On top of reaching the number 1 ranking, Serena Williams amassed a remarkable 73 WTA single titles during her competitive journey. But it was the American tennis legend’s triumph at the 1999 U.S. Open that helped her to experience a major breakthrough on the women’s tour. Reminiscing about the same, the ‘Queen of the Court’ recently opened up about how her first Grand Slam title established her as a trailblazer for the African American community.

In a recent interview with PEOPLE Magazine, Williams was asked about what it was like to see herself as a household figure after her first major triumph at the 1999 US Open. The former tennis ace answered by saying, “That win really propelled me to the next level, and it propelled me to being just…everywhere. It had been so long since an African American had won a Grand Slam — it had been a very, very long time.”

As she became the first African American tennis player to win a Grand Slam title since Althea Gibson in the 1950s, the former number 1 player opened up about how she has pushed many other young black women into the racket game. Williams said, “And I was the first to do it since Althea Gibson in the 50s. It pushed so many more amazing young Black women into the sport. And it was fun.”

With the remarkable legacy that she carved out on the women’s tour, Williams has undoubtedly inspired the next generation of players on the WTA circuit.

Serena Williams serves as an inspiration for WTA players of African-American origin

With her powerful serves and groundstrokes, Alycia Parks has become one of the youngest tennis sensations on the WTA Tour. As she is now working to further enhance her racket skills, the American tennis player previously talked about how she often tries to seek inspiration from her compatriot, Williams’ composure on the court. In a press conference, Parks said, “Just the way she carried herself on the court, she’s very focused.”

Aside from Parks, another young American tennis sensation, Coco Gauff, looks up to the Williams sisters, whom she previously hailed during the 2023 US Open. She said, “They are really great people as well. I got to play doubles with Venus and I got to play against her. If it wasn’t for Serena and Venus, I would not be playing tennis.” What do you think of Williams serving as an inspiration for other young WTA players? Let us know in the comments section.

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