JW Wikipedia pages

Mickey Spillane

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For the gangster, see Mickey Spillane (mobster).

Mickey Spillane
Mickey Spillane Columbo 1974.JPG
Spillane in the "Publish or Perish" episode of Columbo.

Born
Frank Morrison Spillane
March 9, 1918
Brooklyn, New York City,
 United States
Died
July 17, 2006 (aged 88)
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina,
 United States
Resting place
Cremated, Ashes scattered in a creek near his home in South Carolina
Occupation
Novelist
Nationality
American
Period
1947–2006
Genre
Hardboiled crime fiction,
detective fiction
Frank Morrison Spillane (March 9, 1918 – July 17, 2006), better known as Mickey Spillane, was an American author of crime novels, many featuring his signature detective character, Mike Hammer. More than 225 million copies of his books have sold internationally.[1][2] In 1980, Spillane was responsible for seven of the top 15 all-time best-selling fiction titles in the US.[citation needed]


Contents  [hide]
1 Biography
2 Writing career 2.1 Comic books
2.2 Novels
2.3 Novels
2.4 Short stories
3 Films
4 Critical reactions
5 Quotation
6 See also
7 References
8 Further reading
9 External links

Biography[edit]
Born in Brooklyn, New York City, and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Spillane was the only child of his Irish bartender father, John Joseph Spillane, and his Scottish mother, Catherine Anne. Spillane attended Erasmus Hall High School, graduating in 1935.[3] He started writing while in high school, briefly attended Fort Hays State College in Kansas and worked a variety of jobs, including summers as a lifeguard at Breezy Point, Queens, and a period as a trampoline artist for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
During World War II Spillane enlisted in the Army Air Corps, becoming a fighter pilot and a flight instructor.[4] While flying over Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, he said, "That is where I want to live."[5] Later, he would use his celebrity status to publicize the Grand Strand on TV, but when it became a popular resort area and traffic became a problem, Spillane said, "I shouldn't have told people about it."[5]




Photo of Lt. Frank M. Spillane from Greenwood Army Air Field yearbook for 1943.

He was an active Jehovah's Witness.[6] Mickey and Mary Ann Spillane had four children (Caroline, Kathy, Michael, Ward), and their marriage ended in 1962. In November 1965, he married his second wife, nightclub singer Sherri Malinou. After that marriage ended in divorce (and a lawsuit) in 1983, Spillane shared his waterfront house in Murrells Inlet with his third wife, Jane Rogers Johnson, whom he married in October 1983, and her two daughters (Jennifer and Margaret Johnson).
In the 1960s, Spillane became a friend of the novelist Ayn Rand. Despite their apparent differences, Rand admired Spillane's literary style, and Spillane became, as he described it, a "fan" of Rand's work.[7]
In 1989, Hurricane Hugo ravaged his Murrells Inlet house to such a degree it had to be almost entirely reconstructed. A television interview showed Spillane standing in the ruins of his house. He received an Edgar Allan Poe Grand Master Award in 1995. Spillane's novels went out of print, but in 2001, the New American Library began reissuing them.
Spillane died July 17, 2006 at his home in Murrells Inlet, of pancreatic carcinoma.[8][9][10] After his death, his friend and literary executor, Max Allan Collins, began the task of editing and completing Spillane's unpublished typescripts, beginning with a Mike Hammer novel, The Goliath Bone (2008).
In July 2011, the town of Murrells Inlet named U.S 17 Business the "Mickey Spillane Waterfront 17 Highway." The proposal first passed the Georgetown County Council in 2006 while Spillane was still alive, but the South Carolina General Assembly rejected the plan then.[5]
He is survived by his wife, Jane Spillane.
Writing career[edit]
Comic books[edit]
Spillane started as a writer for comic books. While working as a salesman in Gimbels department store basement in 1940, he met tie salesman Joe Gill, who later found a lifetime career in scripting for Charlton Comics. Gill told Spillane to meet his brother, Ray Gill, who wrote for Funnies Inc., an outfit that packaged comic books for different publishers. Spillane soon began writing an eight-page story every day. He concocted adventures for major 1940s comic book characters, including Captain Marvel, Superman, Batman and Captain America. Two-page text stories, which he wrote in the mid-1940s for Timely, appeared under his name and were collected in Primal Spillane (Gryphon Books, 2003).
Novels[edit]
Spillane joined the United States Army Air Forces on December 8, 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the mid-1940s he was stationed as a flight instructor in Greenwood, Mississippi, where he met and married Mary Ann Pearce in 1945. The couple wanted to buy a country house in the town of Newburgh, New York, 60 miles north of New York City, so Spillane decided to boost his bank account by writing a novel. In 19 days he wrote I, the Jury. At the suggestion of Ray Gill, he sent it to E. P. Dutton.
With the combined total of the 1947 hardcover and the Signet paperback (December 1948), I, the Jury sold six and a half million copies in the United States alone. I, the Jury introduced Spillane's most famous character, hardboiled detective Mike Hammer. Although tame by current standards, his novels featured more sex than competing titles, and the violence was more overt than the usual detective story.[2] An early version of Spillane's Mike Hammer character, called Mike Danger, was submitted in a script for a detective-themed comic book. " 'Mike Hammer originally started out to be a comic book. I was gonna have a Mike Danger comic book,' [Spillane] said in a 1984 interview."[11] Two Mike Danger comic-book stories were published in 1954 without Spillane's knowledge, as well as one featuring Mike Lancer (1942). These were published with other material in "Byline: Mickey Spillane," edited by Max Allan Collins and Lynn F. Myers, Jr. (Crippen & Landru publishers, 2004).
The Signet paperbacks displayed dramatic front cover illustrations. Lou Kimmel did the cover paintings for My Gun Is Quick, Vengeance Is Mine, One Lonely Night and The Long Wait. The cover art for Kiss Me, Deadly was by James Meese.
Novels[edit]
1947 I, the Jury - Mike Hammer
1950 My Gun Is Quick - Mike Hammer
1950 Vengeance Is Mine! - Mike Hammer
1951 One Lonely Night - Mike Hammer
1951 The Big Kill - Mike Hammer
1951 The Long Wait
1952 Kiss Me, Deadly - Mike Hammer
1961 The Deep
1962 The Girl Hunters - Mike Hammer
1963 Me, Hood
1964 Day of the Guns - Tiger Mann
1964 The Snake - Mike Hammer
1964 Return of the Hood
1964 The Flier
1965 Bloody Sunrise - Tiger Mann
1965 The Death Dealers - Tiger Mann
1965 Killer Mine
1965 Man Alone
1966 The By-Pass Control - Tiger Mann
1966 The Twisted Thing - Mike Hammer
1967 The Body Lovers - Mike Hammer
1967 The Delta Factor
1970 Survival... Zero! - Mike Hammer
1972 The Erection Set - a Dogeron Kelly novel; in the Jacqueline Susann mold
1973 The Last Cop Out
1979 The Day The Sea Rolled Back - young adult
1982 The Ship That Never Was - young adult
1984 Tomorrow I Die - collection of short stories
1989 The Killing Man - Mike Hammer
1996 Black Alley - Mike Hammer
2001 Together We Kill: The Uncollected Stories of Mickey Spillane - collection of short stories
2003 Something Down There - featuring semi-retired spy Mako Hooker
2007 Dead Street - completed by Max Allan Collins[12]
2008 The Goliath Bone - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2009 I'll Die Tomorrow - Mike Hammer (illustrated, limited edition of the short story)
2010 The Big Bang - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2011 Kiss Her Goodbye - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2011 The Consummata - sequel to The Delta Factor; completed by Max Allan Collins
2012 Lady, Go Die! - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2013 Complex 90 - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2014 King of the Weeds - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2015 Kill Me, Darling - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
Short stories[edit]
1989 The Killing Man - Mike Hammer short story later turned into a full length Mike Hammer novel published in Playboy magazine December 1989, later republished in the book Byline: Mickey Spillane in 2004
1996 Black Alley - Mike Hammer short story later turned into a full length Mike Hammer novel published in Playboy magazine December 1996, later republished in the book Byline: Mickey Spillane in 2004
1998 The Night I Died - Mike Hammer short story published in the anthology Private Eyes - although story was written in 1953, was not published until 1998
2004 The Duke Alexander - Mike Hammer short story published in the book Byline: Mickey Spillane first published in 2004, although it was originally written circa 1956
2008 The Big Switch - Mike Hammer short story; completed by Max Allan Collins - published in The Strand Magazine, reprinted in paperback in The Mammoth Book of the World's Best Crime Stories, 2009
2012 Skin - Mike Hammer e-book short story; completed by Max Allan Collins
2014 It's In The Book - Mike Hammer e-book short story; completed by Max Allan Collins
Films[edit]
Spillane portrayed himself as a detective in Ring of Fear (1954), and rewrote the film without credit for John Wayne's and Robert Fellows' Wayne-Fellows Productions. The film was directed by screenwriter James Edward Grant. Several Hammer novels were made into movies, including Kiss Me Deadly (1955). In The Girl Hunters (1963) filmed in England, Spillane appeared as Hammer, one of the few occasions in film history in which an author of a popular literary hero has portrayed his own character. Spillane was scheduled to film The Snake as a follow up, but the film was never made.[13]
On October 25, 1956, Spillane appeared on The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, with interest on his Mike Hammer novels.[14] In January 1974, he appeared with Jack Cassidy in the television series Columbo in the episode Publish or Perish. He portrayed a writer who is murdered.[15]
In 1969, Spillane formed a production company with Robert Fellows who had produced The Girl Hunters to produce many of his books, but Fellows died soon after and only The Delta Factor was produced.[16]
During the 1980s, he appeared in Miller Lite beer commercials.[17] In the 1990s, Spillane licensed one of his characters to Tekno Comix for use in a science-fiction adventure series, Mike Danger. In his introduction to the series, Spillane said he had conceived of the character decades earlier but never used him.[11]
Critical reactions[edit]
When literary critics had a negative reaction to Spillane's writing, citing the high content of sex and violence, Spillane answered with a few terse comments: "Those big-shot writers could never dig the fact that there are more salted peanuts consumed than caviar... If the public likes you, you're good." Early reaction to Spillane's work was generally hostile: Malcolm Cowley dismissed the Mike Hammer character as "a homicidal paranoiac",[18] John G. Cawelti called Spillane's writing "atrocious",[18] and Julian Symons called Spillane's work "nauseating".[18] By contrast, Ayn Rand publicly praised Spillane's work at a time when critics were almost uniformly hostile. She considered him an underrated if uneven stylist and found congenial the black-and-white morality of the Hammer stories. She later publicly repudiated what she regarded as the amorality of Spillane's Tiger Mann stories.
Spillane's work was later praised by Max Allan Collins, William L. DeAndrea[2] and Robert L. Gale.[18] DeAndrea argued that although Spillane's characters were stereotypes, Spillane had a "flair for fast-action writing", that his work broke new ground for American crime fiction, and that Spillane's prose "is lean and spare and authentically tough, something that writers like Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald never achieved".[2] German painter Markus Lüpertz claimed that Spillane's writing influenced his own work, saying that Spillane ranks as one of the major poets of the 20th century. American comic book writer Frank Miller has mentioned Spillane as an influence for his own hardboiled style. Avant-Garde musician John Zorn composed an album influenced by Spillane's writing titled Spillane, consisting of three file-card pieces[clarification needed], as well as a work for voice, string quartet and turntables.
Quotation[edit]
I started off at the high level, in the slick magazines, but they didn't use my name, they used house names. Anyway, then I went downhill to the pulps, then downhill further to the comics - Mickey Spillane
See also[edit]
History of crime fiction
Hard boiled American crime fiction writing
List of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (Darren McGavin) episodes
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Gulley, Andrew (January 2006). "Interview: Mickey Spillane". The Strand Magazine.
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d William L DeAndrea, Encyclopedia Mysteriosa : a comprehensive guide to the art of detection in print, film, radio, and television. New York: Prentice Hall General Reference, 1994. ISBN 0671850253 (pp. 336-7).
3.Jump up ^ Boyer, David. "Neighborhood Report: Flatbush: "Grads Hail Erasmus as It Enters a Fourth Century", The New York Times, March 11, 2001. Accessed December 1, 2007.
4.Jump up ^ Rippetoe, Rita Elizabeth Booze and the Private Eye: Alcohol in the Hard Boiled Novel. McFarland, 2004.
5.^ Jump up to: a b c Vasselli, Gina (2011-07-11). "New name coming soon for road in Murrells Inlet". The Sun News. Retrieved 2011-07-11.
6.Jump up ^ Adam Bernstein (July 18, 2006). "Mickey Spillane; Tough-Guy Writer Of Mike Hammer Detective Mysteries". Washington Post. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
7.Jump up ^ McConnell, Scott, ed., "Mickey Spillane", 100 Voices: an Oral History of Ayn Rand, 2010, New American Library, pp. 232-239.
8.Jump up ^ The New York Times obituary
9.Jump up ^ Guardian obituary
10.Jump up ^ "Mystery Novelist Spillane Dies", The Washington Times
11.^ Jump up to: a b CBS News obituary
12.Jump up ^ Spillane, Mickey. Dead Street. Hard Case Crime/Dorchester Publishing, 2007, p. 214.
13.Jump up ^ Time
14.Jump up ^ "The Ford Show, Season One". ernieford.com. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
15.Jump up ^ [1]
16.Jump up ^ p.77 Baker, Robert Allen & Nietzel, Michael T. Private Eyes: One Hundred and One Knights : A Survey of American Detective Fiction, 1922-1984 Popular Press, 1985
17.Jump up ^ "Mickey Spillane dies". The Guardian. July 18, 2006.
18.^ Jump up to: a b c d Robert L. Gale, A Mickey Spillane companion Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2003. ISBN 0313058482 (ix)
Further reading[edit]
Collins, Max Allan; Traylor, James L. (2012). Mickey Spillane on screen : a complete study of the television and film adaptations. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. ISBN 9780786465781.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Mickey Spillane
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mickey Spillane.
Mickey Spillane at the Internet Movie Database
Biography of Jack Stang - The Real Mike Hammer
"'Comics Were Great!' A Colorful Conversation with Mickey Spillane", Alter Ego vol. 3, #11, November 2001. Accessed September 5, 2008. WebCitation archive.
"The Religious Affiliation of Writer of Hard-boiled Detective Novels Mickey Spillane", Crime Time August 6, 2001, via Famous Jehovah's Witnesses. WebCitation archive.
Liukkonen, Petri. "Mickey Spillane (1918-2006) - Pseudonym of Frank Morrison Spillane", Books and Writers, n.d. WebCitation archive.
Smith, Kevin Burton. "Authors and Creators: Mickey Spillane (Frank Morrison Spillane) (1918-2006)", Thrilling Detective, n.d. WebCitation archive.
Holland, Steve. "Mickey Spillane: Hardboiled's Most Extreme Stylist or Cynical Exploiter of Machismo?", Crime Time 2.6, December 1999, via MysteryFile.com
Meroney, John. "Man of Mysteries: It'd Been Years Since Spillane Pulled a Job. Could We Find Him? Yeah. It Was Easy", The Washington Post, August 22, 2001, p. C01. WebCitation archive.
Photo


[hide]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer


Novels
I, the Jury (1947) ·
 My Gun Is Quick (1950) ·
 Vengeance Is Mine (1950) ·
 One Lonely Night (1951) ·
 The Big Kill (1951) ·
 Kiss Me, Deadly (1952) ·
 The Girl Hunters (1962) ·
 The Snake (1964) ·
 The Twisted Thing (1966) ·
 The Body Lovers (1967) ·
 Survival... Zero! (1970) ·
 The Killing Man (1989) ·
 Black Alley (1996) ·
 The Goliath Bone (2008)
 

Films
I, the Jury (1953) ·
 Kiss Me Deadly (1955) ·
 My Gun Is Quick (1957) ·
 The Girl Hunters (1963) ·
 Margin for Murder (TV, 1981) ·
 I, the Jury (1982) ·
 Murder Me, Murder You (TV, 1983) ·
 More Than Murder (TV, 1984) ·
 The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (TV, 1986) ·
 Come Die with Me (TV, 1994) ·
 Mike Hammer: Song Bird (V, 2003)
 

Television
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1958-1960) ·
 Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1984-1985) ·
 The New Mike Hammer (1986-1987) ·
 Mike Hammer, Private Eye (1997-1998)
 



Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 12315338 ·
 LCCN: n50021194 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0001 0870 0974 ·
 GND: 115694366 ·
 SELIBR: 286319 ·
 SUDOC: 027146219 ·
 BNF: cb119253427 (data) ·
 BIBSYS: x90055437 ·
 NLA: 000041725874 ·
 NDL: 00457321 ·
 NKC: jn20000605107 ·
 BNE: XX1127806
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: 1918 births
2006 deaths
20th-century American novelists
21st-century American novelists
American anti-communists
American crime fiction writers
American Jehovah's Witnesses
American male novelists
American people of Irish descent
Cancer deaths in South Carolina
Deaths from pancreatic cancer
Erasmus Hall High School alumni
Writers from Brooklyn
People from Elizabeth, New Jersey
People from Georgetown County, South Carolina
United States Army Air Forces officers
United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
Shamus Award winners
Edgar Award winners
















Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Български
Čeština
Deutsch
Español
فارسی
Français
한국어
Հայերեն
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
Nederlands
日本語
Norsk bokmål
Polski
Română
Русский
Српски / srpski
Suomi
Svenska
Türkçe
Українська
Edit links
This page was last modified on 8 May 2015, at 20:15.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Spillane









Mickey Spillane

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For the gangster, see Mickey Spillane (mobster).

Mickey Spillane
Mickey Spillane Columbo 1974.JPG
Spillane in the "Publish or Perish" episode of Columbo.

Born
Frank Morrison Spillane
March 9, 1918
Brooklyn, New York City,
 United States
Died
July 17, 2006 (aged 88)
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina,
 United States
Resting place
Cremated, Ashes scattered in a creek near his home in South Carolina
Occupation
Novelist
Nationality
American
Period
1947–2006
Genre
Hardboiled crime fiction,
detective fiction
Frank Morrison Spillane (March 9, 1918 – July 17, 2006), better known as Mickey Spillane, was an American author of crime novels, many featuring his signature detective character, Mike Hammer. More than 225 million copies of his books have sold internationally.[1][2] In 1980, Spillane was responsible for seven of the top 15 all-time best-selling fiction titles in the US.[citation needed]


Contents  [hide]
1 Biography
2 Writing career 2.1 Comic books
2.2 Novels
2.3 Novels
2.4 Short stories
3 Films
4 Critical reactions
5 Quotation
6 See also
7 References
8 Further reading
9 External links

Biography[edit]
Born in Brooklyn, New York City, and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Spillane was the only child of his Irish bartender father, John Joseph Spillane, and his Scottish mother, Catherine Anne. Spillane attended Erasmus Hall High School, graduating in 1935.[3] He started writing while in high school, briefly attended Fort Hays State College in Kansas and worked a variety of jobs, including summers as a lifeguard at Breezy Point, Queens, and a period as a trampoline artist for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
During World War II Spillane enlisted in the Army Air Corps, becoming a fighter pilot and a flight instructor.[4] While flying over Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, he said, "That is where I want to live."[5] Later, he would use his celebrity status to publicize the Grand Strand on TV, but when it became a popular resort area and traffic became a problem, Spillane said, "I shouldn't have told people about it."[5]




Photo of Lt. Frank M. Spillane from Greenwood Army Air Field yearbook for 1943.

He was an active Jehovah's Witness.[6] Mickey and Mary Ann Spillane had four children (Caroline, Kathy, Michael, Ward), and their marriage ended in 1962. In November 1965, he married his second wife, nightclub singer Sherri Malinou. After that marriage ended in divorce (and a lawsuit) in 1983, Spillane shared his waterfront house in Murrells Inlet with his third wife, Jane Rogers Johnson, whom he married in October 1983, and her two daughters (Jennifer and Margaret Johnson).
In the 1960s, Spillane became a friend of the novelist Ayn Rand. Despite their apparent differences, Rand admired Spillane's literary style, and Spillane became, as he described it, a "fan" of Rand's work.[7]
In 1989, Hurricane Hugo ravaged his Murrells Inlet house to such a degree it had to be almost entirely reconstructed. A television interview showed Spillane standing in the ruins of his house. He received an Edgar Allan Poe Grand Master Award in 1995. Spillane's novels went out of print, but in 2001, the New American Library began reissuing them.
Spillane died July 17, 2006 at his home in Murrells Inlet, of pancreatic carcinoma.[8][9][10] After his death, his friend and literary executor, Max Allan Collins, began the task of editing and completing Spillane's unpublished typescripts, beginning with a Mike Hammer novel, The Goliath Bone (2008).
In July 2011, the town of Murrells Inlet named U.S 17 Business the "Mickey Spillane Waterfront 17 Highway." The proposal first passed the Georgetown County Council in 2006 while Spillane was still alive, but the South Carolina General Assembly rejected the plan then.[5]
He is survived by his wife, Jane Spillane.
Writing career[edit]
Comic books[edit]
Spillane started as a writer for comic books. While working as a salesman in Gimbels department store basement in 1940, he met tie salesman Joe Gill, who later found a lifetime career in scripting for Charlton Comics. Gill told Spillane to meet his brother, Ray Gill, who wrote for Funnies Inc., an outfit that packaged comic books for different publishers. Spillane soon began writing an eight-page story every day. He concocted adventures for major 1940s comic book characters, including Captain Marvel, Superman, Batman and Captain America. Two-page text stories, which he wrote in the mid-1940s for Timely, appeared under his name and were collected in Primal Spillane (Gryphon Books, 2003).
Novels[edit]
Spillane joined the United States Army Air Forces on December 8, 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the mid-1940s he was stationed as a flight instructor in Greenwood, Mississippi, where he met and married Mary Ann Pearce in 1945. The couple wanted to buy a country house in the town of Newburgh, New York, 60 miles north of New York City, so Spillane decided to boost his bank account by writing a novel. In 19 days he wrote I, the Jury. At the suggestion of Ray Gill, he sent it to E. P. Dutton.
With the combined total of the 1947 hardcover and the Signet paperback (December 1948), I, the Jury sold six and a half million copies in the United States alone. I, the Jury introduced Spillane's most famous character, hardboiled detective Mike Hammer. Although tame by current standards, his novels featured more sex than competing titles, and the violence was more overt than the usual detective story.[2] An early version of Spillane's Mike Hammer character, called Mike Danger, was submitted in a script for a detective-themed comic book. " 'Mike Hammer originally started out to be a comic book. I was gonna have a Mike Danger comic book,' [Spillane] said in a 1984 interview."[11] Two Mike Danger comic-book stories were published in 1954 without Spillane's knowledge, as well as one featuring Mike Lancer (1942). These were published with other material in "Byline: Mickey Spillane," edited by Max Allan Collins and Lynn F. Myers, Jr. (Crippen & Landru publishers, 2004).
The Signet paperbacks displayed dramatic front cover illustrations. Lou Kimmel did the cover paintings for My Gun Is Quick, Vengeance Is Mine, One Lonely Night and The Long Wait. The cover art for Kiss Me, Deadly was by James Meese.
Novels[edit]
1947 I, the Jury - Mike Hammer
1950 My Gun Is Quick - Mike Hammer
1950 Vengeance Is Mine! - Mike Hammer
1951 One Lonely Night - Mike Hammer
1951 The Big Kill - Mike Hammer
1951 The Long Wait
1952 Kiss Me, Deadly - Mike Hammer
1961 The Deep
1962 The Girl Hunters - Mike Hammer
1963 Me, Hood
1964 Day of the Guns - Tiger Mann
1964 The Snake - Mike Hammer
1964 Return of the Hood
1964 The Flier
1965 Bloody Sunrise - Tiger Mann
1965 The Death Dealers - Tiger Mann
1965 Killer Mine
1965 Man Alone
1966 The By-Pass Control - Tiger Mann
1966 The Twisted Thing - Mike Hammer
1967 The Body Lovers - Mike Hammer
1967 The Delta Factor
1970 Survival... Zero! - Mike Hammer
1972 The Erection Set - a Dogeron Kelly novel; in the Jacqueline Susann mold
1973 The Last Cop Out
1979 The Day The Sea Rolled Back - young adult
1982 The Ship That Never Was - young adult
1984 Tomorrow I Die - collection of short stories
1989 The Killing Man - Mike Hammer
1996 Black Alley - Mike Hammer
2001 Together We Kill: The Uncollected Stories of Mickey Spillane - collection of short stories
2003 Something Down There - featuring semi-retired spy Mako Hooker
2007 Dead Street - completed by Max Allan Collins[12]
2008 The Goliath Bone - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2009 I'll Die Tomorrow - Mike Hammer (illustrated, limited edition of the short story)
2010 The Big Bang - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2011 Kiss Her Goodbye - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2011 The Consummata - sequel to The Delta Factor; completed by Max Allan Collins
2012 Lady, Go Die! - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2013 Complex 90 - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2014 King of the Weeds - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
2015 Kill Me, Darling - Mike Hammer; completed by Max Allan Collins
Short stories[edit]
1989 The Killing Man - Mike Hammer short story later turned into a full length Mike Hammer novel published in Playboy magazine December 1989, later republished in the book Byline: Mickey Spillane in 2004
1996 Black Alley - Mike Hammer short story later turned into a full length Mike Hammer novel published in Playboy magazine December 1996, later republished in the book Byline: Mickey Spillane in 2004
1998 The Night I Died - Mike Hammer short story published in the anthology Private Eyes - although story was written in 1953, was not published until 1998
2004 The Duke Alexander - Mike Hammer short story published in the book Byline: Mickey Spillane first published in 2004, although it was originally written circa 1956
2008 The Big Switch - Mike Hammer short story; completed by Max Allan Collins - published in The Strand Magazine, reprinted in paperback in The Mammoth Book of the World's Best Crime Stories, 2009
2012 Skin - Mike Hammer e-book short story; completed by Max Allan Collins
2014 It's In The Book - Mike Hammer e-book short story; completed by Max Allan Collins
Films[edit]
Spillane portrayed himself as a detective in Ring of Fear (1954), and rewrote the film without credit for John Wayne's and Robert Fellows' Wayne-Fellows Productions. The film was directed by screenwriter James Edward Grant. Several Hammer novels were made into movies, including Kiss Me Deadly (1955). In The Girl Hunters (1963) filmed in England, Spillane appeared as Hammer, one of the few occasions in film history in which an author of a popular literary hero has portrayed his own character. Spillane was scheduled to film The Snake as a follow up, but the film was never made.[13]
On October 25, 1956, Spillane appeared on The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, with interest on his Mike Hammer novels.[14] In January 1974, he appeared with Jack Cassidy in the television series Columbo in the episode Publish or Perish. He portrayed a writer who is murdered.[15]
In 1969, Spillane formed a production company with Robert Fellows who had produced The Girl Hunters to produce many of his books, but Fellows died soon after and only The Delta Factor was produced.[16]
During the 1980s, he appeared in Miller Lite beer commercials.[17] In the 1990s, Spillane licensed one of his characters to Tekno Comix for use in a science-fiction adventure series, Mike Danger. In his introduction to the series, Spillane said he had conceived of the character decades earlier but never used him.[11]
Critical reactions[edit]
When literary critics had a negative reaction to Spillane's writing, citing the high content of sex and violence, Spillane answered with a few terse comments: "Those big-shot writers could never dig the fact that there are more salted peanuts consumed than caviar... If the public likes you, you're good." Early reaction to Spillane's work was generally hostile: Malcolm Cowley dismissed the Mike Hammer character as "a homicidal paranoiac",[18] John G. Cawelti called Spillane's writing "atrocious",[18] and Julian Symons called Spillane's work "nauseating".[18] By contrast, Ayn Rand publicly praised Spillane's work at a time when critics were almost uniformly hostile. She considered him an underrated if uneven stylist and found congenial the black-and-white morality of the Hammer stories. She later publicly repudiated what she regarded as the amorality of Spillane's Tiger Mann stories.
Spillane's work was later praised by Max Allan Collins, William L. DeAndrea[2] and Robert L. Gale.[18] DeAndrea argued that although Spillane's characters were stereotypes, Spillane had a "flair for fast-action writing", that his work broke new ground for American crime fiction, and that Spillane's prose "is lean and spare and authentically tough, something that writers like Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald never achieved".[2] German painter Markus Lüpertz claimed that Spillane's writing influenced his own work, saying that Spillane ranks as one of the major poets of the 20th century. American comic book writer Frank Miller has mentioned Spillane as an influence for his own hardboiled style. Avant-Garde musician John Zorn composed an album influenced by Spillane's writing titled Spillane, consisting of three file-card pieces[clarification needed], as well as a work for voice, string quartet and turntables.
Quotation[edit]
I started off at the high level, in the slick magazines, but they didn't use my name, they used house names. Anyway, then I went downhill to the pulps, then downhill further to the comics - Mickey Spillane
See also[edit]
History of crime fiction
Hard boiled American crime fiction writing
List of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (Darren McGavin) episodes
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Gulley, Andrew (January 2006). "Interview: Mickey Spillane". The Strand Magazine.
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d William L DeAndrea, Encyclopedia Mysteriosa : a comprehensive guide to the art of detection in print, film, radio, and television. New York: Prentice Hall General Reference, 1994. ISBN 0671850253 (pp. 336-7).
3.Jump up ^ Boyer, David. "Neighborhood Report: Flatbush: "Grads Hail Erasmus as It Enters a Fourth Century", The New York Times, March 11, 2001. Accessed December 1, 2007.
4.Jump up ^ Rippetoe, Rita Elizabeth Booze and the Private Eye: Alcohol in the Hard Boiled Novel. McFarland, 2004.
5.^ Jump up to: a b c Vasselli, Gina (2011-07-11). "New name coming soon for road in Murrells Inlet". The Sun News. Retrieved 2011-07-11.
6.Jump up ^ Adam Bernstein (July 18, 2006). "Mickey Spillane; Tough-Guy Writer Of Mike Hammer Detective Mysteries". Washington Post. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
7.Jump up ^ McConnell, Scott, ed., "Mickey Spillane", 100 Voices: an Oral History of Ayn Rand, 2010, New American Library, pp. 232-239.
8.Jump up ^ The New York Times obituary
9.Jump up ^ Guardian obituary
10.Jump up ^ "Mystery Novelist Spillane Dies", The Washington Times
11.^ Jump up to: a b CBS News obituary
12.Jump up ^ Spillane, Mickey. Dead Street. Hard Case Crime/Dorchester Publishing, 2007, p. 214.
13.Jump up ^ Time
14.Jump up ^ "The Ford Show, Season One". ernieford.com. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
15.Jump up ^ [1]
16.Jump up ^ p.77 Baker, Robert Allen & Nietzel, Michael T. Private Eyes: One Hundred and One Knights : A Survey of American Detective Fiction, 1922-1984 Popular Press, 1985
17.Jump up ^ "Mickey Spillane dies". The Guardian. July 18, 2006.
18.^ Jump up to: a b c d Robert L. Gale, A Mickey Spillane companion Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2003. ISBN 0313058482 (ix)
Further reading[edit]
Collins, Max Allan; Traylor, James L. (2012). Mickey Spillane on screen : a complete study of the television and film adaptations. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. ISBN 9780786465781.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Mickey Spillane
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mickey Spillane.
Mickey Spillane at the Internet Movie Database
Biography of Jack Stang - The Real Mike Hammer
"'Comics Were Great!' A Colorful Conversation with Mickey Spillane", Alter Ego vol. 3, #11, November 2001. Accessed September 5, 2008. WebCitation archive.
"The Religious Affiliation of Writer of Hard-boiled Detective Novels Mickey Spillane", Crime Time August 6, 2001, via Famous Jehovah's Witnesses. WebCitation archive.
Liukkonen, Petri. "Mickey Spillane (1918-2006) - Pseudonym of Frank Morrison Spillane", Books and Writers, n.d. WebCitation archive.
Smith, Kevin Burton. "Authors and Creators: Mickey Spillane (Frank Morrison Spillane) (1918-2006)", Thrilling Detective, n.d. WebCitation archive.
Holland, Steve. "Mickey Spillane: Hardboiled's Most Extreme Stylist or Cynical Exploiter of Machismo?", Crime Time 2.6, December 1999, via MysteryFile.com
Meroney, John. "Man of Mysteries: It'd Been Years Since Spillane Pulled a Job. Could We Find Him? Yeah. It Was Easy", The Washington Post, August 22, 2001, p. C01. WebCitation archive.
Photo


[hide]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer


Novels
I, the Jury (1947) ·
 My Gun Is Quick (1950) ·
 Vengeance Is Mine (1950) ·
 One Lonely Night (1951) ·
 The Big Kill (1951) ·
 Kiss Me, Deadly (1952) ·
 The Girl Hunters (1962) ·
 The Snake (1964) ·
 The Twisted Thing (1966) ·
 The Body Lovers (1967) ·
 Survival... Zero! (1970) ·
 The Killing Man (1989) ·
 Black Alley (1996) ·
 The Goliath Bone (2008)
 

Films
I, the Jury (1953) ·
 Kiss Me Deadly (1955) ·
 My Gun Is Quick (1957) ·
 The Girl Hunters (1963) ·
 Margin for Murder (TV, 1981) ·
 I, the Jury (1982) ·
 Murder Me, Murder You (TV, 1983) ·
 More Than Murder (TV, 1984) ·
 The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (TV, 1986) ·
 Come Die with Me (TV, 1994) ·
 Mike Hammer: Song Bird (V, 2003)
 

Television
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1958-1960) ·
 Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1984-1985) ·
 The New Mike Hammer (1986-1987) ·
 Mike Hammer, Private Eye (1997-1998)
 



Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 12315338 ·
 LCCN: n50021194 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0001 0870 0974 ·
 GND: 115694366 ·
 SELIBR: 286319 ·
 SUDOC: 027146219 ·
 BNF: cb119253427 (data) ·
 BIBSYS: x90055437 ·
 NLA: 000041725874 ·
 NDL: 00457321 ·
 NKC: jn20000605107 ·
 BNE: XX1127806
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: 1918 births
2006 deaths
20th-century American novelists
21st-century American novelists
American anti-communists
American crime fiction writers
American Jehovah's Witnesses
American male novelists
American people of Irish descent
Cancer deaths in South Carolina
Deaths from pancreatic cancer
Erasmus Hall High School alumni
Writers from Brooklyn
People from Elizabeth, New Jersey
People from Georgetown County, South Carolina
United States Army Air Forces officers
United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
Shamus Award winners
Edgar Award winners
















Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Български
Čeština
Deutsch
Español
فارسی
Français
한국어
Հայերեն
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
Nederlands
日本語
Norsk bokmål
Polski
Română
Русский
Српски / srpski
Suomi
Svenska
Türkçe
Українська
Edit links
This page was last modified on 8 May 2015, at 20:15.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Spillane









Listen to this article
Katherine Jackson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For other people named Katherine Jackson, see Katherine Jackson (disambiguation).


 This biographical articleneeds additional citationsfor verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelousor harmful.(January 2010)

Katherine Jackson

Born
Kattie B. Screws
May 4, 1930 (age 85)
Barbour County, Alabama, U.S.
Religion
Jehovah's Witness
Spouse(s)
Joe Jackson
(m. 1949)
Children
10, See below
Parent(s)
Martha Bridges (1907–1990)
Prince Albert Scruse (1907–1997)

Listen to this article(info/dl)













This audio file was created from a revision of the "Katherine Jackson" article dated 2011-02-10, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. (Audio help)
More spoken articles
Katherine Esther Jackson(néeScruse; born Kattie B. Screwson May 4, 1930) is the matriarch of the Jackson musical family.


