Former world number one WTA star Serena Williams had an amusing encounter at the ESSENCE 2024 festival that left everyone’s heart warm. Mentioning how she “had an evolution into a different life” with WYN Beauty, Williams met her former performance manager Mackie Shilstone and dived into the old memories of working together. While Shilstone’s advice worked wonders for the WTA star, the former performance manager pointed out why he thinks Serena Williams is “one of the greatest athletes of all time.”

Williams’ former performance manager recalled some interesting lessons that he received from Serena Williams during their collaboration. Meeting his client for 14 years during her break between her ESSENCE Festival presentations in New Orleans on the 4th of July, Shilstone revealed how he went into a nostalgic journey of retrospection while strolling with Williams at the Riverwalk Adjacent to Morial Convention.

“While I will carry those memories with me always, it’s the experiences along the way that reinforced my focus, intent, and purpose – watching and helping arguably the greatest female, professional athlete in the last decade, along with one of the greatest athletes of all time”- said Shilstone.

This former Olympic gold-medalist WTA star and Shilstone’s partnership started in 2008 when Williams had a rough patch in her career. Cora Masters Berry suggested Williams’ mother contact Shilstone and within no time, she was spotted at Shilstone’s New Orleans office. Since then, it has been a long journey of 14 years, and Shilstone’s advice helped Williams become one of the most fierce and confident tennis players professionally.

In an interview with the Guardian in 2015, Shilstone said that during his first meeting with the former world’s number one tennis star, he didn’t bring any tennis mentality but his sports experience. Now, after more than a decade, Shilstone delves into why he “will love her always.” Mentioning how he worked with 3000 athletes, Shilstone, further said, “Serena taught me how to laugh, which is very tough for a Terminator to do, while giving me great happiness along the way.”

Mackie Shilstone’s advice worked like a wonder for Serena Williams. She reached the number on WTA rank in 2008 after five long years and showed how helpful Shilstone’s help was in her life. Beyond their professional relationship, Shilstone shared an interesting bond with Williams, mentioning how the WTA star taught him many important things to become acquainted with the trends.

Mackie Shilstone revealed the ways Serena Williams taught him “to have fun”

When Williams announced her retirement in 2022, Shilstone delved deeper into his working days with the former Olympic gold-medalist tennis star in a BBC Podcast. “She [Serena Williams] taught me how to have fun,” he explained after finding joy in his life when the tennis star came.

He continued, “I don’t do text. She said, ‘You’ve got to text with me’!” She said, ‘Mackie, you need to be on Twitter.’ I said, I don’t need to be on Twitter and she hooks me up for Twitter.” Her positive energy helped him to see another perspective on life.

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Recalling how Williams “emotes this love” but “things change” when she walked on the court, Shilstone revealed an unknown personality of the former WTA star mentioning her lovable nature.

Mackie Shilstone’s social media post on learning valuable lessons from Serena Williams showcases the friendship between the duo. It also revealed that her enthusiastic approach to life inspired Williams’ performance manager. Two years after retirement, Serena Williams’ heartfelt moment with Mackie Shilstone leaves everyone inspired presenting how legends earn their respect with their personality.