September 26

Serena Williams 

One of the world's greatest tennis players, Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. Williams storybook tennis career evolves into more dominance of the sport with each passing chapter.

She made history as a on September 11, 1999, when as a young seventeen year old, she became the second African American woman to win the US Open, following the historic Althea Gibson who won the US Open in 1957 and 1958. She and her older sister Venus Williams have been leaders in the sport during the  the 21st century.

Serena and her sister Venus have represented the United States well in the Olympic Games, winning  more gold medals than any other women in tennis. Williams has been ranked No. 1 in singles 319 weeks by the Women's Tennis Association and a joint-record of 186 consecutive weeks. She has finished No. 1 five times at the end of the year.