Contents [hide]
1Early life
2The Jackson family
3My Family
4Recent years
5Death of Michael Jackson
6Children
7References

Early life[edit]
Jackson was born Kattie B. Screwsin Barbour County, Alabama, to Martha (née Upshaw; December 14, 1907 – April 25, 1990) and Prince Albert Screws (October 16, 1907 – January 21, 1997). When Jackson was four, her father changed his surname to "Scruse", and renamed his daughter to Katherine Esther. The younger of two daughters, Jackson contracted polioat two but survived the disease. Effects of the disease left her with a noticeable permanent limp. At four, Jackson's family moved to East Chicago, Indiana, a suburb outside Chicagoand next to Gary, Indianain northwest Indiana. As a child, Jackson aspired to become a country singerbut was dismayed to find that there were no notable black country stars. Jackson's parents divorced when she was still a youngster. In high school, Jackson joined the local high school band. In 1947, Jackson met Joseph Jacksonalso living in East Chicago. After a year-long courtship that started after Joseph annulled an early marriage, they married in November 1949. In January 1950, they purchased a two-bedroom house in Gary. During the couple's early years, they sang together, with Joe playing guitar. After Joe's dream of a boxingcareer was dashed, he continued working at East Chicago's Inland Steel Companywhile Jackson gave birth to her ten children. The sixth of which were twins, Marlon and twin brother, Brandon, although he died as stillborn.
The Jackson family[edit]
Main articles: Jackson familyand Jackson 5
For a period, to help make ends meet, Jackson worked as a store clerk in a local Searsstore. In 1963, Jackson, who was raised a Baptist, discovered the Jehovah's Witnessfaith. After her conversion in 1965, all of her children followed her into the faith. While Joe, who was brought up in the Lutheranfaith, also practiced the religion, it was often said he decided not to convert. As Jackson's brood grew, she quit her position at Sears and settled primarily as a housewifewhile keeping her children safe from the streets. By the early 1960s, several of Jackson's sons began to show off their musical talents. In 1963, Joe formed The Jackson Brotherswith three of their eldest sons, being Jackie, Titoand Jermaine. Around the same time, Jackson's younger son Michaelwas also showing off his talent, which was discovered first by Jackson, who noticed Michael, at the age of four, singing along to the radio while dancing to the rhythm. But when she tried to tell Joe of Michael's talent, he brushed her aside, though she insisted.
A year later, Joe enlisted Michael and older brother Marlon Jacksoninto the group not as vocalists, but as backing instrumentalists, playing percussion. It wouldn't be until 1966 that Joe began to see seven-year-old Michael's overall talents three years after Jackson's discovery. Beforehand, Michael had performed onstage without his father's knowledge at several school recitals starting at five. By the end of 1966, Michael was positioned as the second frontman of the group after Jermaine. Acting on advice from a schoolteacher, Joe changed the group's name to The Jackson Five. In 1967, after winning several talent shows in Gary, Joe Jackson decided to make the group a professional act when Gordon Keiththe owner and producer at Gary's Steeltown Recordsdiscovered them, signing them to their first contract in November 1967. Their first single, "Big Boy", produced by Keith, was released on January 30, 1968 and became a local hit. Jackson began designing the group's costumes, which she continued until the group found national fame months after signing with Motown Recordsin March 1969. During the Jackson 5's 1970-71 heyday, Jackson - along with her three daughters and youngest son - was barely mentioned in the press. This changed in 1974 when Joe began building careers around his three younger children and eldest daughter. Michael often mentioned Jackson lovingly. Jackson started to become part of her husband's management team when the grown-up members of the group (which renamed themselves The Jacksonsafter splitting from Motown in 1975) reunited for the Victory Tourin 1984. On his 1982 album, Thriller, Michael dedicated the album to her. Janet Jacksonwould do the same following the release of her 1989 album, Rhythm Nation 1814, the first album where she wasn't under the watchful eye of her father following the success of Control, as Janet had fired him months after its release. Michael often said that his mother was appreciative of his solo music and approved of songs such as "Billie Jean" but said she was cautious of Michael's mature material, including "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough". In 1985, acknowledging what was then a positive impact on her children's successful music careers, national urban magazine Essencehonored her as "Mother of the Year".
My Family[edit]
In 1990, Jackson released her autobiography, My Family,[1]which documented her early years and her relationship with her husband and their children, eight of whom wrote salutes to their mother in the book's foreword.[1]She detailed that her husband on more than a few occasions had committed adultery, one of which resulted in the birth of a daughter named Joh'Vonnie Jackson with another woman named Cheryl Terrell on August 30, 1974.[1]
In an unauthorized biography of Janet Jackson, a confrontational family incident was described. This biography claims that, in 1979, Jackson and her two youngest children, Randy and Janet, confronted a woman who worked for Joseph's company, whom Jackson had often reportedly accused of cheating with Joseph. That incident was re-dramatized for the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. However in the miniseries, Jackson was shown confronting Joseph instead of the woman about the alleged incident.
In the late 1980s, Jackson began experiencing an estrangement with her daughter La Toyaafter she was being managed by Jack Gordon. In her 1991 memoirs, La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family, La Toya alleged that Jackson was emotionally abusive, charges Jackson denied to the press and blamed Gordon, who married La Toya in 1989, for "brainwashing" her. In 1997, La Toya and Jackson reconciled after she filed for divorce from Gordon.
Jackson was portrayed by Angela Bassettin the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. Patricia Idletteportrayed her in the 2004 film Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story.
Recent years[edit]
Jackson has spent the last couple of decades talking to the press defending her children, mainly Michael, who began to gain notoriety for his eccentricities. In a recent interview promoting her Michael Jackson Story Book/DVDon The Oprah Winfrey Show, however, Jackson acknowledged that Michael was addicted to plastic surgeryand also got her husband to admit to physically discipliningtheir children.[2]Over the years, it had been acknowledged by some that Joe was abusive towards his children, which he has continually denied despite admissions by both La Toya and Michael.[citation needed]
Jackson splits her time between Las Vegasand her Hayvenhurst home in Encino.
Despite rumours that she is estranged from Joe, she denied those rumours in an interview and dismissed rumours that Joe was banned from The Jackson family home as something the media tried to cook up and false.[1]. According to her son Jermaine Jackson's 2011 book (You Are Not Alone: Michael through a Brother's Eyes), Jackson had told Michael that she was nearing the age of 80 and before she died, she wanted to see her sons perform together one last time. One of Michael Jackson's future plans as part of his deal with AEG Live was a final reunion tour with his brothers.
Death of Michael Jackson[edit]
On June 25, 2009, Michael died from Propofol intoxication at the hands of his physician Dr. Conrad Murray. Jackson, along with the rest of the family, attended his memorial which was held on July 7, 2009. On June 29, 2009, Jackson was granted temporary guardianship of Michael's three children.[3]Court documents indicated that she was also seeking control over the three children's interests in their late father's estate.[3]Although Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of the two eldest children and Michael's second wife, had not seen or interacted with the children for years, as of July 4, 2009, she petitioned the courts for custody of her children. As of July 30, 2009, Jackson and Debbie Rowe reached a settlement pertaining to the care of Michael's three children, Prince Michael I ("Prince"), Paris Katherine and Prince Michael II, ("Blanket"), will be raised by Katherine; Rowe will have visitation rights and continue to receive the yearly payments to which Michael had agreed.
On August 3, 2009, the judge named Jackson as the children's permanent guardian. On July 25, 2012, Jackson's guardianship of the children was suspended by the court amid allegations that she may have been held against her will by several Jackson family members as a result of a financial dispute between those family members and the Michael Jackson Estate.[4]Guardianship of the children was temporarily given to Michael Jackson’s nephew TJ Jackson, one of Tito'ssons.[5]The guardianship resumed with TJ Jackson added as a co-guardian.[6][7]
Children[edit]

Portal icon The Jackson Family portal
Ten children were born to Katherine and Joe Jackson.[1]
Maureen Reillette "Rebbie" Jackson(born May 29, 1950)
Sigmund Esco "Jackie" Jackson(born May 4, 1951)
Tariano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson(born October 15, 1953)
Jermaine La Jaune Jackson(born December 11, 1954)
La Toya Yvonne Jackson(born May 29, 1956)
Marlon David Jackson(born March 12, 1957)
Brandon Jackson (stillborn March 12, 1957)
Michael Joseph Jackson(August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)
Steven Randall "Randy" Jackson(born October 29, 1961)
Janet Damita Jo Jackson(born May 16, 1966)
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: abcdJackson, Katherine; Rich Wiseman (1990). My Family, the Jacksons. St. Martin's Paperbacks. ISBN 0-312-92350-3.
2.Jump up ^Gina Serpe (8 November 2010). "Michael Jackson's Kids, Parents Join Oprah: Talk Plastic Surgery, Beatings and…French Toast?". eonline.com.
3.^ Jump up to: abDaily Mail Reporter (2009-06-29). "Michael Jackson's mother wins temporary custody of his three children". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
4.Jump up ^"Katherine Jackson loses custody of MJ’s kids". 26 July 2012.
5.Jump up ^"Judge suspends Katherine Jackson as guardian of Michael Jackson's children". CNN News. 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
6.Jump up ^Duke, Alan (2 August 2012). "Katherine Jackson resumes guardianship of Michael Jackson's children". CNN. Retrieved 3 October2013.
7.Jump up ^http://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/Celebs/jackson,%20michael_report.pdf


[hide]
v·
t·
e

Jackson family


Parents
Joe Jackson: 1928·
Katherine Jackson: 1930


Children
Maureen Reillette (Rebbie): 1950·
Sigmund Esco (Jackie): 1951·
Toriano Adaryll (Tito): 1953·
Jermaine La Jaune: 1954·
La Toya Yvonne: 1956·
Marlon David: 1957·
Michael Joseph: 1958–2009·
Steven Randall (Randy): 1961·
Janet Damita Jo: 1966


Grandchildren
Austin Brown: 1985


Musical groups
The Jackson 5/The Jacksons·
3T


Television
The Jacksons·
The Jacksons: An American Dream·
The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty


PortalThe Jackson Family portal




Authority control
VIAF: 113608995





 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Categories: 1930 births
American autobiographers
American Jehovah's Witnesses
Jackson musical family
Living people
People from Barbour County, Alabama
People from East Chicago, Indiana
People from Gary, Indiana
African-American people
African-American Christians
Michael Jackson
People with poliomyelitis
People from Los Angeles, California











Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk










Read

Edit

View history


















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Azərbaycanca
Deutsch
Español
فارسی
Français
Galego
한국어
日本語
Português
Русский
Simple English
Suomi
Svenska
Türkçe
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 22 May 2015, at 16:16.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Useand Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Jackson








Listen to this article
Katherine Jackson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For other people named Katherine Jackson, see Katherine Jackson (disambiguation).


 This biographical articleneeds additional citationsfor verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelousor harmful.(January 2010)

Katherine Jackson

Born
Kattie B. Screws
May 4, 1930 (age 85)
Barbour County, Alabama, U.S.
Religion
Jehovah's Witness
Spouse(s)
Joe Jackson
(m. 1949)
Children
10, See below
Parent(s)
Martha Bridges (1907–1990)
Prince Albert Scruse (1907–1997)

Listen to this article(info/dl)













This audio file was created from a revision of the "Katherine Jackson" article dated 2011-02-10, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. (Audio help)
More spoken articles
Katherine Esther Jackson(néeScruse; born Kattie B. Screwson May 4, 1930) is the matriarch of the Jackson musical family.


Contents [hide]
1Early life
2The Jackson family
3My Family
4Recent years
5Death of Michael Jackson
6Children
7References

Early life[edit]
Jackson was born Kattie B. Screwsin Barbour County, Alabama, to Martha (née Upshaw; December 14, 1907 – April 25, 1990) and Prince Albert Screws (October 16, 1907 – January 21, 1997). When Jackson was four, her father changed his surname to "Scruse", and renamed his daughter to Katherine Esther. The younger of two daughters, Jackson contracted polioat two but survived the disease. Effects of the disease left her with a noticeable permanent limp. At four, Jackson's family moved to East Chicago, Indiana, a suburb outside Chicagoand next to Gary, Indianain northwest Indiana. As a child, Jackson aspired to become a country singerbut was dismayed to find that there were no notable black country stars. Jackson's parents divorced when she was still a youngster. In high school, Jackson joined the local high school band. In 1947, Jackson met Joseph Jacksonalso living in East Chicago. After a year-long courtship that started after Joseph annulled an early marriage, they married in November 1949. In January 1950, they purchased a two-bedroom house in Gary. During the couple's early years, they sang together, with Joe playing guitar. After Joe's dream of a boxingcareer was dashed, he continued working at East Chicago's Inland Steel Companywhile Jackson gave birth to her ten children. The sixth of which were twins, Marlon and twin brother, Brandon, although he died as stillborn.
The Jackson family[edit]
Main articles: Jackson familyand Jackson 5
For a period, to help make ends meet, Jackson worked as a store clerk in a local Searsstore. In 1963, Jackson, who was raised a Baptist, discovered the Jehovah's Witnessfaith. After her conversion in 1965, all of her children followed her into the faith. While Joe, who was brought up in the Lutheranfaith, also practiced the religion, it was often said he decided not to convert. As Jackson's brood grew, she quit her position at Sears and settled primarily as a housewifewhile keeping her children safe from the streets. By the early 1960s, several of Jackson's sons began to show off their musical talents. In 1963, Joe formed The Jackson Brotherswith three of their eldest sons, being Jackie, Titoand Jermaine. Around the same time, Jackson's younger son Michaelwas also showing off his talent, which was discovered first by Jackson, who noticed Michael, at the age of four, singing along to the radio while dancing to the rhythm. But when she tried to tell Joe of Michael's talent, he brushed her aside, though she insisted.
A year later, Joe enlisted Michael and older brother Marlon Jacksoninto the group not as vocalists, but as backing instrumentalists, playing percussion. It wouldn't be until 1966 that Joe began to see seven-year-old Michael's overall talents three years after Jackson's discovery. Beforehand, Michael had performed onstage without his father's knowledge at several school recitals starting at five. By the end of 1966, Michael was positioned as the second frontman of the group after Jermaine. Acting on advice from a schoolteacher, Joe changed the group's name to The Jackson Five. In 1967, after winning several talent shows in Gary, Joe Jackson decided to make the group a professional act when Gordon Keiththe owner and producer at Gary's Steeltown Recordsdiscovered them, signing them to their first contract in November 1967. Their first single, "Big Boy", produced by Keith, was released on January 30, 1968 and became a local hit. Jackson began designing the group's costumes, which she continued until the group found national fame months after signing with Motown Recordsin March 1969. During the Jackson 5's 1970-71 heyday, Jackson - along with her three daughters and youngest son - was barely mentioned in the press. This changed in 1974 when Joe began building careers around his three younger children and eldest daughter. Michael often mentioned Jackson lovingly. Jackson started to become part of her husband's management team when the grown-up members of the group (which renamed themselves The Jacksonsafter splitting from Motown in 1975) reunited for the Victory Tourin 1984. On his 1982 album, Thriller, Michael dedicated the album to her. Janet Jacksonwould do the same following the release of her 1989 album, Rhythm Nation 1814, the first album where she wasn't under the watchful eye of her father following the success of Control, as Janet had fired him months after its release. Michael often said that his mother was appreciative of his solo music and approved of songs such as "Billie Jean" but said she was cautious of Michael's mature material, including "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough". In 1985, acknowledging what was then a positive impact on her children's successful music careers, national urban magazine Essencehonored her as "Mother of the Year".
My Family[edit]
In 1990, Jackson released her autobiography, My Family,[1]which documented her early years and her relationship with her husband and their children, eight of whom wrote salutes to their mother in the book's foreword.[1]She detailed that her husband on more than a few occasions had committed adultery, one of which resulted in the birth of a daughter named Joh'Vonnie Jackson with another woman named Cheryl Terrell on August 30, 1974.[1]
In an unauthorized biography of Janet Jackson, a confrontational family incident was described. This biography claims that, in 1979, Jackson and her two youngest children, Randy and Janet, confronted a woman who worked for Joseph's company, whom Jackson had often reportedly accused of cheating with Joseph. That incident was re-dramatized for the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. However in the miniseries, Jackson was shown confronting Joseph instead of the woman about the alleged incident.
In the late 1980s, Jackson began experiencing an estrangement with her daughter La Toyaafter she was being managed by Jack Gordon. In her 1991 memoirs, La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family, La Toya alleged that Jackson was emotionally abusive, charges Jackson denied to the press and blamed Gordon, who married La Toya in 1989, for "brainwashing" her. In 1997, La Toya and Jackson reconciled after she filed for divorce from Gordon.
Jackson was portrayed by Angela Bassettin the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. Patricia Idletteportrayed her in the 2004 film Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story.
Recent years[edit]
Jackson has spent the last couple of decades talking to the press defending her children, mainly Michael, who began to gain notoriety for his eccentricities. In a recent interview promoting her Michael Jackson Story Book/DVDon The Oprah Winfrey Show, however, Jackson acknowledged that Michael was addicted to plastic surgeryand also got her husband to admit to physically discipliningtheir children.[2]Over the years, it had been acknowledged by some that Joe was abusive towards his children, which he has continually denied despite admissions by both La Toya and Michael.[citation needed]
Jackson splits her time between Las Vegasand her Hayvenhurst home in Encino.
Despite rumours that she is estranged from Joe, she denied those rumours in an interview and dismissed rumours that Joe was banned from The Jackson family home as something the media tried to cook up and false.[1]. According to her son Jermaine Jackson's 2011 book (You Are Not Alone: Michael through a Brother's Eyes), Jackson had told Michael that she was nearing the age of 80 and before she died, she wanted to see her sons perform together one last time. One of Michael Jackson's future plans as part of his deal with AEG Live was a final reunion tour with his brothers.
Death of Michael Jackson[edit]
On June 25, 2009, Michael died from Propofol intoxication at the hands of his physician Dr. Conrad Murray. Jackson, along with the rest of the family, attended his memorial which was held on July 7, 2009. On June 29, 2009, Jackson was granted temporary guardianship of Michael's three children.[3]Court documents indicated that she was also seeking control over the three children's interests in their late father's estate.[3]Although Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of the two eldest children and Michael's second wife, had not seen or interacted with the children for years, as of July 4, 2009, she petitioned the courts for custody of her children. As of July 30, 2009, Jackson and Debbie Rowe reached a settlement pertaining to the care of Michael's three children, Prince Michael I ("Prince"), Paris Katherine and Prince Michael II, ("Blanket"), will be raised by Katherine; Rowe will have visitation rights and continue to receive the yearly payments to which Michael had agreed.
On August 3, 2009, the judge named Jackson as the children's permanent guardian. On July 25, 2012, Jackson's guardianship of the children was suspended by the court amid allegations that she may have been held against her will by several Jackson family members as a result of a financial dispute between those family members and the Michael Jackson Estate.[4]Guardianship of the children was temporarily given to Michael Jackson’s nephew TJ Jackson, one of Tito'ssons.[5]The guardianship resumed with TJ Jackson added as a co-guardian.[6][7]
Children[edit]

Portal icon The Jackson Family portal
Ten children were born to Katherine and Joe Jackson.[1]
Maureen Reillette "Rebbie" Jackson(born May 29, 1950)
Sigmund Esco "Jackie" Jackson(born May 4, 1951)
Tariano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson(born October 15, 1953)
Jermaine La Jaune Jackson(born December 11, 1954)
La Toya Yvonne Jackson(born May 29, 1956)
Marlon David Jackson(born March 12, 1957)
Brandon Jackson (stillborn March 12, 1957)
Michael Joseph Jackson(August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)
Steven Randall "Randy" Jackson(born October 29, 1961)
Janet Damita Jo Jackson(born May 16, 1966)
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: abcdJackson, Katherine; Rich Wiseman (1990). My Family, the Jacksons. St. Martin's Paperbacks. ISBN 0-312-92350-3.
2.Jump up ^Gina Serpe (8 November 2010). "Michael Jackson's Kids, Parents Join Oprah: Talk Plastic Surgery, Beatings and…French Toast?". eonline.com.
3.^ Jump up to: abDaily Mail Reporter (2009-06-29). "Michael Jackson's mother wins temporary custody of his three children". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
4.Jump up ^"Katherine Jackson loses custody of MJ’s kids". 26 July 2012.
5.Jump up ^"Judge suspends Katherine Jackson as guardian of Michael Jackson's children". CNN News. 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
6.Jump up ^Duke, Alan (2 August 2012). "Katherine Jackson resumes guardianship of Michael Jackson's children". CNN. Retrieved 3 October2013.
7.Jump up ^http://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/Celebs/jackson,%20michael_report.pdf


[hide]
v·
t·
e

Jackson family


Parents
Joe Jackson: 1928·
Katherine Jackson: 1930


Children
Maureen Reillette (Rebbie): 1950·
Sigmund Esco (Jackie): 1951·
Toriano Adaryll (Tito): 1953·
Jermaine La Jaune: 1954·
La Toya Yvonne: 1956·
Marlon David: 1957·
Michael Joseph: 1958–2009·
Steven Randall (Randy): 1961·
Janet Damita Jo: 1966


Grandchildren
Austin Brown: 1985


Musical groups
The Jackson 5/The Jacksons·
3T


Television
The Jacksons·
The Jacksons: An American Dream·
The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty


PortalThe Jackson Family portal




Authority control
VIAF: 113608995





 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Categories: 1930 births
American autobiographers
American Jehovah's Witnesses
Jackson musical family
Living people
People from Barbour County, Alabama
People from East Chicago, Indiana
People from Gary, Indiana
African-American people
African-American Christians
Michael Jackson
People with poliomyelitis
People from Los Angeles, California











Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk










Read

Edit

View history


















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Azərbaycanca
Deutsch
Español
فارسی
Français
Galego
한국어
日本語
Português
Русский
Simple English
Suomi
Svenska
Türkçe
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 22 May 2015, at 16:16.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Useand Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Jackson








Lark Voorhies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Lark Voorhies
Lark Voorhies.jpg
Voorhies in 2008.

Born
Lark Holloway
 March 25, 1974 (age 41)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Nationality
American
Occupation
Actress, Singer, Spokeswoman, Model
Years active
1988–present
Religion
Jehovah's Witness
Awards
1990: Young Artist Award 'Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series' - (Saved by the Bell)
 1993: Young Artist Award 'Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series' - (Saved by the Bell)
Lark Voorhies (born Lark Holloway, March 25, 1974) is an American actress who rose to fame playing Lisa Turtle in Saved by the Bell, for which she was nominated for the Young Artist Award four times, winning in 1990 and 1993. She also portrayed the role as a regular on Good Morning, Miss Bliss.


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Entertainment career 2.1 Acting
2.2 Music
2.3 Writing
3 Personal life 3.1 Legal dispute
3.2 Mental health issues
4 In popular culture
5 Filmography
6 Awards and nominations
7 References
8 External links

Early life[edit]
Lark Voorhies was born Lark Holloway in Nashville, Tennessee, and later adopted "Voorhies" as a stage name.[1][2] Her mother, Tricia,[3] named her "Lark" after the character in the 1972 film Cool Breeze, played by Margaret Avery.[4] By the time Voorhies was two years old, the family had moved to Pasadena, California. At this time, her mother took her to a talent agent, because "she was a natural-born ham."[5] However, her first audition did not go well—she froze.[5] She appeared in a national television commercial for Universal Studios Tour at age 12 advertising its upcoming King Kong attraction: "I was on this tram screaming with all these other people. I had such a great time doing that."[4][6]
Entertainment career[edit]
Acting[edit]
Voorhies made her acting debut at the age of two. Though photogenic, she was shy, and her mother put Voorhies' acting career on hold until she was more comfortable in front of the cameras. Later, at the age of fourteen, Voorhies reappeared on an episode of Small Wonder in 1988. In June of that same year, she landed the recurring role of Lisa Turtle in Good Morning, Miss Bliss[7] and appeared in thirteen episodes from 1988 to 1989. She remained as the same character, as did Zack, Screech, and Mr. Belding, after Disney dropped the series and it was picked-up and re-tooled by NBC and renamed Saved by the Bell. The characters Miss Bliss, Mylo, Mikey, and Nicky were dropped. During its first season on NBC 1989-1990, the characters Kelly Kapowski, A.C. Slater, and Jessie Spano were added. The setting was also changed from John F. Kennedy Junior High in Indianapolis to Bayside High School in Los Angeles.
Voorhies has since appeared in several television sitcoms and soap operas. She played the role of single mom Wendy Reardon on Days of Our Lives from 1993[8] to 1994. On The Bold and the Beautiful Voorhies played the role of amiable intern fashion-designer, Jasmine Malone beginning in January 1995. She was released from her contract in November 1996 when her role required her to act in sex scenes, which the actress refused to do citing her religious beliefs as a Jehovah's Witness. She returned in April 2004 when Jasmine Malone returns to L.A when Eric and Stephiane hire her to work as a designer in the basement at Forrester Creations. She decided to renew her contract when the show offered to sign her to a one-year deal and departed the show again in July 2004 when her character Jasmine took a job at Forrester International in Europe, courtesy of Eric Forrester.
In 1995, Voorhies guest-starred in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Life Support". During the same year, Voorhies guest-starred in the season 6 episode of Family Matters, entitled "Home Sweet Home," as Eddie's upstairs dream girl. She has continued to act in various roles since then, such as In the House, in which she played the girlfriend-turned-wife of Alfonso Ribeiro’s character, Dr. Max Stanton. Previously, she played Ribeiro's love interest twice on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Besides sitcoms, Voorhies also appeared in movies and direct-to-video films. In 2001, Voorhies played a major role in the film How High as Lauren, a Harvard student. She was involved in a 1990 movie adaptation of the book The Black Man's Guide to Understanding Black Women,[9] and played Ana Smith in the 2008 movie entitled The Next Hit.[10]
Music[edit]
Voorhies has appeared in notable music video roles. She played Kenny Lattimore's love interest in his debut video "Never Too Busy", from his 1996 self-titled debut album, and Wanya's girlfriend in Boyz II Men's music video "On Bended Knee". She was also featured in Montell Jordan's "Somethin' for the Honeyz", and Dru Hill's "These Are the Times". In 1994, Voorhies was in a group originally called the X-Girls (now known as Geneva) with Stacee and Yashi Brown (the daughters of singer and oldest Jackson family sibling, Rebbie Jackson). Voorhies founded and was the lead singer in an alternative band named Third Degree. After the group disbanded, Voorhies decided to further her music career as a soloist.[citation needed]
Writing[edit]
Since 2010, Voorhies has written three books: Reciprocity, Trek of the Cheshire, and True Light: A, superior, take, unto, the, premier, haloing, of, tenuation. Readily, available, True Light, provides, resource, into, time's, motifed, and, vestuved, authenticate, revelation.[11]
Personal life[edit]
Legal dispute[edit]
On May 30, 2006, Voorhies filed a lawsuit against The National Enquirer for libel over an article that included claims she had a drug problem.[12]
Mental health issues[edit]
In an interview with Voorhies in November 2012, Entertainment Tonight inquired about the People magazine article, in which her mother Tricia, who lives with Lark, claimed that Voorhies has bipolar disorder.[13] Her former co-star Dustin Diamond said she would "stare into space" and that "it wasn't the Lark I knew."[14] Voorhies responded to the accusations in a rambling statement with odd word phrasing.[15] Her book True Light is written with commas after almost every word.[16]
In popular culture[edit]
Voorhies is mentioned in Asher Roth's single "Lark on My Go-Kart" and in Ludacris' song "Coming 2 America", off his Word of Mouf album.
Nocando mentions her in "I Guess So" from his 2013 album 'Tits 'N' Explosions'.
She is also mentioned in a line by rapper Royce da 5'9" in the song "Detroit vs. Everybody" off of the album Shady XV.
Filmography[edit]
Film

Year
Title
Role
Notes

1997 Def Jam's How to Be a Player Lisa 
2000 Longshot Woman at Bar Alternative title: Jack of All Trades
2001 How High Lauren 
2002 Civil Brand Lil' Mama 
2008 The Next Hit Ana Smith 
2009 Mimi's Place Sydney Short film
2011 Measure of Faith Kim Direct-to-video
2012 Little Creeps The Dean Direct-to-video

Television

Year
Title
Role
Notes

1988–89 Good Morning, Miss Bliss Lisa Turtle 13 episodes
1988,
 1989 Small Wonder Brandie Ross
 Binky Episodes: "When You Hear the Beep", "The Tattletale"
1989 The Robert Guillaume Show Danica Episode: "Educating Ann"
1989–93 Saved by the Bell Lisa Turtle 85 episodes
1992 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Cindy Episode: "Mama's Baby, Carlton's Maybe"
Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style Lisa Turtle Television film
1993 Martin Nicole Episodes: "The Break Up" (2), "The Break Up" (3)
Getting By Tasha Episodes: "Men Don't Dance", "Turnabout Dance"
1993–94 Days of Our Lives Wendy Reardon 
1994 Saved by the Bell: The College Years Lisa Turtle Episode: "Wedding Plans"
Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas Lisa Turtle Television film
Me and the Boys Denise Episode: "Talent Show"
Saved by the Bell: The New Class Lisa Turtle Episode: "Goodbye Bayside" (2)
1995 CBS Schoolbreak Special Breena Black Episode: "What About Your Friends"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Leanne Episode: "Life Support"
Family Matters Dream Girl Episode: "Home Sweet Home"
1995–96,
 2004 The Bold and the Beautiful Jasmine Malone Originated the role from January 1995 to November 1996; reprised in April 2004; again departed the role in June 2004, and last appeared on-screen in July 2004
1997 Malcolm & Eddie Lydia Episode: "Club Story"
The Last Don Tiffany Miniseries
1997–99 In the House Mercedes Langford 18 episodes
1998 The Love Boat: The Next Wave Johari Mayfield Episode: "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"
1999 Mutiny  Television film
The Parkers Chandra Episodes: "Grape Nuts", "Scammed Straight"
2000 Grown Ups Stacy Episode: "J's Pet Peeve"
2001 Fire & Ice Holly Aimes Television film
2002 Widows  Miniseries
2008 Robot Chicken Lisa Turtle / Betty Childs / Borg Queen (voice) Episode: Boo Cocky

Awards and nominations[edit]
Young Artist Award
1989: Nominated, "Best Young Actress in a Cable Family Series" – Good Morning, Miss Bliss
1990: Nominated, "Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast" – Saved by the Bell
1990: Won, "Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series" – Saved by the Bell
1991: Nominated, "Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series" – Saved by the Bell
1992: Nominated, "Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series" – Saved by the Bell
1993: Won, "Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series" – Saved by the Bell
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Suzy Baldwin (March 25, 2005). "Signposts". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 30.  |chapter= ignored (help)
2.Jump up ^ Diamond, Dustin (2009). Behind the Bell. Transit Publishing. p. 35. ISBN 0981239692.
3.Jump up ^ Iona Kirby (October 3, 2012). "Saved By The Bell star Lark Voorhies battling bipolar disorder: Mother says the actress is mentally ill". Daily Mail. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
4.^ Jump up to: a b Nancy M. Reichardt (November 27, 1995). "Voorhies Boldly Jumps Into Daytime Drama". Palm Beach Post. p. 2D.  |chapter= ignored (help)
5.^ Jump up to: a b Lilana Novakovich (October 20, 1996). "Soap star had long climb to Another World". Calgary Herald. p. C7.  |chapter= ignored (help)
6.Jump up ^ John M. Wilson (December 22, 1985). "Monkey Breath". Los Angeles Times. p. 35. Retrieved October 19, 2012. |chapter= ignored (help)
7.Jump up ^ The Ed Bark (June 3, 1989). "Shakeup set for Saturday morning TV". The Dallas Morning News. p. 5C. "NBC also is experimenting with the first Saturday morning situation comedy. Saved By the Bell keeps track of six mischievous, adventurous teens played by flesh-and-blood actors you've never heard of unless you're one of their parents. Fave name: Lark Voorhies."  |chapter= ignored (help)
8.Jump up ^ "Lark Voorhies Cast on "Days of Our Lives"". Tulsa World. April 1, 1993. p. C3.  |chapter= ignored (help)
9.Jump up ^ "Then/Now: 'Saved By the Bell'". FoxNews. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
10.Jump up ^ http://washedupcelebrities.blogspot.com/2008/02/lark-voorhies.html
11.Jump up ^ http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-author=Lark+Voorhies&search-alias=books
12.Jump up ^ AP. “ ‘Saved by the Bell’ Actress Sues Tabloid”, ABC News, 1 June 2006.[dead link]
13.Jump up ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20635697,00.html
14.Jump up ^ "http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20636019,00.html
15.Jump up ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AobTzmW5sRw
16.Jump up ^ http://gawker.com/5948756/lark-voorhies-mom-says-she-has-bipolar-disorder-her-writing-says-she-is-obsessed-with-commas
External links[edit]

Portal icon Television in the United States portal
Portal icon Biography portal
Portal icon African American portal
Lark Voorhies at the Internet Movie Database


Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 61237056 ·
 LCCN: no2003071820 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0000 4441 6607
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: 1974 births
Actresses from Tennessee
African-American actresses
American child actresses
American film actresses
American Jehovah's Witnesses
American soap opera actresses
American television actresses
Living people
People from Nashville, Tennessee
Actresses from Pasadena, California
People with bipolar disorder













Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Русский
Suomi
Edit links
This page was last modified on 7 May 2015, at 18:11.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
   
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lark_Voorhies









Lark Voorhies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Lark Voorhies
Lark Voorhies.jpg
Voorhies in 2008.

Born
Lark Holloway
 March 25, 1974 (age 41)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Nationality
American
Occupation
Actress, Singer, Spokeswoman, Model
Years active
1988–present
Religion
Jehovah's Witness
Awards
1990: Young Artist Award 'Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series' - (Saved by the Bell)
 1993: Young Artist Award 'Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series' - (Saved by the Bell)
Lark Voorhies (born Lark Holloway, March 25, 1974) is an American actress who rose to fame playing Lisa Turtle in Saved by the Bell, for which she was nominated for the Young Artist Award four times, winning in 1990 and 1993. She also portrayed the role as a regular on Good Morning, Miss Bliss.


