serena’s honours are never ending. In 2012, she completed the Golden Slam - winning all four major titles plus the Olympic gold medal - in singles. The only other person to have one is Steffi Graf. The day after she achieved that feat, she won the doubles’ gold with her sister to become the first tennis player in history to have a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.

In fact, Serena’s hold over the sport is so strong that she has a whole slam named after her. A Serena Slam is when a player is reigning champion of all the major tournaments at the same time, but the events haven’t taken place in the same calendar year.

Her dominance on the sport wouldn’t even spare family, with the Williams sisters competing in four consecutive Grand Slam final showdowns by 2003, where Serena came out on top to register the first Serena Slam.

Serena is also the oldest number one in the history of women’s tennis, retaking the world number one spot at the age of 31 in 2013. That year she would complete another Serena Slam.

Over the years, in a career spanning 25 plus years, Serena faced multiple injuries and setbacks that she came back from. But her greatest physical achievement, by far, is winning the 2017 Australian Open, while carrying her first child. Eight weeks pregnant. At the age of 35. The GOAT indeed.