It was the year 2015. Serena Williams was entering the Wimbledon Championships on the back of lifting the Australian Open and the French Open titles that season. Moreover, she was the top seed at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament and one of the hot favorites to win the title.

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The American legend continued her glorious run in the major tournaments that year as she went on to win the title. She defeated Spain’s Garbine Muguruza in the summit clash to win her sixth Wimbledon title. Further, she had an interesting story behind her success at Wimbledon that year.

How did Kobe Bryant play a role in Serena Williams’ 2015 Wimbledon title?

Before the tournament, Serena had issues rolling her ankle. Hence, the younger Williams sister looked for an alternative shoe design that would give her stability and thus make her a better player. Subsequently, Serena turned to Kobe Bryant’s signature shoes to help her on the court.

Talking about Serena adapting Bryant’s shoes, Nike designer, Aaron Cooper, who worked with her, said, “Serena is friends with Kobe and she obviously respects his capabilities on the court.”

Further, he added, “So she really responded to his story and was able to envision that translating to her performance. She embraced the idea and trusted the process.”

READ MORE: Serena Williams Honored Husband Alexis Ohanian’s Mother in the Most Heart-Warming Way at Their Wedding: ‘Made Us Feel More Connected’

The move eventually paid off as Serena shrugged off injury concerns to lift the Wimbledon Championships title that year.

Serena’s retirement news affects US Open ticket prices

As the American legend will bid adieu to tennis after the US Open, there has been a surge in demand for tickets at Flushing Meadows. This has resulted in an increase in the prices of tickets at the last Grand Slam tournament of the season. The first three nights of the US Open, where Serena will be playing, have already been sold out.

WATCH THIS STORY: ‘Seems to Get Injured a Lot’ – Martina Navratilova Once Used Serena Williams’ Example to Talk About the ‘Fragmented’ Nature of Women’s Tennis. 

Nonetheless, local fans will hope for Serena to put up a strong show for one last time in her career.