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Entertainment career 2.1 Acting
2.2 Music
2.3 Writing
3 Personal life 3.1 Legal dispute
3.2 Mental health issues
4 In popular culture
5 Filmography
6 Awards and nominations
7 References
8 External links

Early life[edit]
Lark Voorhies was born Lark Holloway in Nashville, Tennessee, and later adopted "Voorhies" as a stage name.[1][2] Her mother, Tricia,[3] named her "Lark" after the character in the 1972 film Cool Breeze, played by Margaret Avery.[4] By the time Voorhies was two years old, the family had moved to Pasadena, California. At this time, her mother took her to a talent agent, because "she was a natural-born ham."[5] However, her first audition did not go well—she froze.[5] She appeared in a national television commercial for Universal Studios Tour at age 12 advertising its upcoming King Kong attraction: "I was on this tram screaming with all these other people. I had such a great time doing that."[4][6]
Entertainment career[edit]
Acting[edit]
Voorhies made her acting debut at the age of two. Though photogenic, she was shy, and her mother put Voorhies' acting career on hold until she was more comfortable in front of the cameras. Later, at the age of fourteen, Voorhies reappeared on an episode of Small Wonder in 1988. In June of that same year, she landed the recurring role of Lisa Turtle in Good Morning, Miss Bliss[7] and appeared in thirteen episodes from 1988 to 1989. She remained as the same character, as did Zack, Screech, and Mr. Belding, after Disney dropped the series and it was picked-up and re-tooled by NBC and renamed Saved by the Bell. The characters Miss Bliss, Mylo, Mikey, and Nicky were dropped. During its first season on NBC 1989-1990, the characters Kelly Kapowski, A.C. Slater, and Jessie Spano were added. The setting was also changed from John F. Kennedy Junior High in Indianapolis to Bayside High School in Los Angeles.
Voorhies has since appeared in several television sitcoms and soap operas. She played the role of single mom Wendy Reardon on Days of Our Lives from 1993[8] to 1994. On The Bold and the Beautiful Voorhies played the role of amiable intern fashion-designer, Jasmine Malone beginning in January 1995. She was released from her contract in November 1996 when her role required her to act in sex scenes, which the actress refused to do citing her religious beliefs as a Jehovah's Witness. She returned in April 2004 when Jasmine Malone returns to L.A when Eric and Stephiane hire her to work as a designer in the basement at Forrester Creations. She decided to renew her contract when the show offered to sign her to a one-year deal and departed the show again in July 2004 when her character Jasmine took a job at Forrester International in Europe, courtesy of Eric Forrester.
In 1995, Voorhies guest-starred in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Life Support". During the same year, Voorhies guest-starred in the season 6 episode of Family Matters, entitled "Home Sweet Home," as Eddie's upstairs dream girl. She has continued to act in various roles since then, such as In the House, in which she played the girlfriend-turned-wife of Alfonso Ribeiro’s character, Dr. Max Stanton. Previously, she played Ribeiro's love interest twice on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Besides sitcoms, Voorhies also appeared in movies and direct-to-video films. In 2001, Voorhies played a major role in the film How High as Lauren, a Harvard student. She was involved in a 1990 movie adaptation of the book The Black Man's Guide to Understanding Black Women,[9] and played Ana Smith in the 2008 movie entitled The Next Hit.[10]
Music[edit]
Voorhies has appeared in notable music video roles. She played Kenny Lattimore's love interest in his debut video "Never Too Busy", from his 1996 self-titled debut album, and Wanya's girlfriend in Boyz II Men's music video "On Bended Knee". She was also featured in Montell Jordan's "Somethin' for the Honeyz", and Dru Hill's "These Are the Times". In 1994, Voorhies was in a group originally called the X-Girls (now known as Geneva) with Stacee and Yashi Brown (the daughters of singer and oldest Jackson family sibling, Rebbie Jackson). Voorhies founded and was the lead singer in an alternative band named Third Degree. After the group disbanded, Voorhies decided to further her music career as a soloist.[citation needed]
Writing[edit]
Since 2010, Voorhies has written three books: Reciprocity, Trek of the Cheshire, and True Light: A, superior, take, unto, the, premier, haloing, of, tenuation. Readily, available, True Light, provides, resource, into, time's, motifed, and, vestuved, authenticate, revelation.[11]
Personal life[edit]
Legal dispute[edit]
On May 30, 2006, Voorhies filed a lawsuit against The National Enquirer for libel over an article that included claims she had a drug problem.[12]
Mental health issues[edit]
In an interview with Voorhies in November 2012, Entertainment Tonight inquired about the People magazine article, in which her mother Tricia, who lives with Lark, claimed that Voorhies has bipolar disorder.[13] Her former co-star Dustin Diamond said she would "stare into space" and that "it wasn't the Lark I knew."[14] Voorhies responded to the accusations in a rambling statement with odd word phrasing.[15] Her book True Light is written with commas after almost every word.[16]
In popular culture[edit]
Voorhies is mentioned in Asher Roth's single "Lark on My Go-Kart" and in Ludacris' song "Coming 2 America", off his Word of Mouf album.
Nocando mentions her in "I Guess So" from his 2013 album 'Tits 'N' Explosions'.
She is also mentioned in a line by rapper Royce da 5'9" in the song "Detroit vs. Everybody" off of the album Shady XV.
Filmography[edit]
Film

Year
Title
Role
Notes

1997 Def Jam's How to Be a Player Lisa 
2000 Longshot Woman at Bar Alternative title: Jack of All Trades
2001 How High Lauren 
2002 Civil Brand Lil' Mama 
2008 The Next Hit Ana Smith 
2009 Mimi's Place Sydney Short film
2011 Measure of Faith Kim Direct-to-video
2012 Little Creeps The Dean Direct-to-video

Television

Year
Title
Role
Notes

1988–89 Good Morning, Miss Bliss Lisa Turtle 13 episodes
1988,
 1989 Small Wonder Brandie Ross
 Binky Episodes: "When You Hear the Beep", "The Tattletale"
1989 The Robert Guillaume Show Danica Episode: "Educating Ann"
1989–93 Saved by the Bell Lisa Turtle 85 episodes
1992 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Cindy Episode: "Mama's Baby, Carlton's Maybe"
Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style Lisa Turtle Television film
1993 Martin Nicole Episodes: "The Break Up" (2), "The Break Up" (3)
Getting By Tasha Episodes: "Men Don't Dance", "Turnabout Dance"
1993–94 Days of Our Lives Wendy Reardon 
1994 Saved by the Bell: The College Years Lisa Turtle Episode: "Wedding Plans"
Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas Lisa Turtle Television film
Me and the Boys Denise Episode: "Talent Show"
Saved by the Bell: The New Class Lisa Turtle Episode: "Goodbye Bayside" (2)
1995 CBS Schoolbreak Special Breena Black Episode: "What About Your Friends"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Leanne Episode: "Life Support"
Family Matters Dream Girl Episode: "Home Sweet Home"
1995–96,
 2004 The Bold and the Beautiful Jasmine Malone Originated the role from January 1995 to November 1996; reprised in April 2004; again departed the role in June 2004, and last appeared on-screen in July 2004
1997 Malcolm & Eddie Lydia Episode: "Club Story"
The Last Don Tiffany Miniseries
1997–99 In the House Mercedes Langford 18 episodes
1998 The Love Boat: The Next Wave Johari Mayfield Episode: "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"
1999 Mutiny  Television film
The Parkers Chandra Episodes: "Grape Nuts", "Scammed Straight"
2000 Grown Ups Stacy Episode: "J's Pet Peeve"
2001 Fire & Ice Holly Aimes Television film
2002 Widows  Miniseries
2008 Robot Chicken Lisa Turtle / Betty Childs / Borg Queen (voice) Episode: Boo Cocky

Awards and nominations[edit]
Young Artist Award
1989: Nominated, "Best Young Actress in a Cable Family Series" – Good Morning, Miss Bliss
1990: Nominated, "Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast" – Saved by the Bell
1990: Won, "Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series" – Saved by the Bell
1991: Nominated, "Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series" – Saved by the Bell
1992: Nominated, "Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series" – Saved by the Bell
1993: Won, "Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime Series" – Saved by the Bell
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Suzy Baldwin (March 25, 2005). "Signposts". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 30.  |chapter= ignored (help)
2.Jump up ^ Diamond, Dustin (2009). Behind the Bell. Transit Publishing. p. 35. ISBN 0981239692.
3.Jump up ^ Iona Kirby (October 3, 2012). "Saved By The Bell star Lark Voorhies battling bipolar disorder: Mother says the actress is mentally ill". Daily Mail. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
4.^ Jump up to: a b Nancy M. Reichardt (November 27, 1995). "Voorhies Boldly Jumps Into Daytime Drama". Palm Beach Post. p. 2D.  |chapter= ignored (help)
5.^ Jump up to: a b Lilana Novakovich (October 20, 1996). "Soap star had long climb to Another World". Calgary Herald. p. C7.  |chapter= ignored (help)
6.Jump up ^ John M. Wilson (December 22, 1985). "Monkey Breath". Los Angeles Times. p. 35. Retrieved October 19, 2012. |chapter= ignored (help)
7.Jump up ^ The Ed Bark (June 3, 1989). "Shakeup set for Saturday morning TV". The Dallas Morning News. p. 5C. "NBC also is experimenting with the first Saturday morning situation comedy. Saved By the Bell keeps track of six mischievous, adventurous teens played by flesh-and-blood actors you've never heard of unless you're one of their parents. Fave name: Lark Voorhies."  |chapter= ignored (help)
8.Jump up ^ "Lark Voorhies Cast on "Days of Our Lives"". Tulsa World. April 1, 1993. p. C3.  |chapter= ignored (help)
9.Jump up ^ "Then/Now: 'Saved By the Bell'". FoxNews. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
10.Jump up ^ http://washedupcelebrities.blogspot.com/2008/02/lark-voorhies.html
11.Jump up ^ http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-author=Lark+Voorhies&search-alias=books
12.Jump up ^ AP. “ ‘Saved by the Bell’ Actress Sues Tabloid”, ABC News, 1 June 2006.[dead link]
13.Jump up ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20635697,00.html
14.Jump up ^ "http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20636019,00.html
15.Jump up ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AobTzmW5sRw
16.Jump up ^ http://gawker.com/5948756/lark-voorhies-mom-says-she-has-bipolar-disorder-her-writing-says-she-is-obsessed-with-commas
External links[edit]

Portal icon Television in the United States portal
Portal icon Biography portal
Portal icon African American portal
Lark Voorhies at the Internet Movie Database


Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 61237056 ·
 LCCN: no2003071820 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0000 4441 6607
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: 1974 births
Actresses from Tennessee
African-American actresses
American child actresses
American film actresses
American Jehovah's Witnesses
American soap opera actresses
American television actresses
Living people
People from Nashville, Tennessee
Actresses from Pasadena, California
People with bipolar disorder













Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Русский
Suomi
Edit links
This page was last modified on 7 May 2015, at 18:11.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
   
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lark_Voorhies








Page move-protected

Serena Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Serena Williams
Serena Williams winning Wimbledon Ladies' Singles 2012.jpg
Serena Williams at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships

Country
 United States
Residence
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, U.S.[1]
Born
September 26, 1981 (age 33)
Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
Height
1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Turned pro
September 24, 1995
Plays
Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach(es)
Richard Williams (1994–)
Oracene Price
Patrick Mouratoglou (2012–)
Prize money
US$67,278,178[2]
 (1st all-time among women athletes and 4th all-time among tennis athletes)[3]
Official website
www.serenawilliams.com
Singles

Career record
708–121 (85.4%)
Career titles
66 WTA (4th in overall rankings)
Highest ranking
No. 1 (July 8, 2002)
Current ranking
No. 1 (May 11, 2015)
Grand Slam Singles results

Australian Open
W (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015)
French Open
W (2002, 2013)
Wimbledon
W (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012)
US Open
W (1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Other tournaments

Tour Finals
W (2001, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Olympic Games
Gold medal.svg Gold medal (2012)
Doubles

Career record
177–27 (86.76%)
Career titles
22
Highest ranking
No. 1 (June 7, 2010)
Current ranking
No. 128 (March 23, 2015)
Grand Slam Doubles results

Australian Open
W (2001, 2003, 2009, 2010)
French Open
W (1999, 2010)
Wimbledon
W (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012)
US Open
W (1999, 2009)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals
SF (2009)
Olympic Games
Gold medal.svg Gold medal (2000, 2008, 2012)
Mixed doubles

Career record
27–4 (90%)
Career titles
2
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results

Australian Open
F (1999)
French Open
F (1998)
Wimbledon
W (1998)
US Open
W (1998)
Other mixed doubles tournaments
Team competitions

Fed Cup
W (1999), Record 16–1
Hopman Cup
W (2003, 2008)


Medal record[show]










Gold medal – first place  
Gold medal – first place  
Gold medal – first place  
Gold medal – first place  

Last updated on: March 23, 2015.
Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American professional tennis player who is currently ranked No. 1 in women's singles tennis. The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has ranked her World No. 1 in singles on six separate occasions. She became the World No. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002, and regained this ranking for the sixth time on February 18, 2013, becoming the oldest world no. 1 player in WTA's history. Williams is also regarded by some experts and former tennis players to be the greatest female tennis player in history.[4][5] She is the only female player to have won over $60 million in prize money,[6] and is the reigning Australian Open, US Open, WTA Tour Championships and Olympic ladies singles champion.[7]
Frequently hailed as the Queen of the Court by the general media,[8][9][10][11] Williams holds the most major singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles combined amongst active players, male or female. Her record of 34 Grand Slam titles puts her seventh on the all-time list: 19 in singles, 13 in women's doubles, and 2 in mixed doubles. She is the most recent player, male or female, to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously (2002–03), and the fifth woman ever to do so. She is also the most recent player together with her sister Venus Williams to have held all four Grand Slam women's doubles titles simultaneously (2009–10). Her total of 19 Grand Slam singles titles is tied for third on the all-time list with Helen Wills Moody behind Margaret Court (24 titles) and Steffi Graf (22 titles),[12] and second in the Open Era, behind only Graf.[12] She has won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Venus and the pair are unbeaten in Grand Slam finals.[13] Serena Williams is also a five-time winner of the WTA Tour Championships.[14] The arrival of Venus and Serena Williams has been credited with launching a new era of power in women's tennis.[15][16][17][18] Williams has won four Olympic gold medals, one in women's singles and three in women's doubles, an all-time record shared with her sister Venus.[19][20]


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Playing style
3 Professional career 3.1 1995–98: Professional debut
3.2 1999–2001: Becoming a top-10 player
3.3 2002–03: "Serena Slam"
3.4 2004–07: Injuries, depression, and the comeback
3.5 2008–10: Back to No. 1 and injuries
3.6 2011–13: Return to dominance, Career Golden Slam
3.7 2014-present: Continuing No. 1 and more Majors
4 On-court activities 4.1 Competition with Venus Williams
4.2 Controversies 4.2.1 Accusations of match fixing
4.2.2 2001 Indian Wells
4.2.3 2004 US Open
4.2.4 2009 US Open
4.2.5 2011 US Open

5 Off-court activities 5.1 Equipment
5.2 Fashion
5.3 Entertainment
5.4 Miami Dolphins venture
5.5 Charity work
5.6 Writing
5.7 Teaching
6 Grand Slam tournaments 6.1 Grand Slam tournament performance timeline
6.2 Grand Slam tournament finals 6.2.1 Singles: 19 (19–4)
6.2.2 Women's doubles: 13 (13–0)
6.2.3 Mixed doubles: 4 finals (2–2)

7 Records and achievements
8 Filmography
9 See also
10 References
11 Works cited
12 External links

Early life[edit]
Serena Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan, USA to Richard Williams and Oracene Price and is the youngest of Price's five daughters: half-sisters Yetunde, Lyndrea and Isha Price, and full sister Venus.[1] When the children were young, the family moved to Compton, California, where Serena started playing tennis at the age of three.[21][22] Her father home-schooled Serena and her sister Venus[23][24] and to this day, Serena Williams was and remains coached by both her parents.[1] Williams's family moved from Compton to West Palm Beach, FL[21] when she was nine so that she could attend the tennis academy of Rick Macci, who would provide additional coaching. Rick Macci spotted the exceptional talents of the sisters. He did not always agree with Williams's father, but respected that "he treated his daughters like kids, allowed them to be little girls".[25] Richard stopped sending his daughters to national junior tennis tournaments when Williams was 10, since he wanted them to take it slow and focus on school work. Another factor was racial, as he had heard white parents talk about the Williams sisters in a derogatory manner during tournaments.[26] At that time, Williams had a 46–3 record on the United States Tennis Association junior tour and was ranked No. 1 among under-10 players in Florida.[27] In 1995, when Serena was in the ninth grade, Richard pulled his daughters out of Macci's academy, and from then on took over all coaching at their home. When asked in 2000 whether having followed the normal path of playing regularly on the junior circuit would have been beneficial, Williams responded: "Everyone does different things. I think for Venus and I, we just attempted a different road, and it worked for us."[27] In 2003 sister Yetunde was fatally shot in an SUV after a confrontation with youths in Compton.[28][29]
Playing style[edit]



"She's a competitor. She doesn't like to give free points and free games.
 No matter the score she wants to win those games and those points,
 whether she's down a break point or up a break point or whatever it is."
Maria Sharapova, on Serena Williams in 2013.[30]
Williams is primarily a baseline player and her game is built around taking immediate control of rallies with her powerful and consistent serve,[31] return of serve, and forceful groundstrokes from both her forehand and backhand swings. Williams's forehand is considered to be among the most powerful shots in the women's game as is her double-handed backhand. Williams strikes her backhand groundstroke using an open stance, and uses the same open stance for her forehand. Williams's aggressive play, a "high risk" style, is balanced in part by her serve, which is considered to be the greatest in women's tennis history.[32][33][34] She consistently projects great pace in her serves and in the 2013 Australian Open, she had a peak serve speed of 126.8 mph (204.1 km/h) which is the third-fastest all-time among female players (only Venus's 129 mph[35] and Sabine Lisicki's 131 mph[36] recorded speeds are faster). What makes her serve even more deadly is her ball placement and her ability to consistently place powerful shots with great accuracy.[37] At the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, Serena hit a women's tournament record of 102 aces which was more than any of the men hit during the two weeks.[38] Serena also possesses a very solid volley and powerful overhead which is very useful for her net game. Although many think of Williams as only an offensive player, she also plays a strong defensive game.[39]
Williams is also known for her mental toughness and her ability to come back from improbable situations.[40][41] She has won three Grand Slam singles titles after saving match points (2003 Australian Open versus Kim Clijsters, 2005 Australian Open versus Maria Sharapova, and 2009 Wimbledon versus Elena Dementieva), more than any other player in history, male or female.[42] In the 2012 US Open final against Victoria Azarenka, she was down 5–3 in the third set and found herself two points away from losing the match. Williams then proceeded to win the next 4 games and defeated Azarenka.[43] She also came back from a 3-5 deficit in the third set against Kim Clijsters in the 1999 US Open and went on to win her first Grand Slam singles title. In recent years, Williams has shown an ability to serve aces at critical moments. One of these instances was the 2013 French Open final, where in the last game of the match, she fired three aces, including one clocked at 123 mph (198 km/h) on match point.[44][45]
Professional career[edit]
1995–98: Professional debut[edit]
Main article: Serena Williams's early career
Williams's first professional event was in September 1995, at the age of 14 to counteract the forthcoming changes to age-eligibility rules, at the Bell Challenge. She lost in the first round of qualifying to Anne Miller, winning just two games.[46]
Williams did not play a tournament in 1996. The following year, she lost in the qualifying rounds of three tournaments, before winning her first main-draw match in November at the Ameritech Cup Chicago. Ranked world No. 304, she upset world No. 7 Mary Pierce and world No. 4 Monica Seles, recording her first career wins over top 10 players and becoming the lowest-ranked player in the open era to defeat two top 10 opponents in one tournament.[1] She ultimately lost in the semifinals to world no. 5 Lindsay Davenport. She finished 1997 ranked world no. 99.
Williams began 1998 at the Medibank International Sydney. As a qualifier ranked world no. 96, she defeated world no. 3 Davenport in the quarterfinals, before losing to Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the semifinals. Williams made her debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament at the Australian Open, where she defeated sixth-seeded Irina Spîrlea in the first round, before losing to sister Venus in the second round in the sisters' first professional match.[47] Williams reached six other quarterfinals during the year, but lost all of them, including her first match against world no. 1 Martina Hingis at the Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne, and her second match against Venus at the Italian Open in Rome. She failed to reach the quarterfinals of any Grand Slam tournament the remainder of the year, losing in the fourth round of the French Open to Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, and the third round of both Wimbledon and the US Open, to Virginia Ruano Pascual and Spîrlea, respectively. She did, however, win the mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon and the US Open with Max Mirnyi, completing the Williams family's sweep of the 1998 mixed doubles Grand Slam tournaments. Williams won her first professional title in doubles in Oklahoma City with Venus, becoming the third pair of sisters to win a WTA title.[1] The Williams sisters won two more doubles titles together during the year. Serena finished the year ranked world no. 20 in singles.
1999–2001: Becoming a top-10 player[edit]
Williams lost in the third round of the 1999 Australian Open to Sandrine Testud. Williams won her first professional singles title when she defeated Amélie Mauresmo in the final of the Open Gaz de France. With Venus also winning the IGA Superthrift Classic that day, the pair became the first sisters to win professional tournaments in the same week.[48] A month later, Serena won her first Tier I singles title at the Evert Cup, defeating Steffi Graf in the final. At the Lipton International Players Championships, Williams had her 16-match winning streak ended by Venus in the first all-sister singles final in WTA history, Serena made her top-10 debut at world no. 9. She then lost in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open and the German Open, and the third round of the French Open, where she and Venus won the women's doubles title. She then missed Wimbledon because of injury. When she returned to the tour, Williams won a Fed Cup singles match, won the JPMorgan Chase Open, beating Julie Halard-Decugis in the final. She then defeated in succession grand slam champions Kim Clijsters, Conchita Martinez, Monica Seles, and defending champion Lindsay Davenport to reach the US Open final where she defeated world #1 Hingis to become the second African-American woman after Althea Gibson in 1958 to win a Grand Slam singles tournament.[1] The Williams sisters also won the doubles title at this tournament. To complete 1999, Williams won a doubles match in the Fed Cup final against Russia. Williams ended the year ranked world no. 4 in just her second full year on the main tour.
Williams started 2000 by losing in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Elena Likhovtseva. She failed to defend her titles in Paris and Indian Wells, although she did win the Faber Grand Prix. Williams missed the French Open because of injury. She returned at Wimbledon, where she lost to Venus in the semifinals, but they won the doubles title at the event. Williams successfully defended her title in Los Angeles, defeating Davenport in the final. She reached the final of the Du Maurier Open where an injury forced her to retire from her match with Hingis. Her defense of the US Open title ended when she lost in the quarterfinals to Davenport. Williams teamed with Venus to win the gold medal in doubles at the Sydney Olympics in September. She ended the year winning the Toyota Princess Cup. She finished the year ranked world number 6.
Williams began 2001 losing to Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals of both Sydney and the Australian Open. Serena and Venus won the doubles title at the latter tournament, becoming only the fifth doubles team in history to win all four Grand Slam women's doubles titles during their career, completing a "Career Grand Slam". Her next event was the Pacific Life Open, defeating Kim Clijsters in the final. However the final was marred by the behavior of the crowd towards Williams and her family. The crowd were incensed at the perceived match fixing of games involving the family after Venus withdrew before their semifinal. Neither Williams sister entered the tournament for fourteen years, until Serena entered in 2015, as a wild-card (and the top seed).[49] The following week at the Ericsson Open, Williams lost to Jennifer Capriati in the quarterfinals. She then lost in the quarterfinals to Capriati at the French Open and Wimbledon. This was the fourth consecutive Grand Slam tournament at which Williams had exited in the quarterfinals. At the North American hard-court season, she lost in the quarterfinals of Los Angeles, then captured her second title of the year at the Rogers Cup, defeating Capriati in the final. Williams reached the final of the US Open, losing to sister Venus. That was the first Grand Slam final contested by two sisters during the open era. At the 2001-ending Sanex Championships, Williams won the championship by walkover when Davenport withdrew before the start of the final because of a knee injury. Williams finished 2001 at world no. 6 for the second straight year.
2002–03: "Serena Slam"[edit]



 Playing Amélie Mauresmo in the quarterfinals of the tournament in Sydney in 2002
Injury forced Williams to retire from her semifinal match at the Medibank International Sydney and to withdraw from the 2002 Australian Open. She won her first title of the year at the State Farm Women's Tennis Classic, defeating world no. 2 Jennifer Capriati in the final. She then won the Ericsson Open for the first time, becoming one of three players in the open era to defeat the world's top 3 at one tournament,[1] after beating world no. 3 Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals, world no. 2 Venus in the semifinals, and world no. 1 Capriati in the final. Her straight set win over Venus was her second career win over her sister. Williams played three clay-court tournaments before the 2002 French Open. Her first tournament was at Charleston, where she was the third seed. Serena reached the quarterfinals losing to Patty Schnyder. She reached her first clay-court final in May, at the Eurocard German Open losing to Justine Henin in a third set tiebreak. Williams went on to win her first clay court title at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, defeating Capriati in the semifinals and Henin in the final.[50] This raised her ranking to a new high of world no. 3. Williams was the third seed at the French Open, where she claimed her first French Open title by defeating defending champion Capriati in the semifinals, and then defeating Venus in the final to win her Second Grand Slam title. Serena rose to a career high of no. 2 after the win, second only to older sister Venus. At the 2002 Wimbledon Championships, Williams won the title for the first time, defeating Venus to win a Grand Slam singles title without dropping a set for the first time in her career. This victory earned Williams the world no. 1 ranking, dethroning her sister and becoming only the third African-American woman to hold that ranking.[1] The Williams sisters also won the doubles title at the tournament, the fifth Grand Slam doubles title for the pair. Williams played just one tournament between Wimbledon and the US Open, losing in the quarterfinals of the JPMorgan Chase Open in Los Angeles to Chanda Rubin, ending a 21-match winning streak. As the top-seeded player at the US Open, Williams reached the final where once again she defeated her sister to win the title for the second time. Williams won two consecutive singles titles in the fall, defeating Kim Clijsters to win the Toyota Princess Cup in Tokyo, and Anastasia Myskina to win the Sparkassen Cup in Leipzig, Germany. She reached the final at the year-end Home Depot Championships, where she lost to fifth-seeded Clijsters in straight sets, ending her 18-match winning streak. Williams finished 2002 with a 56–5 record, eight singles titles, and the world no. 1 ranking. She was the first African-American (male or female) to end a year with that ranking since Althea Gibson in 1958. She was the first woman to win three Grand Slam titles in one year since Hingis in 1997.[1]
At the 2003 Australian Open, Williams went on to reach the semifinals for the first time, where she recovered from 5–1 down in the third set and saved two match points, before defeating Clijsters. She faced her sister Venus for the fourth consecutive Grand Slam final and won to become the sixth woman in the open era to complete a Career Grand Slam, joining Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Steffi Graf. She also became the fifth woman to hold all Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously, joining Maureen Connolly Brinker, Court, Graf, and Navratilova. This feat was dubbed the Serena Slam by the press.[51][52] The Williams sisters won their sixth Grand Slam doubles title together at this event.[53]
Williams then captured singles titles at the Open Gaz de France and the Sony Ericsson Open. Williams's winning streak came to an end when she lost the final of the Family Circle Cup to Henin, her first loss of the year after 21 wins. She also lost to Mauresmo in the semifinals of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. Despite these losses, Williams was the top seed at the French Open, where she lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Henin, marking Williams's first loss in a Grand Slam tournament since 2001. The match was controversial, as Williams questioned Henin's sportsmanship, and spectators applauded Williams's errors.[54] She was known to be dating professional football player LaVar Arrington at the time.[citation needed] Williams rebounded from the loss at the 2003 Wimbledon Championships, defeating Henin in the semifinals and Venus in the final. This was Williams's second consecutive Wimbledon title and her sixth Grand Slam singles title overall. This was her last tournament of the year after pulling out of three events in the USA, Williams underwent surgery on the quadriceps tendon in her knee at the start of August. Initially she was expected to be out for six to eight weeks.[55]
2004–07: Injuries, depression, and the comeback[edit]
Main articles: 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 Serena Williams tennis season



 Delivering a serve at an exhibition in November 2004.
After eight months away from the tour during which her desire was questioned,[56] Williams began her comeback at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami, where she made a triumphant return as she won the title. This was the third consecutive year that Williams had won this tournament. Although ranked world number seven, she was seeded second at the French Open. Williams lost to Capriati in the quarterfinals. This was the first time she had lost before the semifinals at a Grand Slam singles tournament since Wimbledon in 2001. She was seeded first at Wimbledon, even though her ranking had dropped to world number ten. She reached the final, where she was defeated by 13th-seeded Sharapova in straight sets. This loss caused her ranking to drop out of the top 10 for the first time since 1999. Williams reached her third final of the year at the JPMorgan Chase Open in Los Angeles on hard courts where she lost to Lindsay Davenport which was her first loss to the American since the 2000 US Open. She returned for the US Open, where she was seeded third even though she was ranked world number 11. She lost there in the quarterfinals to Capriati in three sets in controversial fashion.[57] Williams won her second title of the year at the China Open, defeating US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final. Williams qualified for the WTA Tour Championships. In the round-robin phase of the tournament, she defeated Dementieva and Anastasia Myskina, but lost to Davenport. She lost to Sharapova in the final where Williams suffered an abdominal injury that caused her to serve around 65 mph.[58] Williams finished 2004 ranked world no. 7, but did not win a Grand Slam singles tournament for the first time since 2001.
At the 2005 Australian Open, Williams rejected suggestions that she and sister Venus were a declining force in tennis, following Venus's early exit at the tournament.[59] Williams saved three match points in defeating Sharapova 8–6 in the third set of their semi final. In the final, Williams defeated top seed Davenport to win her second Australian Open singles title and seventh Grand Slam singles title, winning 12 of the last 15 games.[60] The win moved Williams back to world number two, and she stated that she was targeting the number one spot.[61] Williams completed just two tournaments between the Australian Open and Wimbledon, losing to Venus in Miami and at Internazionali BNL d'Italia to Francesca Schiavone as Williams suffered a series of retirements and withdraws.[62][63] A reoccurring ankle injury causing her to miss the French Open.[64] She returned for Wimbledon as the fourth-seeded player, but was defeated in the third round by world no. 85 Jill Craybas. At the US Open, Williams lost to her sister Venus in the fourth round. This was the earliest the sisters had met in a Grand Slam tournament since their first meeting at the 1998 Australian Open. Williams played just one more match the remainder of the year, a loss to world no. 127 Sun Tiantian at the tournament in Beijing. She failed to qualify for the year-end championship for the first time since 1998. She finished the year 2005 ranked world number 11, her first time finishing outside the top 10 since 1998.



 Serena Williams in 2006
Williams started 2006 by participating in the Australian Open. Despite being the defending champion, she lost to Daniela Hantuchová in the third round.[65] After the tournament, Williams told the press that she was injured, blaming a lack of fitness and a knee injury for keeping her off the court.[66] However, in her biography, Serena claims that she was actually suffering from depression. After she had shut herself off from the world for a period, her sisters held a type of intervention which made Williams see her therapist daily.[67] After a chance meeting with a young girl who idolized Serena, she signed up to play in Cincinnati. During her conversation with the girl, Williams felt inspired and was informed that she could be even better at tennis. Williams went home and watched some of her old matches and started to believe that she could win again.[68] She had been away from the tour for almost six months and had slipped to 139 in the world, the lowest ranking Williams had held since 1997. On her return, Williams defeated Myskina and Bethanie Mattek,[69][70] before losing in the semifinals to Vera Zvonareva.[71] She also reached the semifinals in Los Angeles, losing to Janković in straight sets. At the US Open, Williams needed a wildcard to enter the tournament, as her ranking at the cut-off time was 139th in the world, outside the automatic 102. However her ranking had improved to 79th by the time the tournament came around.[72] She lost to top-seeded Mauresmo in the fourth round.[73] She did not play again in 2006, ending the year ranked world number 95, her lowest year-end ranking since 1997.
Williams began 2007 with renewed confidence, stating her intention to return to the top of the rankings,[74] a comment 1987 Wimbledon men's singles champion and commentator Pat Cash branded "deluded."[75] Williams lost in the quarterfinals of the tournament in Hobart, Australia, a warm-up for the Australian Open. Williams was unseeded at the Australian Open because of her world no. 81 ranking and was widely regarded as "out of shape."[76] Williams experienced a huge amount of pressure on herself prior to the tournament, coming from her fans and the press as well as Serena herself about her weight, focus and needing a good showing. But just before her first match, a representative from Nike paid Williams a visit in the players' lounge, informing her that if she didn't perform to her accustomed level, the company might drop her. Williams claimed that Nike's ultimatum meant that she would have to reach the quarterfinals at least.[77] The distraction from Nike did not put Williams off, as she lost just three games to Mara Santangelo and defeated Anne Kremer in straight sets.[78] By this point, a blister had developed on Williams's foot and she had contracted a cold. In the third round, Williams found herself two points away from going home against Nadia Petrova, but fought back to win in three sets, which was her first win over a top-10 player since defeating Lindsay Davenport in the 2005 Australian Open final. Williams then made it all the way to the final, defeating Jankovic, Peer and Vaidisova. Williams described them as "good players. Strong players. Players who certainly didn't expect an overweight, out-of-shape, has been champion like me to give them a game."[79] Williams also found herself two points from going out against Peer before turning it around.[80] By the time Williams had reached the final, the cold and blister had gone, but Tracy Austin in her tournament analysis stated that Serena had a great tournament, but the ride was over and that Sharapova would have no trouble with Williams. Serena thought it was mean and unnecessary and used it as motivation with all the other criticism.[81] In the final, Williams lost just three games against Maria Sharapova winning her first title at any tournament since winning the 2005 Australian Open.[80] Williams became the first player since Chris O'Neil to win the title whilst not being seeded, and claimed her third Australian Open and eighth Grand Slam singles title overall. The win elevated Williams to 14th in the rankings. Williams dedicated the title to her deceased sister Yetunde.[82] Her performance in the final was described in the press as "one of the best performances of her career" and "arguably the most powerful display ever seen in women's tennis."[76][83] In her post match interview, Williams took a swipe at her critics, stating that she had proved them wrong.[84]



 After defeating Dinara Safina in the fourth round of the 2007 French Open
Williams won the Sony Ericsson Open for the fourth time after defeating Justine Henin. Williams had to record a come-from-behind win after being whitewashed in the first set and saving 2 match points in the second.[85] Williams played for her country in the Fed Cup for the first time since 2003 in a tie against Belgium. Williams won her opening match,[86] but withdrew from her second, due to a knee injury.[87] At the French Open, Williams lost in the quarterfinals to Henin.[88] During her fourth round match against Hantuchová at Wimbledon, Williams collapsed from an acute muscle spasm at 5–5 in the second set. After a medical timeout and holding serve to force a tiebreak, rain forced play to be suspended for nearly two hours. When the players returned, Williams won the match in three sets.[89] Williams then lost her quarterfinal match with Henin, whilst suffering from the injuries sustained in the previous round.[90] At the US Open, Williams lost her third consecutive Grand Slam singles quarterfinal to Henin.[91] Williams reached the final of Kremlin Cup, losing to Elena Dementieva. Williams qualified for the WTA Championships, but retired from her first match with Anna Chakvetadze with a knee injury and subsequently withdrew from the tournament.[92][93] Williams finished 2007 as World number seven and the top-ranked American for the first time since 2003.[88]
2008–10: Back to No. 1 and injuries[edit]
Main articles: 2008, 2009 and 2010 Serena Williams tennis season
Williams started 2008 by participating on the U.S. team that won the Hopman Cup with Mardy Fish.[94] At the Australian Open she lost in the quarterfinals to Jelena Janković.[88] This was her fourth straight loss in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam singles tournament. In the women's doubles event, She and Venus lost in the quarterfinals. Williams then withdrew from three tournaments because of an urgent need for dental surgery.[95] Williams then won three consecutive singles titles at Bangalore and her fifth Miami title, tying Steffi Graf for the most singles titles at this tournament. Williams then added Family Circle Cup her first clay-court title since the 2002 French Open. Her 17-match winning streak was ended by Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals of Berlin.[88] Williams then withdrew in Rome in the quarterfinals against Alizé Cornet because of a back injury. Williams was the only former winner of the French Open in the draw, but lost in the third round to Katarina Srebotnik.



 Stretching for a ball in her first round match against Kaia Kanepi of Estonia at Wimbledon in 2008
At Wimbledon, Williams reached the finals for the first time in four years. She lost the final to her older sister Venus in straight sets, in their first Slam final since 2003. Serena and Venus then teamed to win the women's doubles title in their first Grand Slam women's doubles title since 2003. Williams played at Stanford, but retired 6–2, 3–1 down with a left knee injury from her semifinal match against qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak, the injury forced her to withdraw from Los Angeles. At the Olympics in Beijing, Williams lost to Dementieva in the quarterfinals. Serena and her sister Venus won the gold medal in doubles, beating Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual in the final. Williams at the US Open, defeated sister Venus, Safina and Jelena Janković in the final. This was her third US Open and ninth Grand Slam singles title. This victory returned her to the world no. 1 ranking for the first time since 2003.[96] At the Year-End Championships she defeated Safina and lost to her sister Venus in her round-robin matches, but withdrew from her match against Dementieva, citing a stomach muscle injury. She ended 2008 ranked world no. 2 and with four singles titles, her strongest performance in both respects since 2003.
Williams began 2009 at the Medibank International losing in the semifinals to Elena Dementieva. At the Australian Open, she claimed her tenth Grand Slam singles title by defeating Dinara Safina in the final in 59 minutes. This win returned her to the world no. 1 ranking and resulted in her becoming the all-time career prize money leader in women's sports, overtaking golfer Annika Sörenstam. In women's doubles, with Venus, they captured the title for the third time. At the Open GDF Suez, Williams withdrew before her semifinal with Dementieva because of a knee injury. Williams then played at Dubai, losing to Venus in the semifinals.



 At the 2009 Australian Open
At the Sony Ericsson Open Williams, hampered with ankle and quad injuries, was upset in the final by Victoria Azarenka. This was the first of four consecutive losses for Williams, the longest losing streak of her career.[97] She was defeated in her opening matches at Barcelona, Rome, and Madrid. Despite not having won a match on clay in 2009 before the French Open, she lost in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. This ended her 18-match Grand Slam tournament winning streak. She rebounded at Wimbledon, saving a match point in defeating fourth seeded Dementieva in the semifinals. In the final, Serena defeated her sister Venus to win her third Wimbledon title and her 11th Grand Slam singles title.[98] Williams and her sister Venus teamed to win the women's doubles title at Wimbledon for the second consecutive year, their ninth Grand Slam title in women's doubles.
As a US Open preparation, Williams played at Cincinnati losing in the third round and in the semifinals of the Rogers Cup. At the US Open, she lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Kim Clijsters amid controversy involving shouting at a line judge when defending match point, an offense which cost Williams the point and consequently the match. She continued in the doubles competition, teaming up with Venus to win their third Grand Slam doubles title of the year and tenth of their career.[99] Williams won all three of her round-robin matches at the year-end WTA Tour Championships, defeating Venus, Dementieva, and Kuznetsova, saving a match point against Venus. She then advanced to the final, when Wozniacki retired from their semifinal match. In the final, Williams defeated Venus for her second singles title at this event.[100] Williams finished the year ranked world no. 1 for the second time in her career, having played in 16 tournaments, more than any other year. She also broke the record previously set by Justine Henin for the most prize money earned by a female tennis player in one year, with Williams earning $6,545,586. In doubles, the Williams sisters finished the year ranked world no. 2, despite playing only six tournaments as a pair. She won five Grand Slam titles, putting her total Grand Slam titles at 23. Williams was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press.[101] She also was the ITF World Champion in singles and doubles.[102]



 Williams on her way to the singles and doubles title at the 2010 Australian Open
In 2010, Williams's first scheduled tournament was the Medibank International Sydney, losing in the final to Elena Dementieva. At the Australian Open, Williams was the defending champion in both singles and doubles. Williams reached the final, where she defeated Justine Henin for her twelfth Grand Slam singles title. In doubles, Serena and Venus successfully defended their title by defeating Cara Black and Liezel Huber in the final. Williams withdrew with a leg injury from her next events. She returned at the Rome losing to Jelena Janković in the semifinals. At the Madrid, she fell to Nadia Petrova in the third round. She teamed with Venus to win the doubles title. At the French Open, she lost to Samantha Stosur in the quarterfinals. She also played doubles with Venus as the top seeds, they won the title defeating Květa Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik in the final to win their fourth consecutive Grand Slam women's doubles title and improved their doubles ranking to world no. 1.
Her next tournament was Wimbledon, where she defeated Russian Vera Zvonareva in the final without facing a break point and breaking the serve of Zvonareva three times.[103][104] She did not lose a set in the tournament.[105] After the match, Martina Navratilova said that Williams is in the top 5 of all the women's tennis players in all of history, which she said that "it's not just about how many Slams you win or how many tournaments you win—it's just your game overall. And she's definitely got all the goods."[104] Serena was the defending champion in doubles with her sister Venus, winning the last two years. They lost in the quarterfinals to Elena Vesnina and Zvonareva. In Munich on July 7, Williams stepped on broken glass while in a restaurant, and missed the rest of the year. She ended the year ranked no. 4 in singles, despite having played only six tournaments, and no. 11 in doubles after four tournaments. On March 2, 2011, she confirmed that she had suffered a hematoma and a pulmonary embolism.[106][107][108]
2011–13: Return to dominance, Career Golden Slam[edit]
Main articles: 2011, 2012 and 2013 Serena Williams tennis season
Williams finally made a return to the practice court in March 2011.[109] She made her first appearance on the WTA tour in almost a year in Eastbourne.[110] Williams lost in round two to Vera Zvonareva, in a match that lasted over three hours.[111] Her next tournament was Wimbledon, where she was the defending champion. She reached the round of 16, where she lost to Marion Bartoli. After the loss her ranking dropped to 169. Williams won her first titles since her return to tennis triumphing in Stanford and Toronto. At the Western & Southern Open, Serena defeated Lucie Hradecká, only to withdraw the next day, citing a right toe injury. She then played at the US Open going all the way to the final losing to Samantha Stosur, during a match which featured her verbally abusing the chair umpire. The US Open final turned out to be Williams's last match in 2011, and she ended the year ranked world no. 12 with 2 titles and with a 22–3 record for the season. She only participated in six tournaments throughout the season.



 Williams won the singles gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Williams started the 2012 season at the Brisbane International, however, during her match against Bojana Jovanovski, she injured her left ankle when serving for the match. As a result, Williams was forced to withdraw from the tournament.[112] Next she participated at the Australian Open where she was upset by Ekaterina Makarova in the fourth round. After a month layoff Williams returned to competition in Miami losing in the quarterfinals to Caroline Wozniacki. Williams then won consecutive titles at Charleston and Madrid beating Lucie Šafářová and Victoria Azarenka, but withdrew from her semifinal match against Li Na in Rome citing a lower back injury. Williams suffered her first ever loss in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament at the French Open against Virginie Razzano. Williams notched up a 33–1 record for the second half of the season winning five titles in the process.[113] Williams won her fifth Wimbledon singles title, her fourteenth Grand Slam title;[114][115] setting a serving record of 24 aces by a female in a match as well as having the most aces, male or female, during the tournament (103).[116] Williams returned to America to successfully defend her title in Stanford beating Coco Vandeweghe in the final.[117][118] Serena then returned to Wimbledon to represent her country at the Olympic Games where she won gold.[118] Williams undefeated streak ended with a loss in Cincinnati to Angelique Kerber. In New York City, Williams went on to win her fourth US Open singles title and her 15th career Grand Slam title overall beating Azarenka in the final.[113][119] Williams ended the season by competing at the WTA Championships and went undefeated throughout the tournament to win the event for her third title.[113] Serena Williams was voted WTA Player of the Year for the fourth time.[120] Based on her brilliant show in 2012, Serena was also named International Tennis Federation World Champion.[121] Williams also returned to doubles competitions with Venus; in the pair's first tournament since 2010 Wimbledon, they claimed their fifth Wimbledon doubles title and the 13th grand slam doubles title.[122] The pair successfully defended their Olympic doubles title which meant that they became the only tennis players to win four gold medals.[19]



 Williams winning her second French Open title
Williams's first tournament of the 2013 season was in Brisbane, where she won the title without dropping a set. Williams was upset in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Australian Open by fellow American player Sloane Stephens. By virtue of defeating Petra Kvitova in Doha, Williams returned to the World Number One position for the sixth time in her career and became the oldest woman in the Open Era to hold the ranking.[123] Williams went on to lose to Victoria Azarenka in the final. In Miami, Williams lost a set to Maria Sharapova, in the final, for the first time since 2008. However, this setback did not stop Williams who recorded her seventieth come-from-behind win. The win made Williams a six-time champion in Miami breaking the record she held with Steffi Graf and became only the fourth woman in the open era to have won a tournament at least six times.[124] Williams successfully defended her Charleston title winning it for the third time overall.[125] Williams won her fiftieth career singles title in Madrid, defeating Sharapova in the final. Williams then played Rome, where she won the title without dropping a set, defeating Victoria Azarenka in the final to take her second title. Williams only dropped ten games in reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. There, she played Svetlana Kuznetsova and lost her first set of the tournament. In the semi final Williams only lost one game when she defeated Sara Errani, something seven-time French Open champion Chris Evert described as the finest female performance on clay she had ever seen.[126] Williams defeated Sharapova to claim her second Roland Garros title, her sixteenth grand slam title overall. She became the fourth woman in the Open era after Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Steffi Graf to win each Grand Slam title on at least two occasions. At the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, she advanced easily to the fourth round before being upset by eventual finalist Sabine Lisicki in three sets. After Wimbledon, Williams won the Swedish Open by defeating Johanna Larsson in the final, the tournament win marked the first occasion that she had won an International level title. By winning the tournament this meant that Williams had managed to be undefeated on clay during the season.[127]



 Williams winning her fifth US Open title
Williams won her third Rogers Cup title in Toronto beating Sorana Cirstea in the final.[128] Williams reached the final of the Western & Southern Open for the first time but lost to Azarenka.[129] At the 2013 US Open, Williams began as the top seed and defending champion. She reached the final—a rematch of the 2012 final against Azarenka—and won in three sets, capturing her 17th Grand Slam singles title.[130] Williams became the oldest US Open champion in the Open Era and pushed her career prize money past $50 million.[130] After the US Open, Williams headed to Beijing where she beat Jelena Jankovic to win the China Open for her 10th title of 2013.[131][132] Williams went through the WTA championships undefeated winning the final against Li Na, to become the first person to defend the title since Justine Henin in 2007. Williams won her eleventh title of the year becoming the eighth player to win eleven tournaments or more in a year and the first since Martina Hingis in 1997.[133] Additionally Williams became the oldest person to win the WTA Championships and the fourth player to win the event four times or more. By winning the championship Williams became the first woman to win more than ten million dollars in a season and with her total of $12,385,572, only Rafael Nadal, in 2013 and Novak Djokovic, in 2011, 2012 and 2013, have earned more money in a single season.[134] Williams finished as the year end world number one for the third time.[135] She was also named the 2013 ITF World Champion the fourth time that she has been given the World Champion's crown.[136] Williams received two prizes at the 2013 ESPY Awards. Williams won Best Female Athlete and Best Female Tennis Player. Williams is just the fourth person to win Best Female Athlete on two occasions and she won Best Female Tennis player for a record sixth time.[137] In late December 2013, Williams capped off her year by receiving the Associated Press (AP) 2013 Female Athlete of the Year award, her third AP award after 2002 and 2009. Only two women, Chris Evert and Babe Didrikson, have been chosen more often as AP Athlete of the Year since the annual awards were first handed out in 1931.[138]
2014-present: Continuing No. 1 and more Majors[edit]
Main articles: 2014 and 2015 Serena Williams tennis season
As preparation for the year's first Grand Slam Williams extended her winning streak to 22 matches successfully defending her title at the 2014 Brisbane International by defeating world no. 2 Victoria Azarenka in the final.[139] Serena's Australian Open campaign was once again hampered by an injury. She ended up losing to former World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic for the first time in her career in the fourth round, later revealing that she had considered withdrawing from the tournament even before her third round match due to a back injury.[140] At the 2014 Dubai Tennis Championships Williams lost her semi-final match to Alizé Cornet in straight sets. Williams next headed to the Miami Open where she won her record seventh title with a straight-sets victory over world no. 2 Li Na.[141] After having received a bye in the first round, Serena lost to world no. 78 Jana Čepelová at the Family Circle Cup, though clearly nursing a leg injury. She made it to the quarterfinals at the Mutua Madrid Open before withdrawing with a left thigh injury. As the defending champion, Williams won her third title of the season at the 2014 Internazionali BNL d'Italia. She was then handed the worst loss of her Grand Slam career by Garbiñe Muguruza, who defeated Serena losing just 4 games in two sets, in the second round of the 2014 French Open.[142] Alizé Cornet defeated Williams for the second time the year in the third round of Wimbledon, thus handing Serena her earliest Wimbledon exit since 2005. Serena was then forced to withdraw from the doubles event alongside sister Venus Williams while trailing 0–3 in the second round. A disoriented Serena hit 4 consecutive doubles faults and was having trouble with both her ball toss and movement before being removed from what has been described as one of the most disturbing and unusual scenes ever seen in tennis.[143][144][145]
Williams rebounded in spectacular fashion winning 19 out of her next 20 matches (losing only to sister Venus). This streak include titles at the 2014 Bank of the West Classic as well as her first Western & Southern Open title on her sixth attempt[146] in Cincinnati and, finally, her third consecutive and sixth overall US Open singles title[147][148] which she won without having dropped a set. With this victory Serena tied Chris Evert for most singles titles won by a woman at the US Open in the open era. Only Steffi Graf has won more Grand Slam singles titles than Serena in the open era. By virtue of having won both the US Open and the US Open Series, Williams collected $4,000,000 – the biggest payday in tennis history. This pushed her career prize money earnings past the $60,000,000 mark. On August 4, 2014, Williams became one of only five women ever to occupy the no. 1 spot on the WTA rankings for at least 200 weeks. Serena's 12 match winning streak came to an end in the second round of the Wuhan Open when a viral illness forced her to retire while up a break in the first set against Alizé Cornet. Cornet thus became the first woman since Justine Henin in 2007 to record three victories over Williams in one year. At the China Open Williams retired prior to her quarterfinal match versus Samantha Stosur. At the 2014 WTA Finals in Singapore Serena advanced to the final for the third consecutive year despite having equaled her career worst loss, winning just two games, to Simona Halep of Romania in her second round robin match. The last time Williams managed to win just two games in a WTA Tour or Grand Slam match was in 1998 when she was just 16.[149] Williams won her fifth WTA Finals title by avenging her loss to Halep in the championship match for her seventh title of the year.[150] Serena finished the year ranked world No. 1 for the fourth time in her career. She held the No. 1 ranking for the entire calendar year, a feat not accomplished since Steffi Graf in 1996. She was also voted WTA Player of the Year and ITF World Champion for the third consecutive year (sixth year overall).



 Williams at the 2015 Australian Open
Williams began the 2015 season by representing the United States alongside John Isner at the Hopman Cup. The American pair lost the final to the Polish pair of Agnieszka Radwańska and Jerzy Janowicz.[151] At the Australian Open Williams avenged her 2014 French Open loss to Garbiñe Muguruza in the fourth round before defeating Dominika Cibulková and Madison Keys to advance to her sixth final at the event. There she defeated Maria Sharapova of Russia for the sixteenth consecutive time to claim her 6th Australian Open singles title and 19th career Grand Slam singles title, winning the title on her third match point in the second set.[152][153][154][155][156] With this victory Williams surpassed both Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova for second most Grand Slam singles titles won in the Open Era. The title was also her sixth Grand Slam singles title since turning 30 years of age, three more than the next closest to do so (Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova with three each). She is the only player in history to win all four Grand Slams at least once after having turned 30. The following weekend, Serena and sister Venus traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina to face Argentina in a World Group II tie for Fed Cup. She played and won her only match against Maria Irigoyen to help Team USA to a 4-1 win over Argentina.[157] Williams announced that she would be competing at the Indian Wells Masters ending her 14-year boycott of the event.[158][159] Upon her return Williams received a standing ovation from the crowd and won her first match in straight sets.[160] She reached the semifinals, where she was due to face world no. 3 Simona Halep for a place in the final, but was forced to withdraw due to a right knee injury. By virtue of having defeated Sabine Lisicki in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open, Serena became one of only eight women in the Open Era to record 700 match wins in her career.[161] This also makes her one of only three active players to have won 700 or more matches in singles, the others being Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.[162] In the semifinals she won against Halep to advance to her tenth final at the event,[163] where she won a record eighth title and extended her winning streak to 21 matches by beating Carla Suárez Navarro.[164][165][166]
As preparation for the clay court season, Williams travelled to Brindisi, Italy to face Italy for a place in the Fed Cup's World Group. Williams lost the decisive doubles match alongside Alison Riske to Sara Errani and Flavia Pennetta and as a result the United States were relegated to World Group II. It was Williams' first loss in the Fed Cup.[167] However, she maintained her perfect record in singles by defeating Camila Giorgi and Errani. The week of April 20 marked Serena's 114th consecutive week ranked world no. 1 - the third-longest run in WTA history behind Steffi Graf's 186 weeks and Martina Navratilova's 156. Williams suffered her first defeat of the season in the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open to world no. 4 Petra Kvitová.[168][169] This loss ended a 27 match winning streak for Williams as well as a 50 match winning streak at Premier Mandatory events and also a 19 match winning streak at the particular event.[170] Williams played one match at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia before withdrawing from the tournament with an elbow injury.[171] Her next scheduled event is the French Open beginning May 24.
On-court activities[edit]
Competition with Venus Williams[edit]
Main article: Williams sisters rivalry
Serena Williams has played older sister Venus in 25 professional matches since 1998. Overall Serena is 14–11 against her sister. Serena has played Venus 12 times in Grand Slam singles tournaments and 12 times in other tournaments (including 11 finals). They have met in eight Grand Slam finals, with Serena winning six times. Beginning with the 2002 French Open, they played each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals, which was the first time in the open era that the same two players had contested four consecutive Grand Slam finals.
Controversies[edit]
Accusations of match fixing[edit]
When Venus and Serena Williams entered the top ten and started meeting in tournaments, unsubstantiated rumors of match fixing started to circulate. John McEnroe while commenting on the 2000 Wimbledon semifinal between the two sisters said "Serena may not be allowed to win. Richard may have something to say about this".[172] Elena Dementieva, a fellow professional player said that Richard Williams decided the results between the two sisters during a post match interview after losing to Venus at the Indian Wells quarterfinals in 2001.[173]
2001 Indian Wells[edit]
After injuring herself in the quarterfinal match against Dementieva, Venus Williams defaulted to Serena in the semifinals. Although she claimed to have told the tournament official hours beforehand that she would have to default, the official word is that it was 10 minutes before the scheduled start, angering fans who had come to see the match. Consequently, during the final against Kim Clijsters two days later, the spectators jeered Serena from when she first took the court for warm-up through the final trophy presentation including cheering double faults and errors with no intervention from the tournament officials. At the Ericsson Open the following week, Richard Williams said racist comments were made to him in the stands,[174] and the tournament director refused to offer Serena an apology for how she was treated. As a result, neither sister played the tournament even though since then it had become a mandatory stop on the WTA tour in 2009. In 2015, Serena decided to end her 14-year boycott and entered the tournament.[175]
2004 US Open[edit]
In her 2004 U.S. Open quarterfinal match against Jennifer Capriati, an overrule was made by chair umpire Mariana Alves in Capriati's favor, even though later video review showed this to be an error (as Williams's shot was inside the court). This was one of several calls that incorrectly went against Williams throughout the match, including during a crucial point. Williams attempted to argue the call, but was not successful. Capriati won the match, but tournament officials dismissed the umpire from the tournament. The controversy renewed calls for the adoption of technology like the MacCam and Hawk-Eye systems.[176]
2009 US Open[edit]
In 2009, Williams again was involved in a controversial U.S. Open match, this time against Kim Clijsters in the semifinal round. The drama began at the end of the first set, when Williams slammed her racquet on the court in frustration over losing the set. She was given a warning, with a potential second violation carrying a one-point penalty. While trailing 4–6, 5–6, 15–30, Williams's second serve was called a foot fault, resulting in two match points for Clijsters. Williams gestured with her racquet to the lineswoman who had made the call and yelled at her, with profanities and an injury threat.[177] During the subsequent on-court conference between the chair umpire, the lineswoman, US Open officials, and Williams, a television microphone picked up Williams saying to the lineswoman, "I didn't say I would kill you! Are you serious?" Audio later confirmed she did threaten the lineswoman.[178] The incident resulted in Williams being penalized a point for unsportsmanlike conduct — necessitated by the earlier warning for racquet abuse — meaning Clijsters won the match 6–4, 7–5. The following day, Williams was issued the maximum permissible on-site fine of $10,000 (plus $500 for racquet abuse). After further investigation, the Grand Slam Committee in November 2009 fined her $175,000 in lieu of suspending her from the 2010 US Open or other Grand Slam events.[179] They also placed her on a two-year probation, so if Williams committed another offense in the following two years at a Grand Slam tournament, she would be suspended from participating in the following US Open. If she committed no offenses in the next two years, her fine would be reduced to $82,500.[179] Williams initially refused to apologize for her outburst, both in her post-match press conference[180] and in an official statement released the following day.[99] She eventually apologized to the lineswoman in a statement two days following the incident.
2011 US Open[edit]
In the final of the 2011 U.S. Open against Samantha Stosur, Williams again generated controversy. After shouting "Come on!" as the Australian attempted to return a forehand Williams believed to be a winner, chair umpire Eva Asderaki awarded the point to Stosur based on the USTA's deliberate hindrance rule, which states, "If a player commits any act which hinders his opponent in making a stroke, then, if this is deliberate, he shall lose the point or if involuntary, the point shall be replayed."[181] As the point was 30–40 on Williams's serve, the penalty gave the break of serve to Stosur. Williams became angry with the chair umpire and made several gestures and unflattering comments toward her during the next changeover, including telling Asderaki that if she ever saw the umpire coming toward her, she should "look the other way".[182] Williams initially gained momentum in the set following the penalty, breaking back in the next game, but eventually flagged and lost the match, 6–2, 6–3. At the end of the match, she declined to offer the customary handshake to Asderaki.[183][184] Williams mentioned the incident in her post-match speech as the tournament runner-up, claiming, "I hit a winner, but I guess it didn't count", but added, "It wouldn't have mattered in the end. Sam played really well."[citation needed] A writer for ESPN suggested that Williams could avoid being found to have violated the terms of the "probation" on which she was placed following her 2009 outburst, as she did not appear to have used profanity in addressing Asderaki during the match.[185] In the end, Williams was fined $2,000 and was not barred from competing in the 2012 US Open because "...Williams's conduct, while verbally abusive, [did] not rise to the level of a major offence under the Grand Slam code of conduct."[186]
Off-court activities[edit]
Equipment[edit]
In the early 2000s, Williams wore Puma apparel and footwear on court.[187] She used Wilson Hammer 6.4 Stretch Power Holes racket.[188]
Fashion[edit]
Williams was once known for her unusual and colorful outfits on court. In 2002, there was much talk when she wore a Lane Bryant black lycra catsuit at the US Open.[189] At the 2004 US Open, Williams wore denim skirts and knee-high boots—tournament officials, however, did not allow her to wear the boots during matches.[190] At Wimbledon in 2008, the white trench coat she wore during warm-up for her opening match was the subject of much discussion since it was worn despite the sunny weather.[191] Off-court, Williams has also presented new designs. In November 2004, at the London premiere of After the Sunset she wore a red gown that had a near-topless effect.[192]
Williams formerly had a special line with Puma[193] and currently has a line with Nike. The deal with Nike is worth US$40 million and was signed in April 2004.[194] Since 2004, she has also been running her own line of designer apparel called "Aneres"—her first name spelled backward. In 2009 she launched a signature collection of handbags and jewelry.[195] The collection, called Signature Statement, is sold mainly on the Home Shopping Network (HSN).
In early 2010, Williams became a certified nail technician in preparation for her upcoming nail collection with a company called HairTech.[196]
In 2015, she became the first black female athlete to have a picture by herself on the cover of Vogue, which she did for the April 2015 issue.[197]
Entertainment[edit]
Williams has appeared on television and also provided voice work on animated shows: in a 2001 episode of The Simpsons Serena joined the animation along with sister Venus, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.[198] She has also provided guest voice work in a 2005 episode of Playhouse Disney's animated kids show Higglytown Heroes and a 2007 episode of the Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender,[199] which she has described as her "favorite show".[200]
Williams has posed for the 2003 and 2004 editions of the Lane Bryant Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[201] In April 2005, MTV announced plans to broadcast a reality show around the lives of Serena and Venus, which was eventually aired on ABC Family. Williams has appeared twice on MTV's Punk'd and in 2007, appeared in the ABC reality television series Fast Cars and Superstars: The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race. In 2002, she played Miss Wiggins in the season 3 episode "Crouching Mother, Hidden Father" of My Wife and Kids;[202] she has also guest-starred during episodes of The Bernie Mac Show, ER and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.[203] In 2007 Williams appeared in the music video of "I Want You" by the American rapper Common, alongside performers Alicia Keys and Kanye West.[204]
In late 2009, Williams became the first active female professional athlete to appear in a feminine hygiene product advertising campaign. A series of online videos and print advertisements for Tampax Pearl tampons showed her hitting balls at Mother Nature, played by Catherine Lloyd Burns, to prevent Mother Nature giving her a red-wrapped gift, representing her menstrual period. In the online videos, the two have dueling press conferences over the "bad blood" between them. "A lot of celebrities are not open to working with our brand, and we're thrilled that Serena is", said a brand manager for Tampax at Procter & Gamble.[205]
In May 2012, a minute of an absurd new hip-hop track by Serena Williams was leaked, along with reports the sports star was planning to release an album titled Cray, Cray and My Gucci Glasses.[206] In July 2012, she appeared in the ABC comedic improv television series Trust Us With Your Life and as a lawyer on the Lifetime television series Drop Dead Diva.
Miami Dolphins venture[edit]
In August 2009, Serena and Venus Williams became part-owners of the Miami Dolphins. The formal announcement was made during a press conference overlooking the practice field. The Williams are the first African-American females to obtain ownership in an NFL franchise. Other prominent owners include: Jimmy Buffett, Gloria and Emilio Estefan (the first Cuban-American owners), and Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. Stephen Ross, the majority owner of the Dolphins, said "We are thrilled to have Venus and Serena join the Dolphins as limited partners. They are among the most admired athletes in the world and have become global ambassadors for the game of tennis. Their addition to our ownership group further reflects our commitment to connect with aggressively and embrace the great diversity that makes South Florida a multicultural gem."[207]
Charity work[edit]
In 2008 Williams helped to fund the construction of the Serena Williams Secondary School in Matooni, Kenya.[208][209] She received a Celebrity Role Model Award from Avon Foundation in 2003 for work in breast cancer.[210] Williams has also been involved in a number of clinics at schools and community centers, particularly those which have programs focusing on at-risk youth.[1] She has also won the "Young Heroes Award" from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater L.A. and Inland (2003) and the "Family Circle and Prudential Financial Player Who Makes a Difference Award" (2004).[1] In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Williams, along with other ATP and WTA stars decided to forgo their final day of preparation for the 2010 Australian Open to form a charity event in which all proceeds will go to the Haiti earthquake victims.[211]
Writing[edit]
The Williams sisters, with author Hilary Beard, wrote a book titled Venus & Serena: Serving From The Hip: 10 Rules For Living, Loving and Winning, which was published in 2005.[212][213] During the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, Williams said that she is in the process of writing a TV show storyline, which will be converted into script form by her agency. She stated that the show will represent subject matter from a mix of popular American television shows such as Desperate Housewives, and Family Guy.[214] Serena released her first solo autobiography entitled On the Line, following the 2009 US Open.
Teaching[edit]
In May 2015, Serena Williams released a tennis MasterClass.[215]
Grand Slam tournaments[edit]
Main article: Serena Williams career statistics
Grand Slam tournament performance timeline[edit]
Key
W  F  SF QF R# RR LQ (Q#) A P Z# PO SF-B F-S G NMS NH
Won tournament; or reached Final; Semifinal; Quarter-final; Round 4, 3, 2, 1; competed at a Round Robin stage; lost in Qualification Round; absent from tournament event; played in a Davis Cup Zonal Group (with its number indication) or Play-off; won a bronze, silver (F or S) or gold medal at the Olympics; a downgraded Masters Series/1000 tournament (Not a Masters Series); or a tournament that was Not Held in a given year.
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated either at the conclusion of a tournament, or when the player's participation in the tournament has ended.

Tournament
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
SR
W–L
Australian Open 2R 3R 4R QF A W A W 3R W QF W W A 4R QF 4R W 6 / 15 68–9
French Open 4R 3R A QF W SF QF A A QF 3R QF QF A 1R W 2R  2 / 13 47–11
Wimbledon 3R A SF QF W W F 3R A QF F W W 4R W 4R 3R  5 / 15 72–10
US Open 3R W QF F W A QF 4R 4R QF W SF A F W W W  6 / 15 79–9
Win–Loss
8–4
11–2
12–3
18–4
21–0
19–1
14–3
12–2
5–2
19–3
19–3
23–2
18–1
9–2
17–2
21–2
13–3
7–0
19 / 58
266–39

Grand Slam tournament finals[edit]
Singles: 19 (19–4)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Opponent
Score

Winner 1999 US Open Hard Switzerland Martina Hingis 6–3, 7–6(7–4)
Runner-up 2001 US Open Hard United States Venus Williams 2–6, 4–6
Winner 2002 French Open Clay United States Venus Williams 7–5, 6–3
Winner 2002 Wimbledon Grass United States Venus Williams 7–6(7–4), 6–3
Winner 2002 US Open (2) Hard United States Venus Williams 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2003 Australian Open Hard United States Venus Williams 7–6(7–4), 3–6, 6–4
Winner 2003 Wimbledon (2) Grass United States Venus Williams 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
Runner-up 2004 Wimbledon Grass Russia Maria Sharapova 1–6, 4–6
Winner 2005 Australian Open (2) Hard United States Lindsay Davenport 2–6, 6–3, 6–0
Winner 2007 Australian Open (3) Hard Russia Maria Sharapova 6–1, 6–2
Runner-up 2008 Wimbledon (2) Grass United States Venus Williams 5–7, 4–6
Winner 2008 US Open (3) Hard Serbia Jelena Janković 6–4, 7–5
Winner 2009 Australian Open (4) Hard Russia Dinara Safina 6–0, 6–3
Winner 2009 Wimbledon (3) Grass United States Venus Williams 7–6(7–3), 6–2
Winner 2010 Australian Open (5) Hard Belgium Justine Henin 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Winner 2010 Wimbledon (4) Grass Russia Vera Zvonareva 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 2011 US Open (2) Hard Australia Samantha Stosur 2–6, 3–6
Winner 2012 Wimbledon (5) Grass Poland Agnieszka Radwańska 6–1, 5–7, 6–2
Winner 2012 US Open (4) Hard Belarus Victoria Azarenka 6–2, 2–6, 7–5
Winner 2013 French Open (2) Clay Russia Maria Sharapova 6–4, 6–4
Winner 2013 US Open (5) Hard Belarus Victoria Azarenka 7–5, 6–7(6–8), 6–1
Winner 2014 US Open (6) Hard Denmark Caroline Wozniacki 6–3, 6–3
Winner 2015 Australian Open (6) Hard Russia Maria Sharapova 6–3, 7–6(7–5)

Women's doubles: 13 (13–0)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score

Winner 1999 French Open Clay United States Venus Williams Switzerland Martina Hingis
Russia Anna Kournikova 6–3, 6–7(2–7), 8–6
Winner 1999 US Open Hard United States Venus Williams United States Chanda Rubin
France Sandrine Testud 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
Winner 2000 Wimbledon Grass United States Venus Williams France Julie Halard-Decugis
Japan Ai Sugiyama 6–3, 6–2
Winner 2001 Australian Open Hard United States Venus Williams United States Lindsay Davenport
United States Corina Morariu 6–2, 2–6, 6–4
Winner 2002 Wimbledon (2) Grass United States Venus Williams Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Argentina Paola Suárez 6–2, 7–5
Winner 2003 Australian Open (2) Hard United States Venus Williams Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Argentina Paola Suárez 4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2008 Wimbledon (3) Grass United States Venus Williams United States Lisa Raymond
Australia Samantha Stosur 6–2, 6–2
Winner 2009 Australian Open (3) Hard United States Venus Williams Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová
Japan Ai Sugiyama 6–3, 6–3
Winner 2009 Wimbledon (4) Grass United States Venus Williams Australia Samantha Stosur
Australia Rennae Stubbs 7–6(7–4), 6–4
Winner 2009 US Open (2) Hard United States Venus Williams Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber 6–2, 6–2
Winner 2010 Australian Open (4) Hard United States Venus Williams Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2010 French Open (2) Clay United States Venus Williams Czech Republic Květa Peschke
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik 6–2, 6–3
Winner 2012 Wimbledon (5) Grass United States Venus Williams Czech Republic Andrea Hlaváčková
Czech Republic Lucie Hradecká 7–5, 6–4

Mixed doubles: 4 finals (2–2)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score

Runner-up 1998 French Open Clay Argentina Luis Lobo United States Justin Gimelstob
United States Venus Williams 3-6,4–6
Winner 1998 Wimbledon Grass Belarus Max Mirnyi India Mahesh Bhupathi
Croatia Mirjana Lučić 6–4, 6–4
Winner 1998 US Open Hard Belarus Max Mirnyi United States Patrick Galbraith
United States Lisa Raymond 6–2, 6–2
Runner-up 1999 Australian Open Hard Belarus Max Mirnyi South Africa David Adams
South Africa Mariaan de Swardt 4–6, 6–4, 6–7(5–7)

Records and achievements[edit]
Main article: List of career achievements by Serena Williams
##These records were attained in the Open Era of tennis.
##Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.
##Records in italics are currently active streaks.

[show]Time span
Selected Grand Slam tournament records
Players matched
 

 




  
  
  
 

  
  
  
  
  
  
 

  
  
  
 

  
  
 


[show]Grand Slam tournaments
Time span
Records at each Grand Slam tournament
Players matched
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

[show]Time span
Other selected records
Players matched
  
  
  
 


 


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Filmography[edit]
Film & Television

Year
Title
Role
Notes

2001 The Simpsons Herself (voice) Episode: "Tennis the Menace"
2002 My Wife and Kids Miss Wiggins Episode: "Crouching Mother, Hidden Father"
2003 Street Time Meeka Hayes Episode: "Fly Girl"
2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Chloe Spiers Episode: "Brotherhood"
2004 The Division Jennifer Davis Episode: "Lost and Found"
2004 Hair Show Agent Ross 
2005 Higglytown Heroes Snowplow Driver Hero (voice) Episode: "Higgly Hoedown/Eubie's Turbo Sled"
2005 ER Alice Watson Episode: "Two Ships "
2005 All of Us Herself Episode: "Not So Wonderful News"
2005 America's Next Top Model Herself Episode: "The Girl with the Worst Photo in History"
2005–2007 Punk'd Herself 3 episodes
2007 Loonatics Unleashed Queen Athena (voice) Episode: "Apocalypso"
2007 Avatar: The Last Airbender Ming (voice) Episode: "The Day of Black Sun: Part 1 – The Invasion"
2006 The Bernie Mac Show Herself Episode: "Spinning Wheels"
2008 The Game Herself Episode: "The List Episode"
2008 MADtv Herself / Black Racket Episode: "Episode 7"
2011 Keeping Up with the Kardashians Herself Episode: "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event – Part 2"
2012 Drop Dead Diva Kelly Stevens Episode: "Rigged"
2013 The Legend of Korra Female Sage (voice) Episode: "Beginnings, Part 1"

See also[edit]

Portal icon Tennis portal
##List of Grand Slam women's singles champions
##List of Grand Slam women's doubles champions
##List of Grand Slam mixed doubles champions
##Henin–S. Williams rivalry
##Hingis–S. Williams rivalry
##Williams sisters rivalry
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l Serena Williams at the Women's Tennis Association
2.Jump up ^ "Career Prize Money Leaders" (PDF). Women's Tennis Association. February 2, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
3.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams". Forbes.com. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
4.Jump up ^ Gales, Aaron (December 28, 2012). "Serena Williams Will Go Down in History as the Best Female Player of All Time". Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
5.Jump up ^ Corkhill, Barney (February 14, 2013). "Serena Williams No.1 Infographic". WTA Tennis. WTA Tour. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
6.Jump up ^ "Million Dollar Club" (PDF). Retrieved June 25, 2013.
7.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Pictures and Biography". Pictures.yt.
8.Jump up ^ Boys, Nigel (November 13, 2014). "Serena Williams Hails as the Queen of Tennis In Third WTA Win". National Sports. Westside Gazette. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
9.Jump up ^ Torsiello, John. "Like It Or Not, Serena is Still Queen of the Courts". Act Two Online. Act Two Magazine. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
10.Jump up ^ "Queen of the Court Serena Williams Wins US Open". BuzzCanadaLive.com. Buzz Canada. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
11.Jump up ^ Maggo, Ashish (August 6, 2014). "Serena Williams, the Comeback Queen of Tennis". NDTV Sports. NDTV Sports. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
12.^ Jump up to: a b Hickman, Craig (January 30, 2010). "Serena Williams Wins Australian Open". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
13.Jump up ^ Neworth, Jack (September 10, 2012). "Almost Serene Serena". 10sballs.com. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
14.Jump up ^ "Serena, Liezel & Lisa, Andrea & Lucie Qualify". WTA Tennis. WTA Tour. September 10, 2012. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
15.Jump up ^ Allen, Ja (September 28, 2012). "The Williams Sisters and the Rise of the Women's Power Game". Bleacher Report.
16.Jump up ^ Kimmelman, Michael (August 25, 2010). "How Power Has Transformed Women's Tennis". The New York Times Sunday Magazine (August 29, 2010). p. MM23.
17.Jump up ^ Crouse, Karen (August 30, 2009). "Williams Sisters Write Their Own Story". The New York Times (August 31, 2009). p. F2.
18.Jump up ^ "Girl power: Evolution of the women's game". Tennishead.net (UK: Advantage Publishing, published November 2011). December 15, 2011.
19.^ Jump up to: a b "Venus and Serena Williams win Olympic gold". CBS News. AP. August 5, 2012.
20.Jump up ^ Whiteside, Kelly (August 4, 2012). "Serena Williams routs Maria Sharapova for Olympic gold". USA Today.
21.^ Jump up to: a b "About Serena – Serena Williams". serenawilliams.com. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
22.Jump up ^ (Morgan 2001, p. 19)
23.Jump up ^ (Morgan 2001, p. 28)
24.Jump up ^ "Successful & Famous People that were Homeschooled". sharebradenton.homestead.com. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
25.Jump up ^ Kaufman, Michelle (April 22, 2007). "Venus, Serena reflect as they prepare for Fed Cup". blackathlete.net. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
26.Jump up ^ Peyser, Marc; Samuels, Allison (August 24, 1998). "Venus And Serena Against The World". Newsweek. Retrieved April 19, 2009.[dead link]
27.^ Jump up to: a b Edmonson, 2005, Venus and Serena Williams, p. 46–47.
28.Jump up ^ Yapp, Robin; Witheridge, Annette (September 2003). "Williams' sister dies in shooting". Mail Online. Associated Publishers Ltd. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
29.Jump up ^ Hewitt, Bill (September 29, 2003). "Fatal Volley". People 60 (13).
30.Jump up ^ "Quotable Quotes: Maria After The Final". WTA Tennis. WTA Tour. June 8, 2013.
31.Jump up ^ Ford, Bonnie D. (January 22, 2008). "Gimpy Jankovic swats away defending champion Williams". ESPN. Retrieved April 29, 2009.
32.Jump up ^ espnW.com (May 20, 2015). "20 For 20: Stars Serve Up Praise of Serena Williams' Biggest Weapon". espnW. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
33.Jump up ^ Reeves Wiedeman (September 5, 2012). "The Serve, Returned". The New Yorker. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
34.Jump up ^ Pagliaro, Richard (April 7, 2011). "Gear Talk: Q&A With Pam Shriver". Tennis.com. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
35.Jump up ^ "IDS Serve Speed Leaders". WTA Tennis.com. WTA Tour. June 10, 2013.
36.Jump up ^ Marcin Bryszak (July 30, 2014). "Sabine Lisicki sets record for fastest serve in women's tennis – but loses". The Guardian. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
37.Jump up ^ Douglas Robson (August 27, 2012). "Serena Williams serves up the best weapon in tennis". USA Today. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
38.Jump up ^ Chris Oddo (July 7, 2012). "Reigning Ace: Williams Serves up a Title at Wimbledon". Tennis Now. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
39.Jump up ^ Wertheim, L. Jon (September 15, 2008). "Not So Fast, Kiddo". Sports Illustrated (CNN). Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2009.
40.Jump up ^ Clarey, Christopher (August 4, 2012). "Williams Coasts to Gold, and a Career Golden Slam". The New York Times.
41.Jump up ^ Robson, Douglas (September 10, 2012). "Serena Williams wins fourth U.S. Open crown". USA Today.
42.Jump up ^ "Grand slam champions who saved match points (from 2000).". Tennisplanet.me. June 5, 2012.
43.Jump up ^ Bondy, Filip (September 10, 2012). "Serena Williams wins 2012 U.S. Open championship to add to her amazing summer, overpowers No. 1 Victoria". New York Daily News.
44.Jump up ^ Crooks, Eleanor (June 8, 2013). "Serena Williams powers to her 16th Grand Slam in Paris". Independent.ie.
45.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins Roland Garros". Tennis.com. AP. June 8, 2013.
46.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 114–115)
47.Jump up ^ "Head to Head – Serena Williams vs Venus Williams". WTA Tour, Inc. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
48.Jump up ^ Zanca, Sal A. (March 1, 1999). "Continents Apart, Williams Sisters Make History". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
49.Jump up ^ Rogers, Martin (March 19, 2009). "Indian Wells boycott hurts Williamses more than it helps". Busted Racquet. Yahoo! Sports.
50.Jump up ^ Preston, Eleanor (May 20, 2002). "Hingis may be out to end of year". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved April 23, 2009.
51.Jump up ^ "Serena complets Slam". BBC Sport. January 25, 2003.
52.Jump up ^ Leicester, John (February 11, 2009). "Grand Slam for Serena Williams?". Tennis Channel. Associated Press. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
53.Jump up ^ "Williams pair take doubles crown". BBC Sport. January 24, 2003.
54.Jump up ^ "Williams 'hurt' by jeers". BBC Sport. June 6, 2003.
55.Jump up ^ Harris, Beth (August 2, 2003). "Serena Williams to miss U.S. Open after knee surgery". USA Today. Associated Press.
56.Jump up ^ Fordyce, Tom (March 24, 2004). "Serena's biggest test". BBC Sport.
57.Jump up ^ "High drama. Serena falls to Capriati amid controversy; Roddick continues to roll". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. September 7, 2004. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
58.Jump up ^ "Sharapova tops injured Serena for WTA title". NBC Sports. Associated Press. November 16, 2004. Archived from the original on 2012-11-27. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
59.Jump up ^ "Angry Williams rejects criticism". BBC Sport. January 25, 2005.
60.Jump up ^ "Williams battles to Aussie title". BBC Sport. January 29, 2005. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
61.Jump up ^ "Williams eyes return to top spot". BBC Sport. January 29, 2005. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
62.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Pulls from WTA Paris with Stomach Illness". Tennis-X.com. February 12, 2005. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
63.Jump up ^ "Strained Tendon Forces Serena Out". Highbeam.com. March 5, 2005. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
64.Jump up ^ Dillman, Lisa (May 21, 2009). "Serena Pulls Out, Citing Ankle Injury". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
65.Jump up ^ "Hantuchova stuns champion Serena". BBC Sport. January 20, 2006.
66.Jump up ^ "Injured Serena pulls out of Miami". BBC Sport. March 17, 2006.
67.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 175–176)
68.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 198–199)
69.Jump up ^ "Serena scores big win on return". BBC Sport. July 19, 2006.
70.Jump up ^ "Serena comeback gathers momentum". BBC Sport. July 21, 2006.
71.Jump up ^ "Serena run comes to end in semis". BBC Sport. July 23, 2006.
72.Jump up ^ "Serena granted US Open wildcard". BBC Sport. August 17, 2006.
73.Jump up ^ "Mauresmo sees off tired Williams". BBC Sport. September 5, 2006.
74.Jump up ^ "Serena targets number one ranking". BBC Sport. March 17, 2006. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
75.Jump up ^ "Williams is lost cause". Archived from the original on January 14, 2007.
76.^ Jump up to: a b Tandon, Kamakshi (January 14, 2008) New Mindset: Serena Playing for Herself. tennis.com
77.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 205–206)
78.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, p. 206)
79.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 208–209)
80.^ Jump up to: a b Clarey, Christopher (January 27, 2007). "Williams shocks Sharapova to win Australian Open". International Herald Tribute (The New York Times).
81.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, p. 209)
82.Jump up ^ Newbery, Piers (January 27, 2007). "Superb Williams wins Aussie title". BBC Sport.
83.Jump up ^ Resurgent Serena targets Paris, BBC News. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
84.Jump up ^ "I proved critics wrong – Williams". BBC Sport. January 27, 2007.
85.Jump up ^ Serena takes title in epic final, BBC News. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
86.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters give US lead | Tennis - News | NDTVSports.com". Sports.ndtv.com. Associated Press. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
87.Jump up ^ "Teenage sub for Serena seals win | Tennis - News | NDTVSports.com". Sports.ndtv.com. Associated Press. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
88.^ Jump up to: a b c d Serena Williams Playing Activity[dead link], WTA Tour official website. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
89.Jump up ^ Injured Serena seals amazing win, BBC News. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
90.Jump up ^ Cheese, Caroline (July 4, 2007). "Henin overcomes battling Serena". BBC Sport. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
91.Jump up ^ Robbins, Liz (September 5, 2007). "Henin Defeats Serena Williams Again". The New York Times.
92.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Hurts Knee in Madrid". The Washington Post. Associated Press. November 7, 2007.
93.Jump up ^ "Williams withdraws from Madrid through injury". Reuters. November 8, 2007.
94.Jump up ^ USA beat Serbia to take Hopman Cup, BBC News. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
95.Jump up ^ "Serena returns to action with win". BBC News. March 5, 2008. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
96.Jump up ^ Lin, Thomas (September 7, 2008). "Serena Williams Wins to Regain No. 1 Ranking". The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
97.Jump up ^ Tandon, Kamakshi (May 13, 2009). "Serena's protests lack teeth". ESPN. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
98.Jump up ^ Newbery, Piers (July 4, 2009). "Serena shocked to stay number two". BBC News. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
99.^ Jump up to: a b Pucin, Diane. Serena Williams is fined $10,500 for tirade at U.S. Open Los Angeles Times (September 13, 2009)
100.Jump up ^ "Serena ends Venus reign in Doha". BBC Sport. November 1, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
101.Jump up ^ "Williams wins AP's Female Athlete of the Year award". tennis.com. December 22, 2009. Retrieved December 24, 2009.
102.Jump up ^ "Serena ITF World Champion". wtatennis.com. December 23, 2009. Retrieved December 24, 2009.
103.Jump up ^ Bishop, Greg (July 3, 2010). "A Booming Serena Williams Keeps Title". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
104.^ Jump up to: a b "Serena routs Zvonareva for fourth Wimbledon title". Tennis Magazine. Associated Press. July 3, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
105.Jump up ^ Wilson, Stephen (July 3, 2010). "Serena Williams beats Zvonareva to win Wimbledon". The Washington Times. Associated Press. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
106.Jump up ^ Cherner, Reid (March 2, 2011). "Tennis star Serena Williams home after treatment for blood clot". USA Today.
107.Jump up ^ Berman, Michele (March 2, 2011). "Serena Williams undergoes emergency treatment for pulmonary embolism". Celebrity Diagnosis. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
108.Jump up ^ Berman, Michele (March 9, 2011). "Serena Williams gives more details about recent health scare". Celebrity Diagnosis. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
109.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams returns to tennis court after lay-off". BBC Sport. April 12, 2011.
110.Jump up ^ Clarey, Christopher (June 6, 2011). "Serena Williams Plans to Play at Wimbledon". The New York Times. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
111.Jump up ^ "Serena comeback ended by Zvonareva". CNN. June 15, 2011.
112.Jump up ^ "Serena withdraws from Brisbane International". Brisbane International. January 4, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
113.^ Jump up to: a b c "Serena Williams beats Sharapova in WTA Championships final". BBC Sport. October 28, 2012.
114.Jump up ^ Hegde, Prajwal (July 8, 2012). "Serena Williams beats Radwanska to clinch fifth Wimbledon title". The Times of India.
115.Jump up ^ "Wimbledon 2012 – Serena Williams stretched to three sets, wins 5th title". ESPN. Associated Press. July 7, 2012.
116.Jump up ^ "Serena books latest Wimbledon final appearance". ESPN. July 5, 2012.
117.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins at Stanford in final Olympic tuneup". USA Today. Associated Press. July 20, 2012.
118.^ Jump up to: a b Wine, Steven (August 4, 2012). "Serena Williams Wins Gold Medal In Olympic Singles Tennis, Beats Maria Sharapova In Final". The Huffington Post. AP.
119.Jump up ^ "Serena tops Azarenka for fourth U.S. Open championship". AP. September 9, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
120.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins WTA Tour Player of the Year award". BBC Sport. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
121.Jump up ^ "Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams crowned ITF world champions". December 11, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-12-21.
122.Jump up ^ Bondy, Filip (July 8, 2012). "Bondy: Williams sisters are kin-do at Wimby – New York Daily News". New York: Daily News. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
123.Jump up ^ "Serena To Return To No.1 For Sixth Time". WTA Tennis (WTA Tour). February 15, 2013.
124.Jump up ^ "Serena Conquers Sharapova & Miami". WTA Tennis (WTA Tour). March 30, 2013.
125.Jump up ^ "Serena Wins 49th WTA Title In Charleston". WTA Tennis (WTA Tour). April 7, 2013.
126.Jump up ^ Caple, Jim. "New Heights For Serena Williams". ESPN. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
127.Jump up ^ "Serena Wins 53rd WTA Title in Bastad". WTA Tour. July 21, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
128.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins Rogers Cup women's title". CBC News. August 11, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
129.Jump up ^ Keating, Steve (August 18, 2013). "Azarenka beats Williams for Cincinnati title". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
130.^ Jump up to: a b Mitchell, Kevin (September 9, 2013). "Serena Williams crowns 14-year reign with fifth US Open title". The Guardian. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
131.Jump up ^ "BBC Sport - Serena Williams beats Jelena Jankovic to win China Open". BBC Sport. October 6, 2013
132.Jump up ^ "Serena powers past Jankovic for 10th title in 2013". Yahoo Sports. October 6, 2013.
133.Jump up ^ "BBC Sport - Serena Williams beats Li Na to win WTA Championships". BBC Sport.
134.Jump up ^ "News | WTA Tennis English". Women's Tennis Association.
135.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams forced to rally vs. Li Na in final of WTA Championships - ESPN". Associated Press via ESPN.com. October 27, 2013
136.Jump up ^ Williams and Djokovic named 2013 ITF World Champions. itftennis.com. December 18, 2013
137.Jump up ^ "Serena Wins Best Female Athlete ESPY". WTA Tour. July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
138.Jump up ^ Associated Press (December 25, 2013). "Serena Williams Wins 3rd AP Athlete Of Year Award". DailyDigest. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
139.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams beats Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 to win Brisbane International title". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
140.Jump up ^ "Australian Open 2014: Serena Williams undermined by injury again as she loses to Ana Ivanovic in Australian Open fourth round". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
141.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams vs Li Na Final Miami 2014 Highlights". YouTube. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
142.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams' shocking loss is the worst of her legendary career". USA Today. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
143.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams in tears after illness ends doubles hopes". The Championships, Wimbledon. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
144.Jump up ^ "Mystery of Serena Williams' Wimbledon meltdown deepens... with doubts cast over her 'viral illness explanation'". Daily Mail. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
145.Jump up ^ "Navratilova on Serena: 'It's not right'". ESPN. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
146.Jump up ^ "[HD] Serena Williams vs Ana Ivanovic Cincinnati Final 2014 Highlights". Youtube. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
147.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins 18th Slam". ESPN. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
148.Jump up ^ "US Open: Serena Williams powers past Caroline Wozniacki for sixth title". The Guardian. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
149.Jump up ^ "Halep routs Serena Williams at WTA Finals". Yahoo! News. October 22, 2014.
150.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Punishes Simona Halep for Earlier Defeat at WTA Finals". The New York Times. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
151.Jump up ^ "Poland defeat United States to lift Hopman Cup for first time". ESPN. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
152.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Wins Australian Open With Coughs, Guts and Aces". The New York Times. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
153.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova to win Australian Open - as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
154.Jump up ^ "How Serena Williams won the shouting match and more in Australia". ESPN. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
155.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins Australian Open, 19th Major title in champion form". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
156.Jump up ^ "Australian Open 2015 Final - Serena Williams vs Maria Sharapova". YouTube. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
157.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters see U.S. through in Fed Cup promotion bid". Reuters. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
158.Jump up ^ Clarey, Christopher (February 4, 2015). "After a 14-Year Boycott, Serena Williams Plans to Play at Indian Wells". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-03-13.
159.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams ends Indian Wells boycott, 14 years after racist incident". USA Today. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
160.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams received standing ovation, fought tears and won while ending 14-year boycott at Indian Wells". USA Today. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
161.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams beats Sabine Lisicki in Miami to seal 700th career win". The Guardian. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
162.Jump up ^ "Tennis' Exclusive 700 Club". Espn.go.com. 2013-07-16. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
163.Jump up ^ "Serena Outlasts Halep In Miami Classic". WTA. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
164.Jump up ^ "Super Serena Wins Miami Title No.8". WTA. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
165.Jump up ^ "As Serena Williams Ascends, Grand Slam Buzz Grows". The New York Times. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
166.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins eighth Miami Open". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
167.Jump up ^ "Italy beats United States 3-2 in Fed Cup World Group playoff". ESPN. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
168.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams' win streak, Madrid run come to an end". ESPN. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
169.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams' perfect season ended". USA Today. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
170.Jump up ^ "Kvitova Stuns Serena In Madrid". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
171.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams pulls out of Italian Open with elbow injury". BBC Sport. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
172.Jump up ^ "Moscow-Pullman Daily News - Google News Archive Search". google.com.
173.Jump up ^ "ASAP Sports Transcripts - Tennis - 2001 - TMS - INDIAN WELLS, WOMEN - March 14 - Elena Dementieva". asapsports.com.
174.Jump up ^ "USATODAY.com - Richard Williams decries fans as racist". usatoday.com.
175.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wants to rewrite Indian Wells ending - ESPN". ESPN.com.
176.Jump up ^ "Officials apologize to Serena for bad call – U.S. Open, Aug. 30-Sept. 12- NBC Sports". MSNBC. September 9, 2004. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
177.Jump up ^ Donegan, Lawrence (September 14, 2009). "Serena Williams is fined $10,500 for US Open line judge tirade". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved June 5, 2010.
178.Jump up ^ "Clijsters wins after controversial ending". ESPN news services. September 13, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
179.^ Jump up to: a b Clarey, Christopher (November 30, 2009). "Serena Williams Given Hefty Fine but No Suspension for Tirade". The New York Times. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
180.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams tries to move on from uproar over outburst". CNN. September 15, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
181.Jump up ^ "RULE 21 : Player Hinders Opponent". Tennis 4 You.
182.Jump up ^ Abad-Santos, Alexander (September 12, 2011). "Serena Williams' Tirade Was Seven Years in the Making". The Atlantic Wire.
183.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Upset By Samantha Stosur 6–2, 6–3 In US Open Final". Huffington Post. September 11, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
184.Jump up ^ Chase, Chris (September 11, 2011). "She did it again: Serena Williams blows up in U.S. Open loss". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
185.Jump up ^ Garber, Greg (September 11, 2011). "Serena Williams loses cool, then match". ESPN. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
186.Jump up ^ Busfield, Steve (September 12, 2011). "Serena Williams fined $2,000 for US Open final outburst". The Guardian (London). Retrieved September 15, 2011.
187.Jump up ^ "What they're wearing (and hitting with) at Wimbledon". SportsBusiness Journal. June 25, 2001. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
188.Jump up ^ "WHAT THEY'RE WEARING (AND HITTING WITH) AT THE U.S. OPEN". SportsBusiness Journal. August 28, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
189.Jump up ^ Roberts, Selena (September 2, 2002). "Tennis; Sunny Outlook Keeps Serena Williams Winning". The New York Times (NYT Company). Retrieved April 24, 2009.
190.Jump up ^ "Serena Dresses in Denim, Boots at U.S. Open". FOX News Network, LLC. Associated Press. August 31, 2004. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
191.Jump up ^ Copping, Nicola (June 24, 2008). "Serena Williams's Wimbledon raincoat stops talk about play". The Times (UK: Times Newspapers Ltd.). Retrieved April 25, 2009.
192.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Keen on Fashion Career". FOX News Network, LLC. Associated Press. November 14, 2004. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
193.Jump up ^ Batra, Ruhi (January 28, 2007). "Courting both tennis and glamour". The Times of India (Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.). Retrieved April 25, 2009.
194.Jump up ^ Brown, Carolyn M. (April 1, 2004). "Serena Williams aces Nike deal worth approximately $40 million". Black Enterprise. Allbusiness.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
195.Jump up ^ Marr, Madeleine (March 3, 2009). "Serena Williams has a passion for fashion". The Miami Herald. Miami Herald Media Co. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
196.Jump up ^ Farber, Jim (February 17, 2010). "Serena Williams takes time away from the tennis courts to become a certified nail technician". Daily News (New York). Retrieved October 2, 2010.
197.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams 1st Black Female Athlete to Solo on Cover of Vogue". Good Black News. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
198.Jump up ^ ""The Simpsons" Tennis the Menace (2001)". IMDb.com. IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
199.Jump up ^ "Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Day of Black Sun (1): The Invasion". TV.com. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
200.Jump up ^ Kennedy, Lauren Paige. "Serena Williams Gets Back in the Game". WebMD the Magazine. WebMD, LLC. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
201.Jump up ^ Thurmond, Sarah (February 11, 2009). "Golovin, Hantuchova, Kirilenko in SI swimsuit issue". Tennis Magazine. Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
202.Jump up ^ "On stage or on court, Serena plays the lead". Sydney Morning Herald. January 13, 2003. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
203.Jump up ^ "Serena to voice queen with 'devious plans' for planet". ESPN. Associated Press. January 30, 2007. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
204.Jump up ^ "Common "I Want You" Video". rapdirt.com. October 23, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
205.Jump up ^ Newman, Andrew Adam (September 28, 2009). "Serena Williams's Ad Deals Survive Her Outburst on Court". The New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
206.Jump up ^ Ashe, Isaac (May 12, 2012). "Tennis star Serena Williams to serve up a single". Loughborough Echo. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
207.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters buy into Dolphins group". ESPN. Associated Press. August 25, 2009.
208.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams in Kenya on charity tour". People's Daily. November 15, 2008.
209.Jump up ^ Claire Wanja (November 10, 2008). "Serena Williams to Visit Kenya on Charity cause". Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
210.Jump up ^ "Jewel and Serena Williams Help the Avon Foundation Raise Millions for the Fight Against Breast Cancer". Avon. Avon Products, Inc. October 15, 2003. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
211.Jump up ^ "Stars rally for a common cause". Tennis Australia. January 16, 2010.[dead link]
212.Jump up ^ "The Website of Author Hilary Beard – Books". Hilarybeard.com. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
213.Jump up ^ "Venus and Serena: Serving From the Hip: 10 Rules for Living, Loving, and Winning.(Brief Article)(Book Review)". Highbeam.com. July 1, 2005. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
214.Jump up ^ "S Williams – June 24, 2009". 2009.wimbledon.org. June 24, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-08-25. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
215.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Teaches Tennis". MasterClass. MasterClass. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
216.Jump up ^ "US Open Most Championship Titles Record Book" (PDF). US Open. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
Works cited[edit]
##Morgan, Terri (2001). Venus and Serena Williams: Grand Slam Sisters. Sports Achievers Biographies. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Lerner Publishing. 64pp. ISBN 9780822536840.
##Williams, Venus; Williams, Serena & Beard, Hilary (2005). Venus and Serena: Serving from the Hip: 10 Rules For Living, Loving and Winning. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 133pp. ISBN 9780618576531.
##Williams, Serena & Paisner, Daniel (2009). On the Line. New York: Hachette Digital. 214pp. ISBN 9780446564021.
##Williams, Serena & Paisner, Daniel (2009). My Life: Queen of the Court. New York: Simon & Schuster. 257pp. ISBN 9781847375445.
External links[edit]

Find more about
Serena Williams
 at Wikipedia's sister projects

Search Commons Media from Commons
Search Wikiquote Quotations from Wikiquote
##Official website
##Serena Williams at the Women's Tennis Association
##Serena Williams at the International Tennis Federation
##Serena Williams at the Fed Cup
##Serena Williams at the Internet Movie Database
##Interview with Serena Williams on Hossli.com


[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Serena Williams














Serena Williams (9630779153).jpg





























































































































[show] 
Serena Williams (Achievement predecessor & successor)






































































































 




[show] 
Serena Williams in the Grand Slam Tournaments














































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































United States
Australia
Australia









United States
Australia
West Germany









AustraliaAustralia









Brazil
United StatesUnited States
Switzerland









AustraliaAustralia
Australia
Australia









United Kingdom
United States
Australia
Australia
United States
Switzerland
Spain









United States
United States
United States
Australia
United States
United States
United States
West Germany
United States
Russia









Australia
Australia
Australia
AustraliaAustralia
Australia
Australia
AustraliaAustralia
South Africa
Australia
Sweden
NetherlandsNetherlands
Australia
Australia
Sweden
United StatesUnited States
Canada
India









United States
United States
United States
United States
Brazil
Australia
Australia
Australia
United StatesUnited States
CzechoslovakiaUnited States
United States
Czechoslovakia
United States
Belarus
Czech Republic
Switzerland
United StatesUnited States
United States
ItalyItaly









France
United StatesAustralia
Australia
Australia
Australia
United States
United States
South Africa
Australia
Australia
United States
Slovakia
India
Zimbabwe

















































































































[show] 
Serena Williams's Achievements



















   




SteadySerbia
SteadySwitzerland
SteadyUnited Kingdom
IncreaseCzech Republic
IncreaseJapan
DecreaseCanada
SteadySpain
SteadySpain
SteadySwitzerland
SteadyCroatia



SteadyUnited States
SteadyUnited States
SteadyBrazil
SteadyCanada
IncreaseSpain
SteadyUnited States
IncreaseSpain
DecreaseCroatia
SteadyFrance
IncreaseFrance



SteadyUnited States
IncreaseRussia
DecreaseRomania
SteadyCzech Republic
SteadyDenmark
SteadyCanada
SteadySerbia
IncreaseSpain
DecreaseRussia
DecreaseGermany



SteadyIndia
SteadySwitzerland
SteadyItaly
SteadyItaly
IncreaseFrance
DecreaseZimbabwe
DecreaseRussia
DecreaseRussia
DecreaseChina
SteadyChinese Taipei














United StatesSteady
CanadaSteady
United StatesIncrease
United StatesIncrease
United StatesIncrease


United StatesDecrease
United StatesSteady
United StatesDecrease
United StatesDecrease
United StatesIncrease










United States


Steady
Increase
Increase
Increase
Decrease


Steady
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Decrease













United States
United States
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Puerto Rico
Belarus
Latvia
Spain
United States
Switzerland
Russia
United States
United States
Australia
France
Japan
Argentina
Belgium
Spain
Zimbabwe
Australia
United States
United States
United States
Argentina
Italy
Czech Republic
Slovenia
Italy
Italy
China
Chinese Taipei
India


















United States
Australia
United States
United States
Germany
Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaFederal Republic of YugoslaviaUnited States
Spain
Switzerland
United States
United States
United States
United States
Belgium
Belgium
France
Russia
Serbia
Serbia
Russia
Denmark
Belarus











































United Kingdom
United States
United States
United States
United States
China
United States



















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Women's Tennis Association: United States Top American female singles tennis players as of May 18, 2015


Steady
Increase
Increase
Increase
Decrease


Steady
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Decrease




Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 12581465 ·
 LCCN: n99017475 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0001 1459 8590 ·
 GND: 128464100 ·
 BNF: cb15007358p (data)
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: Serena Williams
1981 births
Living people
African-American tennis players
American female tennis players
American Jehovah's Witnesses
Australian Open (tennis) champions
French Open champions
Laureus World Sports Awards winners
Olympic gold medalists for the United States
Olympic tennis players of the United States
Sportspeople from Compton, California
People from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
People from Saginaw, Michigan
Sportspeople from West Palm Beach, Florida
Tennis people from California
Tennis people from Florida
Tennis people from Michigan
Tennis players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Tennis players at the 2008 Summer Olympics
US Open (tennis) champions
Wimbledon champions
World No. 1 tennis players
Olympic medalists in tennis
African-American sportswomen
Hopman Cup competitors
Tennis players at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Sportspeople with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in women's singles
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in women's doubles
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in mixed doubles
Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
American autobiographers
Women autobiographers

















Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Afrikaans
العربية
Azərbaycanca
বাংলা
Bân-lâm-gú
Беларуская
Bikol Central
Български
Català
Čeština
Cymraeg
Dansk
Deutsch
Eesti
Ελληνικά
Emiliàn e rumagnòl
Español
Esperanto
فارسی
Français
Gaeilge
Galego
한국어
Հայերեն
हिन्दी
Hrvatski
Ido
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
Basa Jawa
ಕನ್ನಡ
Kapampangan
ქართული
Latina
Latviešu
Lietuvių
Magyar
മലയാളം
मराठी
مصرى
Монгол
Nederlands
नेपाली
日本語
Norsk bokmål
Norsk nynorsk
Occitan
Plattdüütsch
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Scots
සිංහල
Simple English
Slovenčina
کوردی
Српски / srpski
Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски
Suomi
Svenska
Tagalog
தமிழ்
తెలుగు
ไทย
Türkçe
Українська
Tiếng Việt
Walon
Yorùbá
粵語
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 22 May 2015, at 20:28.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams








Page move-protected

Serena Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Serena Williams
Serena Williams winning Wimbledon Ladies' Singles 2012.jpg
Serena Williams at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships

Country
 United States
Residence
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, U.S.[1]
Born
September 26, 1981 (age 33)
Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
Height
1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Turned pro
September 24, 1995
Plays
Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach(es)
Richard Williams (1994–)
Oracene Price
Patrick Mouratoglou (2012–)
Prize money
US$67,278,178[2]
 (1st all-time among women athletes and 4th all-time among tennis athletes)[3]
Official website
www.serenawilliams.com
Singles

Career record
708–121 (85.4%)
Career titles
66 WTA (4th in overall rankings)
Highest ranking
No. 1 (July 8, 2002)
Current ranking
No. 1 (May 11, 2015)
Grand Slam Singles results

Australian Open
W (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015)
French Open
W (2002, 2013)
Wimbledon
W (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012)
US Open
W (1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Other tournaments

Tour Finals
W (2001, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Olympic Games
Gold medal.svg Gold medal (2012)
Doubles

Career record
177–27 (86.76%)
Career titles
22
Highest ranking
No. 1 (June 7, 2010)
Current ranking
No. 128 (March 23, 2015)
Grand Slam Doubles results

Australian Open
W (2001, 2003, 2009, 2010)
French Open
W (1999, 2010)
Wimbledon
W (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012)
US Open
W (1999, 2009)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals
SF (2009)
Olympic Games
Gold medal.svg Gold medal (2000, 2008, 2012)
Mixed doubles

Career record
27–4 (90%)
Career titles
2
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results

Australian Open
F (1999)
French Open
F (1998)
Wimbledon
W (1998)
US Open
W (1998)
Other mixed doubles tournaments
Team competitions

Fed Cup
W (1999), Record 16–1
Hopman Cup
W (2003, 2008)


Medal record[show]










Gold medal – first place  
Gold medal – first place  
Gold medal – first place  
Gold medal – first place  

Last updated on: March 23, 2015.
Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American professional tennis player who is currently ranked No. 1 in women's singles tennis. The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has ranked her World No. 1 in singles on six separate occasions. She became the World No. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002, and regained this ranking for the sixth time on February 18, 2013, becoming the oldest world no. 1 player in WTA's history. Williams is also regarded by some experts and former tennis players to be the greatest female tennis player in history.[4][5] She is the only female player to have won over $60 million in prize money,[6] and is the reigning Australian Open, US Open, WTA Tour Championships and Olympic ladies singles champion.[7]
Frequently hailed as the Queen of the Court by the general media,[8][9][10][11] Williams holds the most major singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles combined amongst active players, male or female. Her record of 34 Grand Slam titles puts her seventh on the all-time list: 19 in singles, 13 in women's doubles, and 2 in mixed doubles. She is the most recent player, male or female, to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously (2002–03), and the fifth woman ever to do so. She is also the most recent player together with her sister Venus Williams to have held all four Grand Slam women's doubles titles simultaneously (2009–10). Her total of 19 Grand Slam singles titles is tied for third on the all-time list with Helen Wills Moody behind Margaret Court (24 titles) and Steffi Graf (22 titles),[12] and second in the Open Era, behind only Graf.[12] She has won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Venus and the pair are unbeaten in Grand Slam finals.[13] Serena Williams is also a five-time winner of the WTA Tour Championships.[14] The arrival of Venus and Serena Williams has been credited with launching a new era of power in women's tennis.[15][16][17][18] Williams has won four Olympic gold medals, one in women's singles and three in women's doubles, an all-time record shared with her sister Venus.[19][20]


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Playing style
3 Professional career 3.1 1995–98: Professional debut
3.2 1999–2001: Becoming a top-10 player
3.3 2002–03: "Serena Slam"
3.4 2004–07: Injuries, depression, and the comeback
3.5 2008–10: Back to No. 1 and injuries
3.6 2011–13: Return to dominance, Career Golden Slam
3.7 2014-present: Continuing No. 1 and more Majors
4 On-court activities 4.1 Competition with Venus Williams
4.2 Controversies 4.2.1 Accusations of match fixing
4.2.2 2001 Indian Wells
4.2.3 2004 US Open
4.2.4 2009 US Open
4.2.5 2011 US Open

5 Off-court activities 5.1 Equipment
5.2 Fashion
5.3 Entertainment
5.4 Miami Dolphins venture
5.5 Charity work
5.6 Writing
5.7 Teaching
6 Grand Slam tournaments 6.1 Grand Slam tournament performance timeline
6.2 Grand Slam tournament finals 6.2.1 Singles: 19 (19–4)
6.2.2 Women's doubles: 13 (13–0)
6.2.3 Mixed doubles: 4 finals (2–2)

7 Records and achievements
8 Filmography
9 See also
10 References
11 Works cited
12 External links

Early life[edit]
Serena Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan, USA to Richard Williams and Oracene Price and is the youngest of Price's five daughters: half-sisters Yetunde, Lyndrea and Isha Price, and full sister Venus.[1] When the children were young, the family moved to Compton, California, where Serena started playing tennis at the age of three.[21][22] Her father home-schooled Serena and her sister Venus[23][24] and to this day, Serena Williams was and remains coached by both her parents.[1] Williams's family moved from Compton to West Palm Beach, FL[21] when she was nine so that she could attend the tennis academy of Rick Macci, who would provide additional coaching. Rick Macci spotted the exceptional talents of the sisters. He did not always agree with Williams's father, but respected that "he treated his daughters like kids, allowed them to be little girls".[25] Richard stopped sending his daughters to national junior tennis tournaments when Williams was 10, since he wanted them to take it slow and focus on school work. Another factor was racial, as he had heard white parents talk about the Williams sisters in a derogatory manner during tournaments.[26] At that time, Williams had a 46–3 record on the United States Tennis Association junior tour and was ranked No. 1 among under-10 players in Florida.[27] In 1995, when Serena was in the ninth grade, Richard pulled his daughters out of Macci's academy, and from then on took over all coaching at their home. When asked in 2000 whether having followed the normal path of playing regularly on the junior circuit would have been beneficial, Williams responded: "Everyone does different things. I think for Venus and I, we just attempted a different road, and it worked for us."[27] In 2003 sister Yetunde was fatally shot in an SUV after a confrontation with youths in Compton.[28][29]
Playing style[edit]



"She's a competitor. She doesn't like to give free points and free games.
 No matter the score she wants to win those games and those points,
 whether she's down a break point or up a break point or whatever it is."
Maria Sharapova, on Serena Williams in 2013.[30]
Williams is primarily a baseline player and her game is built around taking immediate control of rallies with her powerful and consistent serve,[31] return of serve, and forceful groundstrokes from both her forehand and backhand swings. Williams's forehand is considered to be among the most powerful shots in the women's game as is her double-handed backhand. Williams strikes her backhand groundstroke using an open stance, and uses the same open stance for her forehand. Williams's aggressive play, a "high risk" style, is balanced in part by her serve, which is considered to be the greatest in women's tennis history.[32][33][34] She consistently projects great pace in her serves and in the 2013 Australian Open, she had a peak serve speed of 126.8 mph (204.1 km/h) which is the third-fastest all-time among female players (only Venus's 129 mph[35] and Sabine Lisicki's 131 mph[36] recorded speeds are faster). What makes her serve even more deadly is her ball placement and her ability to consistently place powerful shots with great accuracy.[37] At the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, Serena hit a women's tournament record of 102 aces which was more than any of the men hit during the two weeks.[38] Serena also possesses a very solid volley and powerful overhead which is very useful for her net game. Although many think of Williams as only an offensive player, she also plays a strong defensive game.[39]
Williams is also known for her mental toughness and her ability to come back from improbable situations.[40][41] She has won three Grand Slam singles titles after saving match points (2003 Australian Open versus Kim Clijsters, 2005 Australian Open versus Maria Sharapova, and 2009 Wimbledon versus Elena Dementieva), more than any other player in history, male or female.[42] In the 2012 US Open final against Victoria Azarenka, she was down 5–3 in the third set and found herself two points away from losing the match. Williams then proceeded to win the next 4 games and defeated Azarenka.[43] She also came back from a 3-5 deficit in the third set against Kim Clijsters in the 1999 US Open and went on to win her first Grand Slam singles title. In recent years, Williams has shown an ability to serve aces at critical moments. One of these instances was the 2013 French Open final, where in the last game of the match, she fired three aces, including one clocked at 123 mph (198 km/h) on match point.[44][45]
Professional career[edit]
1995–98: Professional debut[edit]
Main article: Serena Williams's early career
Williams's first professional event was in September 1995, at the age of 14 to counteract the forthcoming changes to age-eligibility rules, at the Bell Challenge. She lost in the first round of qualifying to Anne Miller, winning just two games.[46]
Williams did not play a tournament in 1996. The following year, she lost in the qualifying rounds of three tournaments, before winning her first main-draw match in November at the Ameritech Cup Chicago. Ranked world No. 304, she upset world No. 7 Mary Pierce and world No. 4 Monica Seles, recording her first career wins over top 10 players and becoming the lowest-ranked player in the open era to defeat two top 10 opponents in one tournament.[1] She ultimately lost in the semifinals to world no. 5 Lindsay Davenport. She finished 1997 ranked world no. 99.
Williams began 1998 at the Medibank International Sydney. As a qualifier ranked world no. 96, she defeated world no. 3 Davenport in the quarterfinals, before losing to Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the semifinals. Williams made her debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament at the Australian Open, where she defeated sixth-seeded Irina Spîrlea in the first round, before losing to sister Venus in the second round in the sisters' first professional match.[47] Williams reached six other quarterfinals during the year, but lost all of them, including her first match against world no. 1 Martina Hingis at the Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne, and her second match against Venus at the Italian Open in Rome. She failed to reach the quarterfinals of any Grand Slam tournament the remainder of the year, losing in the fourth round of the French Open to Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, and the third round of both Wimbledon and the US Open, to Virginia Ruano Pascual and Spîrlea, respectively. She did, however, win the mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon and the US Open with Max Mirnyi, completing the Williams family's sweep of the 1998 mixed doubles Grand Slam tournaments. Williams won her first professional title in doubles in Oklahoma City with Venus, becoming the third pair of sisters to win a WTA title.[1] The Williams sisters won two more doubles titles together during the year. Serena finished the year ranked world no. 20 in singles.
1999–2001: Becoming a top-10 player[edit]
Williams lost in the third round of the 1999 Australian Open to Sandrine Testud. Williams won her first professional singles title when she defeated Amélie Mauresmo in the final of the Open Gaz de France. With Venus also winning the IGA Superthrift Classic that day, the pair became the first sisters to win professional tournaments in the same week.[48] A month later, Serena won her first Tier I singles title at the Evert Cup, defeating Steffi Graf in the final. At the Lipton International Players Championships, Williams had her 16-match winning streak ended by Venus in the first all-sister singles final in WTA history, Serena made her top-10 debut at world no. 9. She then lost in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open and the German Open, and the third round of the French Open, where she and Venus won the women's doubles title. She then missed Wimbledon because of injury. When she returned to the tour, Williams won a Fed Cup singles match, won the JPMorgan Chase Open, beating Julie Halard-Decugis in the final. She then defeated in succession grand slam champions Kim Clijsters, Conchita Martinez, Monica Seles, and defending champion Lindsay Davenport to reach the US Open final where she defeated world #1 Hingis to become the second African-American woman after Althea Gibson in 1958 to win a Grand Slam singles tournament.[1] The Williams sisters also won the doubles title at this tournament. To complete 1999, Williams won a doubles match in the Fed Cup final against Russia. Williams ended the year ranked world no. 4 in just her second full year on the main tour.
Williams started 2000 by losing in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Elena Likhovtseva. She failed to defend her titles in Paris and Indian Wells, although she did win the Faber Grand Prix. Williams missed the French Open because of injury. She returned at Wimbledon, where she lost to Venus in the semifinals, but they won the doubles title at the event. Williams successfully defended her title in Los Angeles, defeating Davenport in the final. She reached the final of the Du Maurier Open where an injury forced her to retire from her match with Hingis. Her defense of the US Open title ended when she lost in the quarterfinals to Davenport. Williams teamed with Venus to win the gold medal in doubles at the Sydney Olympics in September. She ended the year winning the Toyota Princess Cup. She finished the year ranked world number 6.
Williams began 2001 losing to Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals of both Sydney and the Australian Open. Serena and Venus won the doubles title at the latter tournament, becoming only the fifth doubles team in history to win all four Grand Slam women's doubles titles during their career, completing a "Career Grand Slam". Her next event was the Pacific Life Open, defeating Kim Clijsters in the final. However the final was marred by the behavior of the crowd towards Williams and her family. The crowd were incensed at the perceived match fixing of games involving the family after Venus withdrew before their semifinal. Neither Williams sister entered the tournament for fourteen years, until Serena entered in 2015, as a wild-card (and the top seed).[49] The following week at the Ericsson Open, Williams lost to Jennifer Capriati in the quarterfinals. She then lost in the quarterfinals to Capriati at the French Open and Wimbledon. This was the fourth consecutive Grand Slam tournament at which Williams had exited in the quarterfinals. At the North American hard-court season, she lost in the quarterfinals of Los Angeles, then captured her second title of the year at the Rogers Cup, defeating Capriati in the final. Williams reached the final of the US Open, losing to sister Venus. That was the first Grand Slam final contested by two sisters during the open era. At the 2001-ending Sanex Championships, Williams won the championship by walkover when Davenport withdrew before the start of the final because of a knee injury. Williams finished 2001 at world no. 6 for the second straight year.
2002–03: "Serena Slam"[edit]



 Playing Amélie Mauresmo in the quarterfinals of the tournament in Sydney in 2002
Injury forced Williams to retire from her semifinal match at the Medibank International Sydney and to withdraw from the 2002 Australian Open. She won her first title of the year at the State Farm Women's Tennis Classic, defeating world no. 2 Jennifer Capriati in the final. She then won the Ericsson Open for the first time, becoming one of three players in the open era to defeat the world's top 3 at one tournament,[1] after beating world no. 3 Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals, world no. 2 Venus in the semifinals, and world no. 1 Capriati in the final. Her straight set win over Venus was her second career win over her sister. Williams played three clay-court tournaments before the 2002 French Open. Her first tournament was at Charleston, where she was the third seed. Serena reached the quarterfinals losing to Patty Schnyder. She reached her first clay-court final in May, at the Eurocard German Open losing to Justine Henin in a third set tiebreak. Williams went on to win her first clay court title at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, defeating Capriati in the semifinals and Henin in the final.[50] This raised her ranking to a new high of world no. 3. Williams was the third seed at the French Open, where she claimed her first French Open title by defeating defending champion Capriati in the semifinals, and then defeating Venus in the final to win her Second Grand Slam title. Serena rose to a career high of no. 2 after the win, second only to older sister Venus. At the 2002 Wimbledon Championships, Williams won the title for the first time, defeating Venus to win a Grand Slam singles title without dropping a set for the first time in her career. This victory earned Williams the world no. 1 ranking, dethroning her sister and becoming only the third African-American woman to hold that ranking.[1] The Williams sisters also won the doubles title at the tournament, the fifth Grand Slam doubles title for the pair. Williams played just one tournament between Wimbledon and the US Open, losing in the quarterfinals of the JPMorgan Chase Open in Los Angeles to Chanda Rubin, ending a 21-match winning streak. As the top-seeded player at the US Open, Williams reached the final where once again she defeated her sister to win the title for the second time. Williams won two consecutive singles titles in the fall, defeating Kim Clijsters to win the Toyota Princess Cup in Tokyo, and Anastasia Myskina to win the Sparkassen Cup in Leipzig, Germany. She reached the final at the year-end Home Depot Championships, where she lost to fifth-seeded Clijsters in straight sets, ending her 18-match winning streak. Williams finished 2002 with a 56–5 record, eight singles titles, and the world no. 1 ranking. She was the first African-American (male or female) to end a year with that ranking since Althea Gibson in 1958. She was the first woman to win three Grand Slam titles in one year since Hingis in 1997.[1]
At the 2003 Australian Open, Williams went on to reach the semifinals for the first time, where she recovered from 5–1 down in the third set and saved two match points, before defeating Clijsters. She faced her sister Venus for the fourth consecutive Grand Slam final and won to become the sixth woman in the open era to complete a Career Grand Slam, joining Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Steffi Graf. She also became the fifth woman to hold all Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously, joining Maureen Connolly Brinker, Court, Graf, and Navratilova. This feat was dubbed the Serena Slam by the press.[51][52] The Williams sisters won their sixth Grand Slam doubles title together at this event.[53]
Williams then captured singles titles at the Open Gaz de France and the Sony Ericsson Open. Williams's winning streak came to an end when she lost the final of the Family Circle Cup to Henin, her first loss of the year after 21 wins. She also lost to Mauresmo in the semifinals of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. Despite these losses, Williams was the top seed at the French Open, where she lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Henin, marking Williams's first loss in a Grand Slam tournament since 2001. The match was controversial, as Williams questioned Henin's sportsmanship, and spectators applauded Williams's errors.[54] She was known to be dating professional football player LaVar Arrington at the time.[citation needed] Williams rebounded from the loss at the 2003 Wimbledon Championships, defeating Henin in the semifinals and Venus in the final. This was Williams's second consecutive Wimbledon title and her sixth Grand Slam singles title overall. This was her last tournament of the year after pulling out of three events in the USA, Williams underwent surgery on the quadriceps tendon in her knee at the start of August. Initially she was expected to be out for six to eight weeks.[55]
2004–07: Injuries, depression, and the comeback[edit]
Main articles: 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 Serena Williams tennis season



 Delivering a serve at an exhibition in November 2004.
After eight months away from the tour during which her desire was questioned,[56] Williams began her comeback at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami, where she made a triumphant return as she won the title. This was the third consecutive year that Williams had won this tournament. Although ranked world number seven, she was seeded second at the French Open. Williams lost to Capriati in the quarterfinals. This was the first time she had lost before the semifinals at a Grand Slam singles tournament since Wimbledon in 2001. She was seeded first at Wimbledon, even though her ranking had dropped to world number ten. She reached the final, where she was defeated by 13th-seeded Sharapova in straight sets. This loss caused her ranking to drop out of the top 10 for the first time since 1999. Williams reached her third final of the year at the JPMorgan Chase Open in Los Angeles on hard courts where she lost to Lindsay Davenport which was her first loss to the American since the 2000 US Open. She returned for the US Open, where she was seeded third even though she was ranked world number 11. She lost there in the quarterfinals to Capriati in three sets in controversial fashion.[57] Williams won her second title of the year at the China Open, defeating US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final. Williams qualified for the WTA Tour Championships. In the round-robin phase of the tournament, she defeated Dementieva and Anastasia Myskina, but lost to Davenport. She lost to Sharapova in the final where Williams suffered an abdominal injury that caused her to serve around 65 mph.[58] Williams finished 2004 ranked world no. 7, but did not win a Grand Slam singles tournament for the first time since 2001.
At the 2005 Australian Open, Williams rejected suggestions that she and sister Venus were a declining force in tennis, following Venus's early exit at the tournament.[59] Williams saved three match points in defeating Sharapova 8–6 in the third set of their semi final. In the final, Williams defeated top seed Davenport to win her second Australian Open singles title and seventh Grand Slam singles title, winning 12 of the last 15 games.[60] The win moved Williams back to world number two, and she stated that she was targeting the number one spot.[61] Williams completed just two tournaments between the Australian Open and Wimbledon, losing to Venus in Miami and at Internazionali BNL d'Italia to Francesca Schiavone as Williams suffered a series of retirements and withdraws.[62][63] A reoccurring ankle injury causing her to miss the French Open.[64] She returned for Wimbledon as the fourth-seeded player, but was defeated in the third round by world no. 85 Jill Craybas. At the US Open, Williams lost to her sister Venus in the fourth round. This was the earliest the sisters had met in a Grand Slam tournament since their first meeting at the 1998 Australian Open. Williams played just one more match the remainder of the year, a loss to world no. 127 Sun Tiantian at the tournament in Beijing. She failed to qualify for the year-end championship for the first time since 1998. She finished the year 2005 ranked world number 11, her first time finishing outside the top 10 since 1998.



 Serena Williams in 2006
Williams started 2006 by participating in the Australian Open. Despite being the defending champion, she lost to Daniela Hantuchová in the third round.[65] After the tournament, Williams told the press that she was injured, blaming a lack of fitness and a knee injury for keeping her off the court.[66] However, in her biography, Serena claims that she was actually suffering from depression. After she had shut herself off from the world for a period, her sisters held a type of intervention which made Williams see her therapist daily.[67] After a chance meeting with a young girl who idolized Serena, she signed up to play in Cincinnati. During her conversation with the girl, Williams felt inspired and was informed that she could be even better at tennis. Williams went home and watched some of her old matches and started to believe that she could win again.[68] She had been away from the tour for almost six months and had slipped to 139 in the world, the lowest ranking Williams had held since 1997. On her return, Williams defeated Myskina and Bethanie Mattek,[69][70] before losing in the semifinals to Vera Zvonareva.[71] She also reached the semifinals in Los Angeles, losing to Janković in straight sets. At the US Open, Williams needed a wildcard to enter the tournament, as her ranking at the cut-off time was 139th in the world, outside the automatic 102. However her ranking had improved to 79th by the time the tournament came around.[72] She lost to top-seeded Mauresmo in the fourth round.[73] She did not play again in 2006, ending the year ranked world number 95, her lowest year-end ranking since 1997.
Williams began 2007 with renewed confidence, stating her intention to return to the top of the rankings,[74] a comment 1987 Wimbledon men's singles champion and commentator Pat Cash branded "deluded."[75] Williams lost in the quarterfinals of the tournament in Hobart, Australia, a warm-up for the Australian Open. Williams was unseeded at the Australian Open because of her world no. 81 ranking and was widely regarded as "out of shape."[76] Williams experienced a huge amount of pressure on herself prior to the tournament, coming from her fans and the press as well as Serena herself about her weight, focus and needing a good showing. But just before her first match, a representative from Nike paid Williams a visit in the players' lounge, informing her that if she didn't perform to her accustomed level, the company might drop her. Williams claimed that Nike's ultimatum meant that she would have to reach the quarterfinals at least.[77] The distraction from Nike did not put Williams off, as she lost just three games to Mara Santangelo and defeated Anne Kremer in straight sets.[78] By this point, a blister had developed on Williams's foot and she had contracted a cold. In the third round, Williams found herself two points away from going home against Nadia Petrova, but fought back to win in three sets, which was her first win over a top-10 player since defeating Lindsay Davenport in the 2005 Australian Open final. Williams then made it all the way to the final, defeating Jankovic, Peer and Vaidisova. Williams described them as "good players. Strong players. Players who certainly didn't expect an overweight, out-of-shape, has been champion like me to give them a game."[79] Williams also found herself two points from going out against Peer before turning it around.[80] By the time Williams had reached the final, the cold and blister had gone, but Tracy Austin in her tournament analysis stated that Serena had a great tournament, but the ride was over and that Sharapova would have no trouble with Williams. Serena thought it was mean and unnecessary and used it as motivation with all the other criticism.[81] In the final, Williams lost just three games against Maria Sharapova winning her first title at any tournament since winning the 2005 Australian Open.[80] Williams became the first player since Chris O'Neil to win the title whilst not being seeded, and claimed her third Australian Open and eighth Grand Slam singles title overall. The win elevated Williams to 14th in the rankings. Williams dedicated the title to her deceased sister Yetunde.[82] Her performance in the final was described in the press as "one of the best performances of her career" and "arguably the most powerful display ever seen in women's tennis."[76][83] In her post match interview, Williams took a swipe at her critics, stating that she had proved them wrong.[84]



 After defeating Dinara Safina in the fourth round of the 2007 French Open
Williams won the Sony Ericsson Open for the fourth time after defeating Justine Henin. Williams had to record a come-from-behind win after being whitewashed in the first set and saving 2 match points in the second.[85] Williams played for her country in the Fed Cup for the first time since 2003 in a tie against Belgium. Williams won her opening match,[86] but withdrew from her second, due to a knee injury.[87] At the French Open, Williams lost in the quarterfinals to Henin.[88] During her fourth round match against Hantuchová at Wimbledon, Williams collapsed from an acute muscle spasm at 5–5 in the second set. After a medical timeout and holding serve to force a tiebreak, rain forced play to be suspended for nearly two hours. When the players returned, Williams won the match in three sets.[89] Williams then lost her quarterfinal match with Henin, whilst suffering from the injuries sustained in the previous round.[90] At the US Open, Williams lost her third consecutive Grand Slam singles quarterfinal to Henin.[91] Williams reached the final of Kremlin Cup, losing to Elena Dementieva. Williams qualified for the WTA Championships, but retired from her first match with Anna Chakvetadze with a knee injury and subsequently withdrew from the tournament.[92][93] Williams finished 2007 as World number seven and the top-ranked American for the first time since 2003.[88]
2008–10: Back to No. 1 and injuries[edit]
Main articles: 2008, 2009 and 2010 Serena Williams tennis season
Williams started 2008 by participating on the U.S. team that won the Hopman Cup with Mardy Fish.[94] At the Australian Open she lost in the quarterfinals to Jelena Janković.[88] This was her fourth straight loss in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam singles tournament. In the women's doubles event, She and Venus lost in the quarterfinals. Williams then withdrew from three tournaments because of an urgent need for dental surgery.[95] Williams then won three consecutive singles titles at Bangalore and her fifth Miami title, tying Steffi Graf for the most singles titles at this tournament. Williams then added Family Circle Cup her first clay-court title since the 2002 French Open. Her 17-match winning streak was ended by Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals of Berlin.[88] Williams then withdrew in Rome in the quarterfinals against Alizé Cornet because of a back injury. Williams was the only former winner of the French Open in the draw, but lost in the third round to Katarina Srebotnik.



 Stretching for a ball in her first round match against Kaia Kanepi of Estonia at Wimbledon in 2008
At Wimbledon, Williams reached the finals for the first time in four years. She lost the final to her older sister Venus in straight sets, in their first Slam final since 2003. Serena and Venus then teamed to win the women's doubles title in their first Grand Slam women's doubles title since 2003. Williams played at Stanford, but retired 6–2, 3–1 down with a left knee injury from her semifinal match against qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak, the injury forced her to withdraw from Los Angeles. At the Olympics in Beijing, Williams lost to Dementieva in the quarterfinals. Serena and her sister Venus won the gold medal in doubles, beating Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual in the final. Williams at the US Open, defeated sister Venus, Safina and Jelena Janković in the final. This was her third US Open and ninth Grand Slam singles title. This victory returned her to the world no. 1 ranking for the first time since 2003.[96] At the Year-End Championships she defeated Safina and lost to her sister Venus in her round-robin matches, but withdrew from her match against Dementieva, citing a stomach muscle injury. She ended 2008 ranked world no. 2 and with four singles titles, her strongest performance in both respects since 2003.
Williams began 2009 at the Medibank International losing in the semifinals to Elena Dementieva. At the Australian Open, she claimed her tenth Grand Slam singles title by defeating Dinara Safina in the final in 59 minutes. This win returned her to the world no. 1 ranking and resulted in her becoming the all-time career prize money leader in women's sports, overtaking golfer Annika Sörenstam. In women's doubles, with Venus, they captured the title for the third time. At the Open GDF Suez, Williams withdrew before her semifinal with Dementieva because of a knee injury. Williams then played at Dubai, losing to Venus in the semifinals.



 At the 2009 Australian Open
At the Sony Ericsson Open Williams, hampered with ankle and quad injuries, was upset in the final by Victoria Azarenka. This was the first of four consecutive losses for Williams, the longest losing streak of her career.[97] She was defeated in her opening matches at Barcelona, Rome, and Madrid. Despite not having won a match on clay in 2009 before the French Open, she lost in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. This ended her 18-match Grand Slam tournament winning streak. She rebounded at Wimbledon, saving a match point in defeating fourth seeded Dementieva in the semifinals. In the final, Serena defeated her sister Venus to win her third Wimbledon title and her 11th Grand Slam singles title.[98] Williams and her sister Venus teamed to win the women's doubles title at Wimbledon for the second consecutive year, their ninth Grand Slam title in women's doubles.
As a US Open preparation, Williams played at Cincinnati losing in the third round and in the semifinals of the Rogers Cup. At the US Open, she lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Kim Clijsters amid controversy involving shouting at a line judge when defending match point, an offense which cost Williams the point and consequently the match. She continued in the doubles competition, teaming up with Venus to win their third Grand Slam doubles title of the year and tenth of their career.[99] Williams won all three of her round-robin matches at the year-end WTA Tour Championships, defeating Venus, Dementieva, and Kuznetsova, saving a match point against Venus. She then advanced to the final, when Wozniacki retired from their semifinal match. In the final, Williams defeated Venus for her second singles title at this event.[100] Williams finished the year ranked world no. 1 for the second time in her career, having played in 16 tournaments, more than any other year. She also broke the record previously set by Justine Henin for the most prize money earned by a female tennis player in one year, with Williams earning $6,545,586. In doubles, the Williams sisters finished the year ranked world no. 2, despite playing only six tournaments as a pair. She won five Grand Slam titles, putting her total Grand Slam titles at 23. Williams was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press.[101] She also was the ITF World Champion in singles and doubles.[102]



 Williams on her way to the singles and doubles title at the 2010 Australian Open
In 2010, Williams's first scheduled tournament was the Medibank International Sydney, losing in the final to Elena Dementieva. At the Australian Open, Williams was the defending champion in both singles and doubles. Williams reached the final, where she defeated Justine Henin for her twelfth Grand Slam singles title. In doubles, Serena and Venus successfully defended their title by defeating Cara Black and Liezel Huber in the final. Williams withdrew with a leg injury from her next events. She returned at the Rome losing to Jelena Janković in the semifinals. At the Madrid, she fell to Nadia Petrova in the third round. She teamed with Venus to win the doubles title. At the French Open, she lost to Samantha Stosur in the quarterfinals. She also played doubles with Venus as the top seeds, they won the title defeating Květa Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik in the final to win their fourth consecutive Grand Slam women's doubles title and improved their doubles ranking to world no. 1.
Her next tournament was Wimbledon, where she defeated Russian Vera Zvonareva in the final without facing a break point and breaking the serve of Zvonareva three times.[103][104] She did not lose a set in the tournament.[105] After the match, Martina Navratilova said that Williams is in the top 5 of all the women's tennis players in all of history, which she said that "it's not just about how many Slams you win or how many tournaments you win—it's just your game overall. And she's definitely got all the goods."[104] Serena was the defending champion in doubles with her sister Venus, winning the last two years. They lost in the quarterfinals to Elena Vesnina and Zvonareva. In Munich on July 7, Williams stepped on broken glass while in a restaurant, and missed the rest of the year. She ended the year ranked no. 4 in singles, despite having played only six tournaments, and no. 11 in doubles after four tournaments. On March 2, 2011, she confirmed that she had suffered a hematoma and a pulmonary embolism.[106][107][108]
2011–13: Return to dominance, Career Golden Slam[edit]
Main articles: 2011, 2012 and 2013 Serena Williams tennis season
Williams finally made a return to the practice court in March 2011.[109] She made her first appearance on the WTA tour in almost a year in Eastbourne.[110] Williams lost in round two to Vera Zvonareva, in a match that lasted over three hours.[111] Her next tournament was Wimbledon, where she was the defending champion. She reached the round of 16, where she lost to Marion Bartoli. After the loss her ranking dropped to 169. Williams won her first titles since her return to tennis triumphing in Stanford and Toronto. At the Western & Southern Open, Serena defeated Lucie Hradecká, only to withdraw the next day, citing a right toe injury. She then played at the US Open going all the way to the final losing to Samantha Stosur, during a match which featured her verbally abusing the chair umpire. The US Open final turned out to be Williams's last match in 2011, and she ended the year ranked world no. 12 with 2 titles and with a 22–3 record for the season. She only participated in six tournaments throughout the season.



 Williams won the singles gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Williams started the 2012 season at the Brisbane International, however, during her match against Bojana Jovanovski, she injured her left ankle when serving for the match. As a result, Williams was forced to withdraw from the tournament.[112] Next she participated at the Australian Open where she was upset by Ekaterina Makarova in the fourth round. After a month layoff Williams returned to competition in Miami losing in the quarterfinals to Caroline Wozniacki. Williams then won consecutive titles at Charleston and Madrid beating Lucie Šafářová and Victoria Azarenka, but withdrew from her semifinal match against Li Na in Rome citing a lower back injury. Williams suffered her first ever loss in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament at the French Open against Virginie Razzano. Williams notched up a 33–1 record for the second half of the season winning five titles in the process.[113] Williams won her fifth Wimbledon singles title, her fourteenth Grand Slam title;[114][115] setting a serving record of 24 aces by a female in a match as well as having the most aces, male or female, during the tournament (103).[116] Williams returned to America to successfully defend her title in Stanford beating Coco Vandeweghe in the final.[117][118] Serena then returned to Wimbledon to represent her country at the Olympic Games where she won gold.[118] Williams undefeated streak ended with a loss in Cincinnati to Angelique Kerber. In New York City, Williams went on to win her fourth US Open singles title and her 15th career Grand Slam title overall beating Azarenka in the final.[113][119] Williams ended the season by competing at the WTA Championships and went undefeated throughout the tournament to win the event for her third title.[113] Serena Williams was voted WTA Player of the Year for the fourth time.[120] Based on her brilliant show in 2012, Serena was also named International Tennis Federation World Champion.[121] Williams also returned to doubles competitions with Venus; in the pair's first tournament since 2010 Wimbledon, they claimed their fifth Wimbledon doubles title and the 13th grand slam doubles title.[122] The pair successfully defended their Olympic doubles title which meant that they became the only tennis players to win four gold medals.[19]



 Williams winning her second French Open title
Williams's first tournament of the 2013 season was in Brisbane, where she won the title without dropping a set. Williams was upset in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Australian Open by fellow American player Sloane Stephens. By virtue of defeating Petra Kvitova in Doha, Williams returned to the World Number One position for the sixth time in her career and became the oldest woman in the Open Era to hold the ranking.[123] Williams went on to lose to Victoria Azarenka in the final. In Miami, Williams lost a set to Maria Sharapova, in the final, for the first time since 2008. However, this setback did not stop Williams who recorded her seventieth come-from-behind win. The win made Williams a six-time champion in Miami breaking the record she held with Steffi Graf and became only the fourth woman in the open era to have won a tournament at least six times.[124] Williams successfully defended her Charleston title winning it for the third time overall.[125] Williams won her fiftieth career singles title in Madrid, defeating Sharapova in the final. Williams then played Rome, where she won the title without dropping a set, defeating Victoria Azarenka in the final to take her second title. Williams only dropped ten games in reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. There, she played Svetlana Kuznetsova and lost her first set of the tournament. In the semi final Williams only lost one game when she defeated Sara Errani, something seven-time French Open champion Chris Evert described as the finest female performance on clay she had ever seen.[126] Williams defeated Sharapova to claim her second Roland Garros title, her sixteenth grand slam title overall. She became the fourth woman in the Open era after Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Steffi Graf to win each Grand Slam title on at least two occasions. At the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, she advanced easily to the fourth round before being upset by eventual finalist Sabine Lisicki in three sets. After Wimbledon, Williams won the Swedish Open by defeating Johanna Larsson in the final, the tournament win marked the first occasion that she had won an International level title. By winning the tournament this meant that Williams had managed to be undefeated on clay during the season.[127]



 Williams winning her fifth US Open title
Williams won her third Rogers Cup title in Toronto beating Sorana Cirstea in the final.[128] Williams reached the final of the Western & Southern Open for the first time but lost to Azarenka.[129] At the 2013 US Open, Williams began as the top seed and defending champion. She reached the final—a rematch of the 2012 final against Azarenka—and won in three sets, capturing her 17th Grand Slam singles title.[130] Williams became the oldest US Open champion in the Open Era and pushed her career prize money past $50 million.[130] After the US Open, Williams headed to Beijing where she beat Jelena Jankovic to win the China Open for her 10th title of 2013.[131][132] Williams went through the WTA championships undefeated winning the final against Li Na, to become the first person to defend the title since Justine Henin in 2007. Williams won her eleventh title of the year becoming the eighth player to win eleven tournaments or more in a year and the first since Martina Hingis in 1997.[133] Additionally Williams became the oldest person to win the WTA Championships and the fourth player to win the event four times or more. By winning the championship Williams became the first woman to win more than ten million dollars in a season and with her total of $12,385,572, only Rafael Nadal, in 2013 and Novak Djokovic, in 2011, 2012 and 2013, have earned more money in a single season.[134] Williams finished as the year end world number one for the third time.[135] She was also named the 2013 ITF World Champion the fourth time that she has been given the World Champion's crown.[136] Williams received two prizes at the 2013 ESPY Awards. Williams won Best Female Athlete and Best Female Tennis Player. Williams is just the fourth person to win Best Female Athlete on two occasions and she won Best Female Tennis player for a record sixth time.[137] In late December 2013, Williams capped off her year by receiving the Associated Press (AP) 2013 Female Athlete of the Year award, her third AP award after 2002 and 2009. Only two women, Chris Evert and Babe Didrikson, have been chosen more often as AP Athlete of the Year since the annual awards were first handed out in 1931.[138]
2014-present: Continuing No. 1 and more Majors[edit]
Main articles: 2014 and 2015 Serena Williams tennis season
As preparation for the year's first Grand Slam Williams extended her winning streak to 22 matches successfully defending her title at the 2014 Brisbane International by defeating world no. 2 Victoria Azarenka in the final.[139] Serena's Australian Open campaign was once again hampered by an injury. She ended up losing to former World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic for the first time in her career in the fourth round, later revealing that she had considered withdrawing from the tournament even before her third round match due to a back injury.[140] At the 2014 Dubai Tennis Championships Williams lost her semi-final match to Alizé Cornet in straight sets. Williams next headed to the Miami Open where she won her record seventh title with a straight-sets victory over world no. 2 Li Na.[141] After having received a bye in the first round, Serena lost to world no. 78 Jana Čepelová at the Family Circle Cup, though clearly nursing a leg injury. She made it to the quarterfinals at the Mutua Madrid Open before withdrawing with a left thigh injury. As the defending champion, Williams won her third title of the season at the 2014 Internazionali BNL d'Italia. She was then handed the worst loss of her Grand Slam career by Garbiñe Muguruza, who defeated Serena losing just 4 games in two sets, in the second round of the 2014 French Open.[142] Alizé Cornet defeated Williams for the second time the year in the third round of Wimbledon, thus handing Serena her earliest Wimbledon exit since 2005. Serena was then forced to withdraw from the doubles event alongside sister Venus Williams while trailing 0–3 in the second round. A disoriented Serena hit 4 consecutive doubles faults and was having trouble with both her ball toss and movement before being removed from what has been described as one of the most disturbing and unusual scenes ever seen in tennis.[143][144][145]
Williams rebounded in spectacular fashion winning 19 out of her next 20 matches (losing only to sister Venus). This streak include titles at the 2014 Bank of the West Classic as well as her first Western & Southern Open title on her sixth attempt[146] in Cincinnati and, finally, her third consecutive and sixth overall US Open singles title[147][148] which she won without having dropped a set. With this victory Serena tied Chris Evert for most singles titles won by a woman at the US Open in the open era. Only Steffi Graf has won more Grand Slam singles titles than Serena in the open era. By virtue of having won both the US Open and the US Open Series, Williams collected $4,000,000 – the biggest payday in tennis history. This pushed her career prize money earnings past the $60,000,000 mark. On August 4, 2014, Williams became one of only five women ever to occupy the no. 1 spot on the WTA rankings for at least 200 weeks. Serena's 12 match winning streak came to an end in the second round of the Wuhan Open when a viral illness forced her to retire while up a break in the first set against Alizé Cornet. Cornet thus became the first woman since Justine Henin in 2007 to record three victories over Williams in one year. At the China Open Williams retired prior to her quarterfinal match versus Samantha Stosur. At the 2014 WTA Finals in Singapore Serena advanced to the final for the third consecutive year despite having equaled her career worst loss, winning just two games, to Simona Halep of Romania in her second round robin match. The last time Williams managed to win just two games in a WTA Tour or Grand Slam match was in 1998 when she was just 16.[149] Williams won her fifth WTA Finals title by avenging her loss to Halep in the championship match for her seventh title of the year.[150] Serena finished the year ranked world No. 1 for the fourth time in her career. She held the No. 1 ranking for the entire calendar year, a feat not accomplished since Steffi Graf in 1996. She was also voted WTA Player of the Year and ITF World Champion for the third consecutive year (sixth year overall).



 Williams at the 2015 Australian Open
Williams began the 2015 season by representing the United States alongside John Isner at the Hopman Cup. The American pair lost the final to the Polish pair of Agnieszka Radwańska and Jerzy Janowicz.[151] At the Australian Open Williams avenged her 2014 French Open loss to Garbiñe Muguruza in the fourth round before defeating Dominika Cibulková and Madison Keys to advance to her sixth final at the event. There she defeated Maria Sharapova of Russia for the sixteenth consecutive time to claim her 6th Australian Open singles title and 19th career Grand Slam singles title, winning the title on her third match point in the second set.[152][153][154][155][156] With this victory Williams surpassed both Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova for second most Grand Slam singles titles won in the Open Era. The title was also her sixth Grand Slam singles title since turning 30 years of age, three more than the next closest to do so (Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova with three each). She is the only player in history to win all four Grand Slams at least once after having turned 30. The following weekend, Serena and sister Venus traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina to face Argentina in a World Group II tie for Fed Cup. She played and won her only match against Maria Irigoyen to help Team USA to a 4-1 win over Argentina.[157] Williams announced that she would be competing at the Indian Wells Masters ending her 14-year boycott of the event.[158][159] Upon her return Williams received a standing ovation from the crowd and won her first match in straight sets.[160] She reached the semifinals, where she was due to face world no. 3 Simona Halep for a place in the final, but was forced to withdraw due to a right knee injury. By virtue of having defeated Sabine Lisicki in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open, Serena became one of only eight women in the Open Era to record 700 match wins in her career.[161] This also makes her one of only three active players to have won 700 or more matches in singles, the others being Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.[162] In the semifinals she won against Halep to advance to her tenth final at the event,[163] where she won a record eighth title and extended her winning streak to 21 matches by beating Carla Suárez Navarro.[164][165][166]
As preparation for the clay court season, Williams travelled to Brindisi, Italy to face Italy for a place in the Fed Cup's World Group. Williams lost the decisive doubles match alongside Alison Riske to Sara Errani and Flavia Pennetta and as a result the United States were relegated to World Group II. It was Williams' first loss in the Fed Cup.[167] However, she maintained her perfect record in singles by defeating Camila Giorgi and Errani. The week of April 20 marked Serena's 114th consecutive week ranked world no. 1 - the third-longest run in WTA history behind Steffi Graf's 186 weeks and Martina Navratilova's 156. Williams suffered her first defeat of the season in the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open to world no. 4 Petra Kvitová.[168][169] This loss ended a 27 match winning streak for Williams as well as a 50 match winning streak at Premier Mandatory events and also a 19 match winning streak at the particular event.[170] Williams played one match at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia before withdrawing from the tournament with an elbow injury.[171] Her next scheduled event is the French Open beginning May 24.
On-court activities[edit]
Competition with Venus Williams[edit]
Main article: Williams sisters rivalry
Serena Williams has played older sister Venus in 25 professional matches since 1998. Overall Serena is 14–11 against her sister. Serena has played Venus 12 times in Grand Slam singles tournaments and 12 times in other tournaments (including 11 finals). They have met in eight Grand Slam finals, with Serena winning six times. Beginning with the 2002 French Open, they played each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals, which was the first time in the open era that the same two players had contested four consecutive Grand Slam finals.
Controversies[edit]
Accusations of match fixing[edit]
When Venus and Serena Williams entered the top ten and started meeting in tournaments, unsubstantiated rumors of match fixing started to circulate. John McEnroe while commenting on the 2000 Wimbledon semifinal between the two sisters said "Serena may not be allowed to win. Richard may have something to say about this".[172] Elena Dementieva, a fellow professional player said that Richard Williams decided the results between the two sisters during a post match interview after losing to Venus at the Indian Wells quarterfinals in 2001.[173]
2001 Indian Wells[edit]
After injuring herself in the quarterfinal match against Dementieva, Venus Williams defaulted to Serena in the semifinals. Although she claimed to have told the tournament official hours beforehand that she would have to default, the official word is that it was 10 minutes before the scheduled start, angering fans who had come to see the match. Consequently, during the final against Kim Clijsters two days later, the spectators jeered Serena from when she first took the court for warm-up through the final trophy presentation including cheering double faults and errors with no intervention from the tournament officials. At the Ericsson Open the following week, Richard Williams said racist comments were made to him in the stands,[174] and the tournament director refused to offer Serena an apology for how she was treated. As a result, neither sister played the tournament even though since then it had become a mandatory stop on the WTA tour in 2009. In 2015, Serena decided to end her 14-year boycott and entered the tournament.[175]
2004 US Open[edit]
In her 2004 U.S. Open quarterfinal match against Jennifer Capriati, an overrule was made by chair umpire Mariana Alves in Capriati's favor, even though later video review showed this to be an error (as Williams's shot was inside the court). This was one of several calls that incorrectly went against Williams throughout the match, including during a crucial point. Williams attempted to argue the call, but was not successful. Capriati won the match, but tournament officials dismissed the umpire from the tournament. The controversy renewed calls for the adoption of technology like the MacCam and Hawk-Eye systems.[176]
2009 US Open[edit]
In 2009, Williams again was involved in a controversial U.S. Open match, this time against Kim Clijsters in the semifinal round. The drama began at the end of the first set, when Williams slammed her racquet on the court in frustration over losing the set. She was given a warning, with a potential second violation carrying a one-point penalty. While trailing 4–6, 5–6, 15–30, Williams's second serve was called a foot fault, resulting in two match points for Clijsters. Williams gestured with her racquet to the lineswoman who had made the call and yelled at her, with profanities and an injury threat.[177] During the subsequent on-court conference between the chair umpire, the lineswoman, US Open officials, and Williams, a television microphone picked up Williams saying to the lineswoman, "I didn't say I would kill you! Are you serious?" Audio later confirmed she did threaten the lineswoman.[178] The incident resulted in Williams being penalized a point for unsportsmanlike conduct — necessitated by the earlier warning for racquet abuse — meaning Clijsters won the match 6–4, 7–5. The following day, Williams was issued the maximum permissible on-site fine of $10,000 (plus $500 for racquet abuse). After further investigation, the Grand Slam Committee in November 2009 fined her $175,000 in lieu of suspending her from the 2010 US Open or other Grand Slam events.[179] They also placed her on a two-year probation, so if Williams committed another offense in the following two years at a Grand Slam tournament, she would be suspended from participating in the following US Open. If she committed no offenses in the next two years, her fine would be reduced to $82,500.[179] Williams initially refused to apologize for her outburst, both in her post-match press conference[180] and in an official statement released the following day.[99] She eventually apologized to the lineswoman in a statement two days following the incident.
2011 US Open[edit]
In the final of the 2011 U.S. Open against Samantha Stosur, Williams again generated controversy. After shouting "Come on!" as the Australian attempted to return a forehand Williams believed to be a winner, chair umpire Eva Asderaki awarded the point to Stosur based on the USTA's deliberate hindrance rule, which states, "If a player commits any act which hinders his opponent in making a stroke, then, if this is deliberate, he shall lose the point or if involuntary, the point shall be replayed."[181] As the point was 30–40 on Williams's serve, the penalty gave the break of serve to Stosur. Williams became angry with the chair umpire and made several gestures and unflattering comments toward her during the next changeover, including telling Asderaki that if she ever saw the umpire coming toward her, she should "look the other way".[182] Williams initially gained momentum in the set following the penalty, breaking back in the next game, but eventually flagged and lost the match, 6–2, 6–3. At the end of the match, she declined to offer the customary handshake to Asderaki.[183][184] Williams mentioned the incident in her post-match speech as the tournament runner-up, claiming, "I hit a winner, but I guess it didn't count", but added, "It wouldn't have mattered in the end. Sam played really well."[citation needed] A writer for ESPN suggested that Williams could avoid being found to have violated the terms of the "probation" on which she was placed following her 2009 outburst, as she did not appear to have used profanity in addressing Asderaki during the match.[185] In the end, Williams was fined $2,000 and was not barred from competing in the 2012 US Open because "...Williams's conduct, while verbally abusive, [did] not rise to the level of a major offence under the Grand Slam code of conduct."[186]
Off-court activities[edit]
Equipment[edit]
In the early 2000s, Williams wore Puma apparel and footwear on court.[187] She used Wilson Hammer 6.4 Stretch Power Holes racket.[188]
Fashion[edit]
Williams was once known for her unusual and colorful outfits on court. In 2002, there was much talk when she wore a Lane Bryant black lycra catsuit at the US Open.[189] At the 2004 US Open, Williams wore denim skirts and knee-high boots—tournament officials, however, did not allow her to wear the boots during matches.[190] At Wimbledon in 2008, the white trench coat she wore during warm-up for her opening match was the subject of much discussion since it was worn despite the sunny weather.[191] Off-court, Williams has also presented new designs. In November 2004, at the London premiere of After the Sunset she wore a red gown that had a near-topless effect.[192]
Williams formerly had a special line with Puma[193] and currently has a line with Nike. The deal with Nike is worth US$40 million and was signed in April 2004.[194] Since 2004, she has also been running her own line of designer apparel called "Aneres"—her first name spelled backward. In 2009 she launched a signature collection of handbags and jewelry.[195] The collection, called Signature Statement, is sold mainly on the Home Shopping Network (HSN).
In early 2010, Williams became a certified nail technician in preparation for her upcoming nail collection with a company called HairTech.[196]
In 2015, she became the first black female athlete to have a picture by herself on the cover of Vogue, which she did for the April 2015 issue.[197]
Entertainment[edit]
Williams has appeared on television and also provided voice work on animated shows: in a 2001 episode of The Simpsons Serena joined the animation along with sister Venus, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.[198] She has also provided guest voice work in a 2005 episode of Playhouse Disney's animated kids show Higglytown Heroes and a 2007 episode of the Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender,[199] which she has described as her "favorite show".[200]
Williams has posed for the 2003 and 2004 editions of the Lane Bryant Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[201] In April 2005, MTV announced plans to broadcast a reality show around the lives of Serena and Venus, which was eventually aired on ABC Family. Williams has appeared twice on MTV's Punk'd and in 2007, appeared in the ABC reality television series Fast Cars and Superstars: The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race. In 2002, she played Miss Wiggins in the season 3 episode "Crouching Mother, Hidden Father" of My Wife and Kids;[202] she has also guest-starred during episodes of The Bernie Mac Show, ER and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.[203] In 2007 Williams appeared in the music video of "I Want You" by the American rapper Common, alongside performers Alicia Keys and Kanye West.[204]
In late 2009, Williams became the first active female professional athlete to appear in a feminine hygiene product advertising campaign. A series of online videos and print advertisements for Tampax Pearl tampons showed her hitting balls at Mother Nature, played by Catherine Lloyd Burns, to prevent Mother Nature giving her a red-wrapped gift, representing her menstrual period. In the online videos, the two have dueling press conferences over the "bad blood" between them. "A lot of celebrities are not open to working with our brand, and we're thrilled that Serena is", said a brand manager for Tampax at Procter & Gamble.[205]
In May 2012, a minute of an absurd new hip-hop track by Serena Williams was leaked, along with reports the sports star was planning to release an album titled Cray, Cray and My Gucci Glasses.[206] In July 2012, she appeared in the ABC comedic improv television series Trust Us With Your Life and as a lawyer on the Lifetime television series Drop Dead Diva.
Miami Dolphins venture[edit]
In August 2009, Serena and Venus Williams became part-owners of the Miami Dolphins. The formal announcement was made during a press conference overlooking the practice field. The Williams are the first African-American females to obtain ownership in an NFL franchise. Other prominent owners include: Jimmy Buffett, Gloria and Emilio Estefan (the first Cuban-American owners), and Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. Stephen Ross, the majority owner of the Dolphins, said "We are thrilled to have Venus and Serena join the Dolphins as limited partners. They are among the most admired athletes in the world and have become global ambassadors for the game of tennis. Their addition to our ownership group further reflects our commitment to connect with aggressively and embrace the great diversity that makes South Florida a multicultural gem."[207]
Charity work[edit]
In 2008 Williams helped to fund the construction of the Serena Williams Secondary School in Matooni, Kenya.[208][209] She received a Celebrity Role Model Award from Avon Foundation in 2003 for work in breast cancer.[210] Williams has also been involved in a number of clinics at schools and community centers, particularly those which have programs focusing on at-risk youth.[1] She has also won the "Young Heroes Award" from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater L.A. and Inland (2003) and the "Family Circle and Prudential Financial Player Who Makes a Difference Award" (2004).[1] In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Williams, along with other ATP and WTA stars decided to forgo their final day of preparation for the 2010 Australian Open to form a charity event in which all proceeds will go to the Haiti earthquake victims.[211]
Writing[edit]
The Williams sisters, with author Hilary Beard, wrote a book titled Venus & Serena: Serving From The Hip: 10 Rules For Living, Loving and Winning, which was published in 2005.[212][213] During the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, Williams said that she is in the process of writing a TV show storyline, which will be converted into script form by her agency. She stated that the show will represent subject matter from a mix of popular American television shows such as Desperate Housewives, and Family Guy.[214] Serena released her first solo autobiography entitled On the Line, following the 2009 US Open.
Teaching[edit]
In May 2015, Serena Williams released a tennis MasterClass.[215]
Grand Slam tournaments[edit]
Main article: Serena Williams career statistics
Grand Slam tournament performance timeline[edit]
Key
W  F  SF QF R# RR LQ (Q#) A P Z# PO SF-B F-S G NMS NH
Won tournament; or reached Final; Semifinal; Quarter-final; Round 4, 3, 2, 1; competed at a Round Robin stage; lost in Qualification Round; absent from tournament event; played in a Davis Cup Zonal Group (with its number indication) or Play-off; won a bronze, silver (F or S) or gold medal at the Olympics; a downgraded Masters Series/1000 tournament (Not a Masters Series); or a tournament that was Not Held in a given year.
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated either at the conclusion of a tournament, or when the player's participation in the tournament has ended.

Tournament
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
SR
W–L
Australian Open 2R 3R 4R QF A W A W 3R W QF W W A 4R QF 4R W 6 / 15 68–9
French Open 4R 3R A QF W SF QF A A QF 3R QF QF A 1R W 2R  2 / 13 47–11
Wimbledon 3R A SF QF W W F 3R A QF F W W 4R W 4R 3R  5 / 15 72–10
US Open 3R W QF F W A QF 4R 4R QF W SF A F W W W  6 / 15 79–9
Win–Loss
8–4
11–2
12–3
18–4
21–0
19–1
14–3
12–2
5–2
19–3
19–3
23–2
18–1
9–2
17–2
21–2
13–3
7–0
19 / 58
266–39

Grand Slam tournament finals[edit]
Singles: 19 (19–4)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Opponent
Score

Winner 1999 US Open Hard Switzerland Martina Hingis 6–3, 7–6(7–4)
Runner-up 2001 US Open Hard United States Venus Williams 2–6, 4–6
Winner 2002 French Open Clay United States Venus Williams 7–5, 6–3
Winner 2002 Wimbledon Grass United States Venus Williams 7–6(7–4), 6–3
Winner 2002 US Open (2) Hard United States Venus Williams 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2003 Australian Open Hard United States Venus Williams 7–6(7–4), 3–6, 6–4
Winner 2003 Wimbledon (2) Grass United States Venus Williams 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
Runner-up 2004 Wimbledon Grass Russia Maria Sharapova 1–6, 4–6
Winner 2005 Australian Open (2) Hard United States Lindsay Davenport 2–6, 6–3, 6–0
Winner 2007 Australian Open (3) Hard Russia Maria Sharapova 6–1, 6–2
Runner-up 2008 Wimbledon (2) Grass United States Venus Williams 5–7, 4–6
Winner 2008 US Open (3) Hard Serbia Jelena Janković 6–4, 7–5
Winner 2009 Australian Open (4) Hard Russia Dinara Safina 6–0, 6–3
Winner 2009 Wimbledon (3) Grass United States Venus Williams 7–6(7–3), 6–2
Winner 2010 Australian Open (5) Hard Belgium Justine Henin 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Winner 2010 Wimbledon (4) Grass Russia Vera Zvonareva 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 2011 US Open (2) Hard Australia Samantha Stosur 2–6, 3–6
Winner 2012 Wimbledon (5) Grass Poland Agnieszka Radwańska 6–1, 5–7, 6–2
Winner 2012 US Open (4) Hard Belarus Victoria Azarenka 6–2, 2–6, 7–5
Winner 2013 French Open (2) Clay Russia Maria Sharapova 6–4, 6–4
Winner 2013 US Open (5) Hard Belarus Victoria Azarenka 7–5, 6–7(6–8), 6–1
Winner 2014 US Open (6) Hard Denmark Caroline Wozniacki 6–3, 6–3
Winner 2015 Australian Open (6) Hard Russia Maria Sharapova 6–3, 7–6(7–5)

Women's doubles: 13 (13–0)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score

Winner 1999 French Open Clay United States Venus Williams Switzerland Martina Hingis
Russia Anna Kournikova 6–3, 6–7(2–7), 8–6
Winner 1999 US Open Hard United States Venus Williams United States Chanda Rubin
France Sandrine Testud 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
Winner 2000 Wimbledon Grass United States Venus Williams France Julie Halard-Decugis
Japan Ai Sugiyama 6–3, 6–2
Winner 2001 Australian Open Hard United States Venus Williams United States Lindsay Davenport
United States Corina Morariu 6–2, 2–6, 6–4
Winner 2002 Wimbledon (2) Grass United States Venus Williams Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Argentina Paola Suárez 6–2, 7–5
Winner 2003 Australian Open (2) Hard United States Venus Williams Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Argentina Paola Suárez 4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2008 Wimbledon (3) Grass United States Venus Williams United States Lisa Raymond
Australia Samantha Stosur 6–2, 6–2
Winner 2009 Australian Open (3) Hard United States Venus Williams Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová
Japan Ai Sugiyama 6–3, 6–3
Winner 2009 Wimbledon (4) Grass United States Venus Williams Australia Samantha Stosur
Australia Rennae Stubbs 7–6(7–4), 6–4
Winner 2009 US Open (2) Hard United States Venus Williams Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber 6–2, 6–2
Winner 2010 Australian Open (4) Hard United States Venus Williams Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2010 French Open (2) Clay United States Venus Williams Czech Republic Květa Peschke
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik 6–2, 6–3
Winner 2012 Wimbledon (5) Grass United States Venus Williams Czech Republic Andrea Hlaváčková
Czech Republic Lucie Hradecká 7–5, 6–4

Mixed doubles: 4 finals (2–2)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score

Runner-up 1998 French Open Clay Argentina Luis Lobo United States Justin Gimelstob
United States Venus Williams 3-6,4–6
Winner 1998 Wimbledon Grass Belarus Max Mirnyi India Mahesh Bhupathi
Croatia Mirjana Lučić 6–4, 6–4
Winner 1998 US Open Hard Belarus Max Mirnyi United States Patrick Galbraith
United States Lisa Raymond 6–2, 6–2
Runner-up 1999 Australian Open Hard Belarus Max Mirnyi South Africa David Adams
South Africa Mariaan de Swardt 4–6, 6–4, 6–7(5–7)

Records and achievements[edit]
Main article: List of career achievements by Serena Williams
##These records were attained in the Open Era of tennis.
##Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.
##Records in italics are currently active streaks.

[show]Time span
Selected Grand Slam tournament records
Players matched
 

 




  
  
  
 

  
  
  
  
  
  
 

  
  
  
 

  
  
 


[show]Grand Slam tournaments
Time span
Records at each Grand Slam tournament
Players matched
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

[show]Time span
Other selected records
Players matched
  
  
  
 


 


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Filmography[edit]
Film & Television

Year
Title
Role
Notes

2001 The Simpsons Herself (voice) Episode: "Tennis the Menace"
2002 My Wife and Kids Miss Wiggins Episode: "Crouching Mother, Hidden Father"
2003 Street Time Meeka Hayes Episode: "Fly Girl"
2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Chloe Spiers Episode: "Brotherhood"
2004 The Division Jennifer Davis Episode: "Lost and Found"
2004 Hair Show Agent Ross 
2005 Higglytown Heroes Snowplow Driver Hero (voice) Episode: "Higgly Hoedown/Eubie's Turbo Sled"
2005 ER Alice Watson Episode: "Two Ships "
2005 All of Us Herself Episode: "Not So Wonderful News"
2005 America's Next Top Model Herself Episode: "The Girl with the Worst Photo in History"
2005–2007 Punk'd Herself 3 episodes
2007 Loonatics Unleashed Queen Athena (voice) Episode: "Apocalypso"
2007 Avatar: The Last Airbender Ming (voice) Episode: "The Day of Black Sun: Part 1 – The Invasion"
2006 The Bernie Mac Show Herself Episode: "Spinning Wheels"
2008 The Game Herself Episode: "The List Episode"
2008 MADtv Herself / Black Racket Episode: "Episode 7"
2011 Keeping Up with the Kardashians Herself Episode: "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event – Part 2"
2012 Drop Dead Diva Kelly Stevens Episode: "Rigged"
2013 The Legend of Korra Female Sage (voice) Episode: "Beginnings, Part 1"

See also[edit]

Portal icon Tennis portal
##List of Grand Slam women's singles champions
##List of Grand Slam women's doubles champions
##List of Grand Slam mixed doubles champions
##Henin–S. Williams rivalry
##Hingis–S. Williams rivalry
##Williams sisters rivalry
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l Serena Williams at the Women's Tennis Association
2.Jump up ^ "Career Prize Money Leaders" (PDF). Women's Tennis Association. February 2, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
3.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams". Forbes.com. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
4.Jump up ^ Gales, Aaron (December 28, 2012). "Serena Williams Will Go Down in History as the Best Female Player of All Time". Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
5.Jump up ^ Corkhill, Barney (February 14, 2013). "Serena Williams No.1 Infographic". WTA Tennis. WTA Tour. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
6.Jump up ^ "Million Dollar Club" (PDF). Retrieved June 25, 2013.
7.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Pictures and Biography". Pictures.yt.
8.Jump up ^ Boys, Nigel (November 13, 2014). "Serena Williams Hails as the Queen of Tennis In Third WTA Win". National Sports. Westside Gazette. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
9.Jump up ^ Torsiello, John. "Like It Or Not, Serena is Still Queen of the Courts". Act Two Online. Act Two Magazine. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
10.Jump up ^ "Queen of the Court Serena Williams Wins US Open". BuzzCanadaLive.com. Buzz Canada. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
11.Jump up ^ Maggo, Ashish (August 6, 2014). "Serena Williams, the Comeback Queen of Tennis". NDTV Sports. NDTV Sports. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
12.^ Jump up to: a b Hickman, Craig (January 30, 2010). "Serena Williams Wins Australian Open". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
13.Jump up ^ Neworth, Jack (September 10, 2012). "Almost Serene Serena". 10sballs.com. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
14.Jump up ^ "Serena, Liezel & Lisa, Andrea & Lucie Qualify". WTA Tennis. WTA Tour. September 10, 2012. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
15.Jump up ^ Allen, Ja (September 28, 2012). "The Williams Sisters and the Rise of the Women's Power Game". Bleacher Report.
16.Jump up ^ Kimmelman, Michael (August 25, 2010). "How Power Has Transformed Women's Tennis". The New York Times Sunday Magazine (August 29, 2010). p. MM23.
17.Jump up ^ Crouse, Karen (August 30, 2009). "Williams Sisters Write Their Own Story". The New York Times (August 31, 2009). p. F2.
18.Jump up ^ "Girl power: Evolution of the women's game". Tennishead.net (UK: Advantage Publishing, published November 2011). December 15, 2011.
19.^ Jump up to: a b "Venus and Serena Williams win Olympic gold". CBS News. AP. August 5, 2012.
20.Jump up ^ Whiteside, Kelly (August 4, 2012). "Serena Williams routs Maria Sharapova for Olympic gold". USA Today.
21.^ Jump up to: a b "About Serena – Serena Williams". serenawilliams.com. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
22.Jump up ^ (Morgan 2001, p. 19)
23.Jump up ^ (Morgan 2001, p. 28)
24.Jump up ^ "Successful & Famous People that were Homeschooled". sharebradenton.homestead.com. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
25.Jump up ^ Kaufman, Michelle (April 22, 2007). "Venus, Serena reflect as they prepare for Fed Cup". blackathlete.net. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
26.Jump up ^ Peyser, Marc; Samuels, Allison (August 24, 1998). "Venus And Serena Against The World". Newsweek. Retrieved April 19, 2009.[dead link]
27.^ Jump up to: a b Edmonson, 2005, Venus and Serena Williams, p. 46–47.
28.Jump up ^ Yapp, Robin; Witheridge, Annette (September 2003). "Williams' sister dies in shooting". Mail Online. Associated Publishers Ltd. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
29.Jump up ^ Hewitt, Bill (September 29, 2003). "Fatal Volley". People 60 (13).
30.Jump up ^ "Quotable Quotes: Maria After The Final". WTA Tennis. WTA Tour. June 8, 2013.
31.Jump up ^ Ford, Bonnie D. (January 22, 2008). "Gimpy Jankovic swats away defending champion Williams". ESPN. Retrieved April 29, 2009.
32.Jump up ^ espnW.com (May 20, 2015). "20 For 20: Stars Serve Up Praise of Serena Williams' Biggest Weapon". espnW. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
33.Jump up ^ Reeves Wiedeman (September 5, 2012). "The Serve, Returned". The New Yorker. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
34.Jump up ^ Pagliaro, Richard (April 7, 2011). "Gear Talk: Q&A With Pam Shriver". Tennis.com. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
35.Jump up ^ "IDS Serve Speed Leaders". WTA Tennis.com. WTA Tour. June 10, 2013.
36.Jump up ^ Marcin Bryszak (July 30, 2014). "Sabine Lisicki sets record for fastest serve in women's tennis – but loses". The Guardian. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
37.Jump up ^ Douglas Robson (August 27, 2012). "Serena Williams serves up the best weapon in tennis". USA Today. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
38.Jump up ^ Chris Oddo (July 7, 2012). "Reigning Ace: Williams Serves up a Title at Wimbledon". Tennis Now. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
39.Jump up ^ Wertheim, L. Jon (September 15, 2008). "Not So Fast, Kiddo". Sports Illustrated (CNN). Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2009.
40.Jump up ^ Clarey, Christopher (August 4, 2012). "Williams Coasts to Gold, and a Career Golden Slam". The New York Times.
41.Jump up ^ Robson, Douglas (September 10, 2012). "Serena Williams wins fourth U.S. Open crown". USA Today.
42.Jump up ^ "Grand slam champions who saved match points (from 2000).". Tennisplanet.me. June 5, 2012.
43.Jump up ^ Bondy, Filip (September 10, 2012). "Serena Williams wins 2012 U.S. Open championship to add to her amazing summer, overpowers No. 1 Victoria". New York Daily News.
44.Jump up ^ Crooks, Eleanor (June 8, 2013). "Serena Williams powers to her 16th Grand Slam in Paris". Independent.ie.
45.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins Roland Garros". Tennis.com. AP. June 8, 2013.
46.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 114–115)
47.Jump up ^ "Head to Head – Serena Williams vs Venus Williams". WTA Tour, Inc. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
48.Jump up ^ Zanca, Sal A. (March 1, 1999). "Continents Apart, Williams Sisters Make History". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
49.Jump up ^ Rogers, Martin (March 19, 2009). "Indian Wells boycott hurts Williamses more than it helps". Busted Racquet. Yahoo! Sports.
50.Jump up ^ Preston, Eleanor (May 20, 2002). "Hingis may be out to end of year". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved April 23, 2009.
51.Jump up ^ "Serena complets Slam". BBC Sport. January 25, 2003.
52.Jump up ^ Leicester, John (February 11, 2009). "Grand Slam for Serena Williams?". Tennis Channel. Associated Press. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
53.Jump up ^ "Williams pair take doubles crown". BBC Sport. January 24, 2003.
54.Jump up ^ "Williams 'hurt' by jeers". BBC Sport. June 6, 2003.
55.Jump up ^ Harris, Beth (August 2, 2003). "Serena Williams to miss U.S. Open after knee surgery". USA Today. Associated Press.
56.Jump up ^ Fordyce, Tom (March 24, 2004). "Serena's biggest test". BBC Sport.
57.Jump up ^ "High drama. Serena falls to Capriati amid controversy; Roddick continues to roll". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. September 7, 2004. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
58.Jump up ^ "Sharapova tops injured Serena for WTA title". NBC Sports. Associated Press. November 16, 2004. Archived from the original on 2012-11-27. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
59.Jump up ^ "Angry Williams rejects criticism". BBC Sport. January 25, 2005.
60.Jump up ^ "Williams battles to Aussie title". BBC Sport. January 29, 2005. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
61.Jump up ^ "Williams eyes return to top spot". BBC Sport. January 29, 2005. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
62.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Pulls from WTA Paris with Stomach Illness". Tennis-X.com. February 12, 2005. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
63.Jump up ^ "Strained Tendon Forces Serena Out". Highbeam.com. March 5, 2005. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
64.Jump up ^ Dillman, Lisa (May 21, 2009). "Serena Pulls Out, Citing Ankle Injury". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
65.Jump up ^ "Hantuchova stuns champion Serena". BBC Sport. January 20, 2006.
66.Jump up ^ "Injured Serena pulls out of Miami". BBC Sport. March 17, 2006.
67.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 175–176)
68.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 198–199)
69.Jump up ^ "Serena scores big win on return". BBC Sport. July 19, 2006.
70.Jump up ^ "Serena comeback gathers momentum". BBC Sport. July 21, 2006.
71.Jump up ^ "Serena run comes to end in semis". BBC Sport. July 23, 2006.
72.Jump up ^ "Serena granted US Open wildcard". BBC Sport. August 17, 2006.
73.Jump up ^ "Mauresmo sees off tired Williams". BBC Sport. September 5, 2006.
74.Jump up ^ "Serena targets number one ranking". BBC Sport. March 17, 2006. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
75.Jump up ^ "Williams is lost cause". Archived from the original on January 14, 2007.
76.^ Jump up to: a b Tandon, Kamakshi (January 14, 2008) New Mindset: Serena Playing for Herself. tennis.com
77.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 205–206)
78.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, p. 206)
79.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, pp. 208–209)
80.^ Jump up to: a b Clarey, Christopher (January 27, 2007). "Williams shocks Sharapova to win Australian Open". International Herald Tribute (The New York Times).
81.Jump up ^ (Williams 2009, p. 209)
82.Jump up ^ Newbery, Piers (January 27, 2007). "Superb Williams wins Aussie title". BBC Sport.
83.Jump up ^ Resurgent Serena targets Paris, BBC News. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
84.Jump up ^ "I proved critics wrong – Williams". BBC Sport. January 27, 2007.
85.Jump up ^ Serena takes title in epic final, BBC News. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
86.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters give US lead | Tennis - News | NDTVSports.com". Sports.ndtv.com. Associated Press. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
87.Jump up ^ "Teenage sub for Serena seals win | Tennis - News | NDTVSports.com". Sports.ndtv.com. Associated Press. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
88.^ Jump up to: a b c d Serena Williams Playing Activity[dead link], WTA Tour official website. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
89.Jump up ^ Injured Serena seals amazing win, BBC News. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
90.Jump up ^ Cheese, Caroline (July 4, 2007). "Henin overcomes battling Serena". BBC Sport. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
91.Jump up ^ Robbins, Liz (September 5, 2007). "Henin Defeats Serena Williams Again". The New York Times.
92.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Hurts Knee in Madrid". The Washington Post. Associated Press. November 7, 2007.
93.Jump up ^ "Williams withdraws from Madrid through injury". Reuters. November 8, 2007.
94.Jump up ^ USA beat Serbia to take Hopman Cup, BBC News. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
95.Jump up ^ "Serena returns to action with win". BBC News. March 5, 2008. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
96.Jump up ^ Lin, Thomas (September 7, 2008). "Serena Williams Wins to Regain No. 1 Ranking". The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
97.Jump up ^ Tandon, Kamakshi (May 13, 2009). "Serena's protests lack teeth". ESPN. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
98.Jump up ^ Newbery, Piers (July 4, 2009). "Serena shocked to stay number two". BBC News. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
99.^ Jump up to: a b Pucin, Diane. Serena Williams is fined $10,500 for tirade at U.S. Open Los Angeles Times (September 13, 2009)
100.Jump up ^ "Serena ends Venus reign in Doha". BBC Sport. November 1, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
101.Jump up ^ "Williams wins AP's Female Athlete of the Year award". tennis.com. December 22, 2009. Retrieved December 24, 2009.
102.Jump up ^ "Serena ITF World Champion". wtatennis.com. December 23, 2009. Retrieved December 24, 2009.
103.Jump up ^ Bishop, Greg (July 3, 2010). "A Booming Serena Williams Keeps Title". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
104.^ Jump up to: a b "Serena routs Zvonareva for fourth Wimbledon title". Tennis Magazine. Associated Press. July 3, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
105.Jump up ^ Wilson, Stephen (July 3, 2010). "Serena Williams beats Zvonareva to win Wimbledon". The Washington Times. Associated Press. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
106.Jump up ^ Cherner, Reid (March 2, 2011). "Tennis star Serena Williams home after treatment for blood clot". USA Today.
107.Jump up ^ Berman, Michele (March 2, 2011). "Serena Williams undergoes emergency treatment for pulmonary embolism". Celebrity Diagnosis. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
108.Jump up ^ Berman, Michele (March 9, 2011). "Serena Williams gives more details about recent health scare". Celebrity Diagnosis. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
109.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams returns to tennis court after lay-off". BBC Sport. April 12, 2011.
110.Jump up ^ Clarey, Christopher (June 6, 2011). "Serena Williams Plans to Play at Wimbledon". The New York Times. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
111.Jump up ^ "Serena comeback ended by Zvonareva". CNN. June 15, 2011.
112.Jump up ^ "Serena withdraws from Brisbane International". Brisbane International. January 4, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
113.^ Jump up to: a b c "Serena Williams beats Sharapova in WTA Championships final". BBC Sport. October 28, 2012.
114.Jump up ^ Hegde, Prajwal (July 8, 2012). "Serena Williams beats Radwanska to clinch fifth Wimbledon title". The Times of India.
115.Jump up ^ "Wimbledon 2012 – Serena Williams stretched to three sets, wins 5th title". ESPN. Associated Press. July 7, 2012.
116.Jump up ^ "Serena books latest Wimbledon final appearance". ESPN. July 5, 2012.
117.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins at Stanford in final Olympic tuneup". USA Today. Associated Press. July 20, 2012.
118.^ Jump up to: a b Wine, Steven (August 4, 2012). "Serena Williams Wins Gold Medal In Olympic Singles Tennis, Beats Maria Sharapova In Final". The Huffington Post. AP.
119.Jump up ^ "Serena tops Azarenka for fourth U.S. Open championship". AP. September 9, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
120.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins WTA Tour Player of the Year award". BBC Sport. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
121.Jump up ^ "Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams crowned ITF world champions". December 11, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-12-21.
122.Jump up ^ Bondy, Filip (July 8, 2012). "Bondy: Williams sisters are kin-do at Wimby – New York Daily News". New York: Daily News. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
123.Jump up ^ "Serena To Return To No.1 For Sixth Time". WTA Tennis (WTA Tour). February 15, 2013.
124.Jump up ^ "Serena Conquers Sharapova & Miami". WTA Tennis (WTA Tour). March 30, 2013.
125.Jump up ^ "Serena Wins 49th WTA Title In Charleston". WTA Tennis (WTA Tour). April 7, 2013.
126.Jump up ^ Caple, Jim. "New Heights For Serena Williams". ESPN. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
127.Jump up ^ "Serena Wins 53rd WTA Title in Bastad". WTA Tour. July 21, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
128.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins Rogers Cup women's title". CBC News. August 11, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
129.Jump up ^ Keating, Steve (August 18, 2013). "Azarenka beats Williams for Cincinnati title". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
130.^ Jump up to: a b Mitchell, Kevin (September 9, 2013). "Serena Williams crowns 14-year reign with fifth US Open title". The Guardian. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
131.Jump up ^ "BBC Sport - Serena Williams beats Jelena Jankovic to win China Open". BBC Sport. October 6, 2013
132.Jump up ^ "Serena powers past Jankovic for 10th title in 2013". Yahoo Sports. October 6, 2013.
133.Jump up ^ "BBC Sport - Serena Williams beats Li Na to win WTA Championships". BBC Sport.
134.Jump up ^ "News | WTA Tennis English". Women's Tennis Association.
135.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams forced to rally vs. Li Na in final of WTA Championships - ESPN". Associated Press via ESPN.com. October 27, 2013
136.Jump up ^ Williams and Djokovic named 2013 ITF World Champions. itftennis.com. December 18, 2013
137.Jump up ^ "Serena Wins Best Female Athlete ESPY". WTA Tour. July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
138.Jump up ^ Associated Press (December 25, 2013). "Serena Williams Wins 3rd AP Athlete Of Year Award". DailyDigest. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
139.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams beats Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 to win Brisbane International title". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
140.Jump up ^ "Australian Open 2014: Serena Williams undermined by injury again as she loses to Ana Ivanovic in Australian Open fourth round". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
141.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams vs Li Na Final Miami 2014 Highlights". YouTube. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
142.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams' shocking loss is the worst of her legendary career". USA Today. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
143.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams in tears after illness ends doubles hopes". The Championships, Wimbledon. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
144.Jump up ^ "Mystery of Serena Williams' Wimbledon meltdown deepens... with doubts cast over her 'viral illness explanation'". Daily Mail. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
145.Jump up ^ "Navratilova on Serena: 'It's not right'". ESPN. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
146.Jump up ^ "[HD] Serena Williams vs Ana Ivanovic Cincinnati Final 2014 Highlights". Youtube. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
147.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins 18th Slam". ESPN. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
148.Jump up ^ "US Open: Serena Williams powers past Caroline Wozniacki for sixth title". The Guardian. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
149.Jump up ^ "Halep routs Serena Williams at WTA Finals". Yahoo! News. October 22, 2014.
150.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Punishes Simona Halep for Earlier Defeat at WTA Finals". The New York Times. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
151.Jump up ^ "Poland defeat United States to lift Hopman Cup for first time". ESPN. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
152.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Wins Australian Open With Coughs, Guts and Aces". The New York Times. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
153.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova to win Australian Open - as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
154.Jump up ^ "How Serena Williams won the shouting match and more in Australia". ESPN. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
155.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins Australian Open, 19th Major title in champion form". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
156.Jump up ^ "Australian Open 2015 Final - Serena Williams vs Maria Sharapova". YouTube. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
157.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters see U.S. through in Fed Cup promotion bid". Reuters. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
158.Jump up ^ Clarey, Christopher (February 4, 2015). "After a 14-Year Boycott, Serena Williams Plans to Play at Indian Wells". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-03-13.
159.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams ends Indian Wells boycott, 14 years after racist incident". USA Today. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
160.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams received standing ovation, fought tears and won while ending 14-year boycott at Indian Wells". USA Today. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
161.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams beats Sabine Lisicki in Miami to seal 700th career win". The Guardian. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
162.Jump up ^ "Tennis' Exclusive 700 Club". Espn.go.com. 2013-07-16. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
163.Jump up ^ "Serena Outlasts Halep In Miami Classic". WTA. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
164.Jump up ^ "Super Serena Wins Miami Title No.8". WTA. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
165.Jump up ^ "As Serena Williams Ascends, Grand Slam Buzz Grows". The New York Times. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
166.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wins eighth Miami Open". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
167.Jump up ^ "Italy beats United States 3-2 in Fed Cup World Group playoff". ESPN. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
168.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams' win streak, Madrid run come to an end". ESPN. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
169.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams' perfect season ended". USA Today. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
170.Jump up ^ "Kvitova Stuns Serena In Madrid". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
171.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams pulls out of Italian Open with elbow injury". BBC Sport. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
172.Jump up ^ "Moscow-Pullman Daily News - Google News Archive Search". google.com.
173.Jump up ^ "ASAP Sports Transcripts - Tennis - 2001 - TMS - INDIAN WELLS, WOMEN - March 14 - Elena Dementieva". asapsports.com.
174.Jump up ^ "USATODAY.com - Richard Williams decries fans as racist". usatoday.com.
175.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams wants to rewrite Indian Wells ending - ESPN". ESPN.com.
176.Jump up ^ "Officials apologize to Serena for bad call – U.S. Open, Aug. 30-Sept. 12- NBC Sports". MSNBC. September 9, 2004. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
177.Jump up ^ Donegan, Lawrence (September 14, 2009). "Serena Williams is fined $10,500 for US Open line judge tirade". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved June 5, 2010.
178.Jump up ^ "Clijsters wins after controversial ending". ESPN news services. September 13, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
179.^ Jump up to: a b Clarey, Christopher (November 30, 2009). "Serena Williams Given Hefty Fine but No Suspension for Tirade". The New York Times. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
180.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams tries to move on from uproar over outburst". CNN. September 15, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
181.Jump up ^ "RULE 21 : Player Hinders Opponent". Tennis 4 You.
182.Jump up ^ Abad-Santos, Alexander (September 12, 2011). "Serena Williams' Tirade Was Seven Years in the Making". The Atlantic Wire.
183.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Upset By Samantha Stosur 6–2, 6–3 In US Open Final". Huffington Post. September 11, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
184.Jump up ^ Chase, Chris (September 11, 2011). "She did it again: Serena Williams blows up in U.S. Open loss". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
185.Jump up ^ Garber, Greg (September 11, 2011). "Serena Williams loses cool, then match". ESPN. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
186.Jump up ^ Busfield, Steve (September 12, 2011). "Serena Williams fined $2,000 for US Open final outburst". The Guardian (London). Retrieved September 15, 2011.
187.Jump up ^ "What they're wearing (and hitting with) at Wimbledon". SportsBusiness Journal. June 25, 2001. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
188.Jump up ^ "WHAT THEY'RE WEARING (AND HITTING WITH) AT THE U.S. OPEN". SportsBusiness Journal. August 28, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
189.Jump up ^ Roberts, Selena (September 2, 2002). "Tennis; Sunny Outlook Keeps Serena Williams Winning". The New York Times (NYT Company). Retrieved April 24, 2009.
190.Jump up ^ "Serena Dresses in Denim, Boots at U.S. Open". FOX News Network, LLC. Associated Press. August 31, 2004. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
191.Jump up ^ Copping, Nicola (June 24, 2008). "Serena Williams's Wimbledon raincoat stops talk about play". The Times (UK: Times Newspapers Ltd.). Retrieved April 25, 2009.
192.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Keen on Fashion Career". FOX News Network, LLC. Associated Press. November 14, 2004. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
193.Jump up ^ Batra, Ruhi (January 28, 2007). "Courting both tennis and glamour". The Times of India (Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.). Retrieved April 25, 2009.
194.Jump up ^ Brown, Carolyn M. (April 1, 2004). "Serena Williams aces Nike deal worth approximately $40 million". Black Enterprise. Allbusiness.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
195.Jump up ^ Marr, Madeleine (March 3, 2009). "Serena Williams has a passion for fashion". The Miami Herald. Miami Herald Media Co. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
196.Jump up ^ Farber, Jim (February 17, 2010). "Serena Williams takes time away from the tennis courts to become a certified nail technician". Daily News (New York). Retrieved October 2, 2010.
197.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams 1st Black Female Athlete to Solo on Cover of Vogue". Good Black News. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
198.Jump up ^ ""The Simpsons" Tennis the Menace (2001)". IMDb.com. IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
199.Jump up ^ "Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Day of Black Sun (1): The Invasion". TV.com. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
200.Jump up ^ Kennedy, Lauren Paige. "Serena Williams Gets Back in the Game". WebMD the Magazine. WebMD, LLC. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
201.Jump up ^ Thurmond, Sarah (February 11, 2009). "Golovin, Hantuchova, Kirilenko in SI swimsuit issue". Tennis Magazine. Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
202.Jump up ^ "On stage or on court, Serena plays the lead". Sydney Morning Herald. January 13, 2003. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
203.Jump up ^ "Serena to voice queen with 'devious plans' for planet". ESPN. Associated Press. January 30, 2007. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
204.Jump up ^ "Common "I Want You" Video". rapdirt.com. October 23, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
205.Jump up ^ Newman, Andrew Adam (September 28, 2009). "Serena Williams's Ad Deals Survive Her Outburst on Court". The New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
206.Jump up ^ Ashe, Isaac (May 12, 2012). "Tennis star Serena Williams to serve up a single". Loughborough Echo. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
207.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters buy into Dolphins group". ESPN. Associated Press. August 25, 2009.
208.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams in Kenya on charity tour". People's Daily. November 15, 2008.
209.Jump up ^ Claire Wanja (November 10, 2008). "Serena Williams to Visit Kenya on Charity cause". Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
210.Jump up ^ "Jewel and Serena Williams Help the Avon Foundation Raise Millions for the Fight Against Breast Cancer". Avon. Avon Products, Inc. October 15, 2003. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
211.Jump up ^ "Stars rally for a common cause". Tennis Australia. January 16, 2010.[dead link]
212.Jump up ^ "The Website of Author Hilary Beard – Books". Hilarybeard.com. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
213.Jump up ^ "Venus and Serena: Serving From the Hip: 10 Rules for Living, Loving, and Winning.(Brief Article)(Book Review)". Highbeam.com. July 1, 2005. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
214.Jump up ^ "S Williams – June 24, 2009". 2009.wimbledon.org. June 24, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-08-25. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
215.Jump up ^ "Serena Williams Teaches Tennis". MasterClass. MasterClass. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
216.Jump up ^ "US Open Most Championship Titles Record Book" (PDF). US Open. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
Works cited[edit]
##Morgan, Terri (2001). Venus and Serena Williams: Grand Slam Sisters. Sports Achievers Biographies. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Lerner Publishing. 64pp. ISBN 9780822536840.
##Williams, Venus; Williams, Serena & Beard, Hilary (2005). Venus and Serena: Serving from the Hip: 10 Rules For Living, Loving and Winning. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 133pp. ISBN 9780618576531.
##Williams, Serena & Paisner, Daniel (2009). On the Line. New York: Hachette Digital. 214pp. ISBN 9780446564021.
##Williams, Serena & Paisner, Daniel (2009). My Life: Queen of the Court. New York: Simon & Schuster. 257pp. ISBN 9781847375445.
External links[edit]

Find more about
Serena Williams
 at Wikipedia's sister projects

Search Commons Media from Commons
Search Wikiquote Quotations from Wikiquote
##Official website
##Serena Williams at the Women's Tennis Association
##Serena Williams at the International Tennis Federation
##Serena Williams at the Fed Cup
##Serena Williams at the Internet Movie Database
##Interview with Serena Williams on Hossli.com


[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Serena Williams














Serena Williams (9630779153).jpg





























































































































[show] 
Serena Williams (Achievement predecessor & successor)






































































































 




[show] 
Serena Williams in the Grand Slam Tournaments














































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































United States
Australia
Australia









United States
Australia
West Germany









AustraliaAustralia









Brazil
United StatesUnited States
Switzerland









AustraliaAustralia
Australia
Australia









United Kingdom
United States
Australia
Australia
United States
Switzerland
Spain









United States
United States
United States
Australia
United States
United States
United States
West Germany
United States
Russia









Australia
Australia
Australia
AustraliaAustralia
Australia
Australia
AustraliaAustralia
South Africa
Australia
Sweden
NetherlandsNetherlands
Australia
Australia
Sweden
United StatesUnited States
Canada
India









United States
United States
United States
United States
Brazil
Australia
Australia
Australia
United StatesUnited States
CzechoslovakiaUnited States
United States
Czechoslovakia
United States
Belarus
Czech Republic
Switzerland
United StatesUnited States
United States
ItalyItaly









France
United StatesAustralia
Australia
Australia
Australia
United States
United States
South Africa
Australia
Australia
United States
Slovakia
India
Zimbabwe

















































































































[show] 
Serena Williams's Achievements



















   




SteadySerbia
SteadySwitzerland
SteadyUnited Kingdom
IncreaseCzech Republic
IncreaseJapan
DecreaseCanada
SteadySpain
SteadySpain
SteadySwitzerland
SteadyCroatia



SteadyUnited States
SteadyUnited States
SteadyBrazil
SteadyCanada
IncreaseSpain
SteadyUnited States
IncreaseSpain
DecreaseCroatia
SteadyFrance
IncreaseFrance



SteadyUnited States
IncreaseRussia
DecreaseRomania
SteadyCzech Republic
SteadyDenmark
SteadyCanada
SteadySerbia
IncreaseSpain
DecreaseRussia
DecreaseGermany



SteadyIndia
SteadySwitzerland
SteadyItaly
SteadyItaly
IncreaseFrance
DecreaseZimbabwe
DecreaseRussia
DecreaseRussia
DecreaseChina
SteadyChinese Taipei














United StatesSteady
CanadaSteady
United StatesIncrease
United StatesIncrease
United StatesIncrease


United StatesDecrease
United StatesSteady
United StatesDecrease
United StatesDecrease
United StatesIncrease










United States


Steady
Increase
Increase
Increase
Decrease


Steady
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Decrease













United States
United States
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Puerto Rico
Belarus
Latvia
Spain
United States
Switzerland
Russia
United States
United States
Australia
France
Japan
Argentina
Belgium
Spain
Zimbabwe
Australia
United States
United States
United States
Argentina
Italy
Czech Republic
Slovenia
Italy
Italy
China
Chinese Taipei
India


















United States
Australia
United States
United States
Germany
Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaFederal Republic of YugoslaviaUnited States
Spain
Switzerland
United States
United States
United States
United States
Belgium
Belgium
France
Russia
Serbia
Serbia
Russia
Denmark
Belarus











































United Kingdom
United States
United States
United States
United States
China
United States



















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Women's Tennis Association: United States Top American female singles tennis players as of May 18, 2015


Steady
Increase
Increase
Increase
Decrease


Steady
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Decrease




Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 12581465 ·
 LCCN: n99017475 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0001 1459 8590 ·
 GND: 128464100 ·
 BNF: cb15007358p (data)
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: Serena Williams
1981 births
Living people
African-American tennis players
American female tennis players
American Jehovah's Witnesses
Australian Open (tennis) champions
French Open champions
Laureus World Sports Awards winners
Olympic gold medalists for the United States
Olympic tennis players of the United States
Sportspeople from Compton, California
People from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
People from Saginaw, Michigan
Sportspeople from West Palm Beach, Florida
Tennis people from California
Tennis people from Florida
Tennis people from Michigan
Tennis players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Tennis players at the 2008 Summer Olympics
US Open (tennis) champions
Wimbledon champions
World No. 1 tennis players
Olympic medalists in tennis
African-American sportswomen
Hopman Cup competitors
Tennis players at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Sportspeople with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in women's singles
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in women's doubles
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in mixed doubles
Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
American autobiographers
Women autobiographers

















Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Afrikaans
العربية
Azərbaycanca
বাংলা
Bân-lâm-gú
Беларуская
Bikol Central
Български
Català
Čeština
Cymraeg
Dansk
Deutsch
Eesti
Ελληνικά
Emiliàn e rumagnòl
Español
Esperanto
فارسی
Français
Gaeilge
Galego
한국어
Հայերեն
हिन्दी
Hrvatski
Ido
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
Basa Jawa
ಕನ್ನಡ
Kapampangan
ქართული
Latina
Latviešu
Lietuvių
Magyar
മലയാളം
मराठी
مصرى
Монгол
Nederlands
नेपाली
日本語
Norsk bokmål
Norsk nynorsk
Occitan
Plattdüütsch
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Scots
සිංහල
Simple English
Slovenčina
کوردی
Српски / srpski
Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски
Suomi
Svenska
Tagalog
தமிழ்
తెలుగు
ไทย
Türkçe
Українська
Tiếng Việt
Walon
Yorùbá
粵語
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 22 May 2015, at 20:28.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams








Venus Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For this tennis player's detailed statistics, records, and other achievements, see Venus Williams career statistics.
Venus Williams
Venus Williams 2012.jpg
Country
 United States
Residence
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Born
June 17, 1980 (age 34)
Lynwood, California
Height
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Turned pro
October 31, 1994
Plays
Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach(es)
Richard Williams
Oracene Price
 David Witt
Prize money
$30,595,369
Singles

Career record
688–184 (78.9%)
Career titles
46
Highest ranking
No. 1 (February 25, 2002)
Current ranking
No. 16 (May 11, 2015)
Grand Slam Singles results

Australian Open
F (2003)
French Open
F (2002)
Wimbledon
W (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008)
US Open
W (2000, 2001)
Other tournaments

Tour Finals
W (2008)
Olympic Games
Gold medal.svg Gold medal (2000)
Doubles

Career record
174–30 (85.29%)
Career titles
21 WTA
Highest ranking
No. 1 (June 7, 2010)
Current ranking
No. 128 (March 23, 2015)
Grand Slam Doubles results

Australian Open
W (2001, 2003, 2009, 2010)
French Open
W (1999, 2010)
Wimbledon
W (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012)
US Open
W (1999, 2009)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals
SF (2009)
Olympic Games
Gold medal.svg Gold medal (2000, 2008, 2012)
Mixed doubles

Career record
25–6 (80.65%)
Career titles
2
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results

Australian Open
W (1998)
French Open
W (1998)
Wimbledon
F (2006)
US Open
QF (1998)
Other mixed doubles tournaments
Team competitions

Fed Cup
W (1999), Record 21–4
Hopman Cup
RR (2013)
Last updated on: March 23, 2015.
Venus Williams

Medal record

Women's tennis

Competitor for the  United States

Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Singles
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2012 London Doubles
Venus Ebony Starr Williams[1] (born June 17, 1980) is an American professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1 and is ranked World No. 11 in singles as of February 1, 2015.[2] She has been ranked World No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association on three separate occasions. She became the World No. 1 for the first time on February 25, 2002, becoming the first black American woman to achieve this feat during the Open Era. She is credited as changing the women's game and ushering a new, modern era of power and athleticism on the women's professional tennis tour. She is also regarded as the best grass court player of her generation and she is widely considered as one of the all-time greats of women's tennis.
Her seven Grand Slam singles titles ties her seventh on the all time list,[3] and is more than any other active female player except for her younger sister Serena Williams. Her 22 overall Grand Slam titles consist of seven in singles, thirteen in women's doubles, and two in mixed doubles. Her five Wimbledon singles titles tie her with two other women for eighth place on the all-time list. Venus Williams is one of only four women in the open era to have won five or more Wimbledon singles titles. Between the 2000 Wimbledon Championships to the 2001 US Open, Williams won four of the six Grand Slam singles tournaments held. She is one of only five women in the open era to win 200 or more main draw Grand Slam singles matches.
Williams has won four Olympic gold medals, one in singles and three in women's doubles.[4] She and her sister Serena have won more Olympic gold medals than any other female tennis players. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Williams became only the second player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles at the same Olympic Games, after Helen Wills Moody in 1924.
With 46 career singles titles, Williams is behind only her sister Serena amongst active players on the WTA Tour. Her 35-match winning streak from the 2000 Wimbledon Championships to the 2000 Generali Ladies Linz tournament final is the longest winning streak since January 1, 2000. She is also one of only three active WTA players to have made the finals of all four Grand Slams, the other players being her sister Serena Williams and Russian Maria Sharapova.[5]
Venus Williams has played against her sister Serena Williams in 25 professional matches since 1998, with Venus winning 11 of the 25 matches. They have played against each other in eight Grand Slam singles finals, with Serena winning six times. Beginning with the 2002 French Open, they opposed each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals, the first time in the Open Era that the same two players played against each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals. On the doubles side, the pair have won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles playing alongside each other and are undefeated in Grand Slam finals.


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Playing style
3 Professional career 3.1 1994–96: Professional debut
3.2 1997–99: Early success
3.3 2000–02: Williams sisters domination
3.4 2003–06: Injuries and losses
3.5 2007–09: Return to form
3.6 2010: Return to top 2
3.7 2011: Injuries and illness
3.8 2012: Comeback to WTA tour
3.9 2013: Back injury
3.10 2014: Ending title drought and return to top 20
3.11 2015: Australian Open big form
4 Fight for equal prize money
5 Personal life 5.1 Entrepreneur
6 Recognition
7 Equipment
8 Career statistics 8.1 Grand Slam performance timeline
8.2 Grand Slam finals 8.2.1 Singles: 14 (7 titles, 7 runner-ups)
8.2.2 Women's doubles: 13 finals (13 titles)
8.2.3 Mixed doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

9 Records and achievements
10 Awards
11 See also
12 References
13 External links

Early life[edit]
Venus Ebony Starr Williams was born in Lynwood, California, to Richard Williams and Oracene Price.
The Williams family moved from Compton, California, to West Palm Beach, when she was ten, so that Venus and Serena could attend the tennis academy of Rick Macci, who took notice of the sisters and who would provide additional coaching. He did not always agree with Williams's father but respected that "he treated his daughters like kids, allowed them to be little girls".[6] Richard stopped sending his daughters to national junior tennis tournaments when Williams was eleven, since he wanted them to take it slow and focus on school work. Another motivation was racial, as he had allegedly heard parents of other players talk negatively about the Williams sisters during tournaments.[7] At that time, Venus Williams held a 63–0 record on the United States Tennis Association junior tour and was ranked No. 1 among the under-12 players in Southern California.[8] In 1995, Richard pulled his daughters out of Macci's academy, and from then on took over all coaching at their home.
Playing style[edit]


 This section of a biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2012)
Williams is a very powerful baseliner, equipped with an attacking all-court game. Her game is very well adapted to grass, where she feels most comfortable, which is reflected in her five Wimbledon singles titles. Across her career, she has developed into a skillful volleyer and effectively utilizes her long "wingspan" (1.85m) and agility around the net.[9] Williams also has great court coverage using her long reach to play with balls that most players reject and is capable of hitting outright winners from a defensive position.[10]
Williams holds the record for fastest serve in three of the four Grand Slam tournaments: 2007 French Open second round, 2008 Wimbledon final, 2007 US Open first round – 129 mph (208 km/h).[11] At Wimbledon in 2008, her average first serve speed was 115 mph (185 km/h) in the quarterfinal, 116 mph (187 km/h) in the semifinal, and 111 mph (179 km/h) in the final.[citation needed]
Williams has always been an explosive hitter of the ball off the ground, but her backhand is the more consistently reliable of her groundstrokes.[citation needed] Her backhand is equally effective down-the-line or crosscourt (frequently for a set-up approach shot).[citation needed] Her forehand occasionally breaks down under pressure.[citation needed] However, it is still the more powerful of her groundstrokes and yields many winners, from a variety of court positions.[citation needed] Additionally, it is one of the most powerful forehands in the women's game,[citation needed] frequently struck in the 85 – 90 mph (140 km/h) range.[citation needed] In the 2008 Wimbledon women's final, Venus struck a forehand winner measured at 94 mph (IBM/Wimbledon).[citation needed]
The low bounces that grass produces tend to make her first serve an even more powerful weapon.[citation needed] Her movement on grass is also among the best on the WTA tour.[citation needed] Clay is Williams's weakest surface although she has suffered numerous injuries prior to the French Open.[citation needed] Her movement is suspect and her powerful serve and groundstrokes are less effective.[citation needed] Still, she has won numerous[clarification needed] titles on clay.
Professional career[edit]


 This section of a biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2012)
1994–96: Professional debut[edit]
Venus Williams turned professional on October 31, 1994, at the age of fourteen. In the second round of her first professional tournament, the Bank of the West Classic in Oakland, Williams was up a set and a service break against World No. 2 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario before losing the match. That was the only tournament Williams played in 1994.
In 1995, Williams played three more events as a wild card, falling in the first round of the tournament in Los Angeles and the tournament in Toronto but reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament in Oakland, defeating World No. 18 Amy Frazier in the second round for her first win over a top 20 ranked player before losing to Magdalena Maleeva.
Williams played five events in 1996, falling in the first round four times but reaching the third round in Los Angeles, before losing to World Number 1 Steffi Graf.
1997–99: Early success[edit]
Williams played 15 tour events in 1997, including five Tier I tournaments. She reached the quarterfinals in three of the Tier I events – the State Farm Evert Cup in Indian Wells, California, the European Indoor Championships in Zürich, and the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. In Indian Wells in March, Williams defeated World No. 9 Iva Majoli in the third round for her first win over a player ranked in the top 10. She then lost in the quarterfinals to World No. 8 Lindsay Davenport in a third set tiebreak. Her ranking broke into the top 100 on April 14, 1997. She made her debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament at the French Open, reaching the second round before losing to Nathalie Tauziat. She then lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Magdalena Grzybowska. During her debut at the US Open, she lost the final to Martina Hingis after defeating Irina Spîrlea in a semifinal famous for "the bump" in which Spîrlea intentionally collided with Williams during a changeover. Richard Williams, her father, later claimed that this incident was racially motivated.[12] She was the first woman since Pam Shriver in 1978 to reach a US Open singles final on her first attempt and was the first unseeded US Open women's singles finalist since 1958. On September 8, 1997, her ranking broke into the top 50 for the first time. She ended the year ranked World No. 22.
In her debut at the Australian Open, Williams defeated younger sister Serena in the second round, which was the sisters' first professional meeting. Venus eventually lost in the quarterfinals to World No. 3 Davenport.
Three weeks later, Williams defeated World No. 2 Davenport for the first time in the semifinals of the IGA Tennis Classic in Oklahoma City. Williams then defeated Joannette Kruger in the final to win the first singles title of her career. In her first Tier I event of the year, Williams lost in the semifinals of the State Farm Evert Cup in Indian Wells to World No. 1 Hingis. The following week, Williams won the Tier I Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida, defeating World No. 1 Hingis in the semifinals. On March 30, 1998, her ranking broke into the top 10 for the first time, at World No. 10.
Williams played only one tournament on clay before the 1998 French Open. At the Italian Open in Rome, she defeated sister Serena in the quarterfinals and World No. 5 Sánchez Vicario in the semifinals before losing to World No. 1 Hingis in the final. Williams lost again to Hingis in the quarterfinals of the French Open. Williams lost her first match at the Direct Line International Championships in Eastbourne on grass before losing to eventual champion and World No. 3 Jana Novotná in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. On July 27, 1998, her ranking rose to World No. 5.
Williams played three tournaments during the North American 1998 summer hard court season. She reached her fifth final of the year at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California, defeating World No. 6 Monica Seles in the semifinals before losing to World No. 1 Davenport. Patellar tendonitis in her left knee caused her to retire from her quarterfinal match at the tournament in San Diego while trailing Mary Pierce 4–0 in the third set. At the US Open, Williams defeated fourth seeded Sánchez Vicario in the quarterfinals before losing to second seeded and eventual champion Davenport in the semifinals.
Williams played four tournaments the remainder of 1998. She won her third title of the year at the Grand Slam Cup in Munich in September, defeating World No. 9 Patty Schnyder in the final. She lost in the second round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt before losing in the final of the Tier I Swisscom Challenge in Zürich to World No. 1 Davenport and the semifinals of the Tier I Kremlin Cup in Moscow to Pierce. She had earned enough points during the year to participate in the year-ending Chase Championship but withdrew from the tournament because of tendinitis in her knee. She finished the year ranked World No. 5.
In 1998, Williams teamed with Justin Gimelstob to win the mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and the French Open. Her sister Serena won the other two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles that year, completing a "Williams Family Mixed Doubles Grand Slam". Williams won the first two women's doubles titles of her career, in Oklahoma City and Zürich. Both titles came with sister Serena, becoming only the third pair of sisters to win a WTA tour doubles title.[13]
Williams started the 1999 tour in Australia, where she lost to World No. 10 Steffi Graf in the quarterfinals of the Medibank International in Sydney and World No. 1 Davenport in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. However, she rebounded at the Faber Grand Prix in Hanover, defeating Graf for the first time in the semifinals before losing the final to World No. 3 Novotná. Williams then successfully defended her titles in both Oklahoma City and Key Biscayne. She defeated Novotná and Graf to reach the final in Key Biscayne, where she defeated Serena in three sets in the first final on the WTA Tour to be contested by two sisters.
Williams played four clay court events during the spring. She lost her first match at the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Florida. Three weeks later, however, she won her first title on clay at the Betty Barclay Cup in Hamburg, defeating Mary Pierce in the final. Williams then won the Tier I Italian Open in Rome, defeating World No. 1 Hingis in the semifinals and World No. 8 Pierce in the final. At the French Open, she extended her winning streak to 22 matches before losing in the fourth round to World No. 125 Barbara Schwartz. Williams teamed with Serena to win the women's doubles title at this event, the first Grand Slam title the pair won together.
At the 1999 Wimbledon Championships, Williams defeated World No. 17 Anna Kournikova in the fourth round to reach the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year, where she lost to eventual runner-up Graf.
Williams rebounded in the summer when she won two Fed Cup matches against Italy and lost in the final of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford to World No. 1 Davenport. One week later, Williams defeated Davenport in the semifinals of the TIG Tennis Classic in San Diego before losing to World No. 2 Hingis in the final. In her last tournament before the US Open, Williams won the Pilot Pen Tennis in New Haven, Connecticut, defeating World No. 5 Seles in the semifinals and Davenport in the final. On August 30, 1999, her world ranking reached third for the first time. Seeded third at the US Open, Williams lost in the semifinals to World No. 1 Hingis in three sets. However, she teamed with singles champion Serena at this event to win their second Grand Slam women's doubles title.
During the remainder of the year, Williams contributed to the USA's victory over Russia in the Fed Cup final, winning one singles rubber before joining Serena to win the doubles rubber. At the Grand Slam Cup in Munich, Venus defeated Hingis in the semifinals before losing to Serena for the first time in the final. Venus won her sixth title of the year at the Tier I event in Zurich, defeating World No. 1 Hingis in the final. Four weeks later, she lost to Davenport in the semifinals of the tournament in Philadelphia. Making her debut at the year-ending Chase Championships, Williams lost to Hingis in the semifinals. She finished the year ranked World No. 3.
2000–02: Williams sisters domination[edit]
In 2000, Williams missed the first five months of the year with tendinitis in both wrists. She returned to the tour during the European clay court season. She lost in the quarterfinals of the Betty Barclay Cup in Hamburg to Amanda Coetzer and in the third round of the Tier I Italian Open in Rome to Jelena Dokić. Although she had won only two of her four matches before the French Open, she was seeded fourth there. She won her first four matches in Paris without losing a set before losing in the quarterfinals to eighth-seeded and former champion Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in three sets.
Williams then won 35 consecutive singles matches and six tournaments. She won her first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, defeating World No. 1 Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals, sister Serena in the semifinals, and defending champion Lindsay Davenport in the final. She also teamed with Serena to win the women's doubles title at this event.
She won three Tier II events during the North American summer hard court season, defeating Davenport in the final of the tournament in Stanford, California and Monica Seles in the finals of both the tournament in San Diego and the tournament in New Haven, Connecticut.
At the US Open, Williams defeated still-World No. 1 Hingis in the semifinals and World No. 2 Davenport in the final. At the Olympic Games in Sydney, she defeated Sánchez Vicario in the quarterfinals, Seles in the semifinals, and Elena Dementieva in the final to win the gold medal. She also won the gold medal in women's doubles with her sister Serena. Davenport eventually snapped her winning streak in October in the final of the tournament in Linz. Williams did not play a tournament the rest of the year because of anemia. She finished the year ranked World No. 3 and with six singles titles.
In 2001, Williams reached the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time, where she lost to World No. 1 Hingis. However, Venus teamed with Serena to win the doubles title at the event, completing a Career Grand Slam in women's doubles for the pair.
Williams also reached the semifinals of the Tier I Tennis Masters Series tournament in Indian Wells, California, where she controversially defaulted her match with sister Serena just before the match started. Venus had been suffering from knee tendinitis throughout the tournament and eventually this prevented her from playing. The following day, Venus and her father Richard were booed as they made their way to their seats to watch the final.[14] Serena was subsequently booed during the final with Kim Clijsters and during the trophy presentation. Due to this, neither Williams sister has entered the tournament since.[15] Venus rebounded from the Indian Wells 'boycott' controversy to win the next tournament on the tour calendar, the Tier I Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida. She defeated Hingis in the semifinals and World No. 4 Jennifer Capriati in the final, after saving eight championship points. Because of this victory, her ranking rose to a career high of World No. 2.
During the European clay court season, Williams won the Tier II tournament in Hamburg but lost in the third round of the Tier I EUROCARD Ladies German Open to World No. 18 Justine Henin and the first round of the French Open to Barbara Schett. This was only the second time that she had lost in the first round of a Grand Slam singles tournament. Williams then successfully defended her Wimbledon title, defeating third-seeded Davenport in the semifinals and eighth-seeded Henin in three sets in Henin's first Wimbledon final.
During the North American summer hard court season, Williams won for the second consecutive year the tournaments in San Diego, defeating Seles in the final, and in New Haven, defeating Davenport in the final. Williams also won the US Open singles title for the second consecutive year, without dropping a set. In the quarterfinals, she beat fifth-seeded Clijsters, followed by a semifinal victory over World No. 2 Capriati. She played Serena in the final, which was the first Grand Slam singles final contested by two sisters during the open era. Venus won the match and her fourth Grand Slam singles title. Venus also became only the sixth woman in history to win the singles titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open in consecutive years, the others being Martina Navrátilová (twice), Steffi Graf (twice), Althea Gibson, Maureen Connolly Brinker, and Helen Wills Moody (twice).
Williams began 2002 by winning the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts in Gold Coast, Australia, defeating Henin in the final. However, she then lost for the first time in her career to Seles in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Williams then went on to win the Open Gaz de France in Paris when Jelena Dokić withdrew from the final, and the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium, defeating Henin in the final. As a result of her strong start to the season, Williams assumed the World No. 1 position for the first time on February 25, dislodging Capriati. Williams was the first African-American woman ever to hold the ranking. She held it for just three weeks before surrendering it back to Capriati.
Williams failed to defend her title in Miami after losing in the semifinals to Serena. However, she made a strong start to the clay-court season, winning the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Florida, defeating Henin in the final. A week after winning that tournament, she once again replaced Capriati as the World No. 1, before losing it again to Capriati after three weeks. During those three weeks, Williams had made the final in Hamburg, defeating Hingis in the semifinals before losing to Clijsters in the final. Seeded second at the French Open, Williams defeated former champion Seles to reach the semifinals for the first time. There, she defeated Clarisa Fernández. In the final, Williams met Serena for a second time in a Grand Slam final, with Serena winning. Venus once again replaced Capriati as the World No. 1 as a result of reaching the final.
As the top seed at Wimbledon, Williams defeated Henin in the semifinals to make the final for the third consecutive year. However, there, she lost to Serena. This result meant Serena replaced Venus as the World No. 1. The Williams sisters teamed up to win the women's doubles title at the event, their fifth Grand Slam women's doubles title together.
Williams won the titles in San Diego and New Haven for the third consecutive year, defeating Davenport and Dokic to win the former and defeating Davenport in the final of the latter. At the US Open, Williams defeated Seles in the quarterfinals and Amélie Mauresmo in three sets to make the final. Playing Serena for their third consecutive Grand Slam final, Serena won once again. After that, Venus played just four more matches during the season. She reached the semifinals at the year-ending Sanex Championships after defeating Seles in the quarterfinals, but she then was forced to retire against Clijsters due to injury. Williams finished the year ranked World No. 2 having won seven titles, her best showing in both respects of her career.
2003–06: Injuries and losses[edit]
Williams started 2003 by defeating fifth seed Justine Henin to make the final of the Australian Open for the first time. In the final, however, she lost to sister Serena. This marked the first time in the open era that the same two players had met in four consecutive Grand Slam finals. Venus and Serena teamed to win the women's doubles title at the event, their sixth Grand Slam title in women's doubles.
In February, Williams won the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium for the second consecutive year, defeating Kim Clijsters in the final. However, shortly afterwards, she began to struggle with injury. She reached the final of the clay-court J&S Cup in Warsaw, before being forced to retire against Amélie Mauresmo. She then suffered her earliest exit at a Grand Slam tournament in two years when she lost in the fourth round of the French Open to Vera Zvonareva.
At Wimbledon, Williams was seeded fourth. Williams defeated former champion Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals and Kim Clijsters in the semifinals to advance to her fourth consecutive Wimbledon final, where she lost again to sister Serena.
Wimbledon was Williams's last event of the year as an abdominal injury that occurred during the Clijsters match prevented her from playing again. While she was recovering from the injury, her sister Yetunde Price was murdered.[16] Williams finished the year ranked world no. 11. It was the first time in nearly six years that she had dropped out of the top 10.
In 2004, Williams came back to the tour suffering inconsistent results. As the third seed because of a protected ranking, she reached the third round of the Australian Open, where she lost to Lisa Raymond. She then lost in the quarterfinals of her next three tournaments.
Williams began to find her form at the beginning of the clay-court season. At the Tier I Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, Williams defeated Conchita Martínez in the final to win her first title in over a year and the second Tier I title on clay of her career. She then won in Warsaw, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final, before reaching the final of the Tier I German Open in Berlin. She then withdrew from that match against Mauresmo due to injury. Going into the French Open, Williams had the best clay-court record among the women and was among the favorites to win the title; however, after making the quarterfinals to extend her winning streak on the surface to 19 matches, she lost to eventual champion Anastasia Myskina. Despite her defeat, she re-entered the top 10.
At Wimbledon, Williams lost a controversial second-round match to Croatian Karolina Šprem. The umpire of the match, Ted Watts, awarded Šprem an unearned point in the second-set tiebreak. Upon the conclusion of the match, he was relieved of his duties.[17] This defeat marked the first time since 1997 that Williams had exited Wimbledon prior to the quarterfinals. After Wimbledon, Williams reached her fourth final of the year at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California, where she was beaten by Lindsay Davenport for the first time since 2000.
As the defending champion at the Athens Olympics, Williams lost in the third round to Mary Pierce. She then won three very close matches against Petra Mandula, Shikha Uberoi and Chanda Rubin to make the fourth round of the US Open where she lost to Davenport, the first time she had ever lost at the US Open prior to the semifinals. Williams completed the year by losing in the quarterfinals of three indoor tournaments in the fall, a period that included defeat in her first meeting with 17-year-old Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova at the Zurich Open. Williams finished the year as world no. 9 and did not qualify for the year-ending WTA Tour Championships.
In 2005, Williams started the year by losing in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Alicia Molik. She then reached the final in Antwerp, defeating Clijsters and Myskina en route. In the final, Williams was a set and a service break up against Mauresmo before eventually losing.
In March, at the NASDAQ-100 Open in Miami, Williams defeated sister and Australian Open champion Serena in the quarterfinals, the first time she had defeated Serena since 2001. Venus went on to lose in the semifinals to world no. 3 Sharapova. In May, Williams won her first title in over a year at the clay-court İstanbul Cup, defeating Nicole Vaidišová in the final. However, at the French Open, she lost in the third round to 15-year-old Sesil Karatantcheva, who subsequently tested positive for steroids and was suspended.
Williams was seeded 14th at Wimbledon. In the quarterfinals of the tournament, she defeated French Open runner-up Pierce in an epic second-set tiebreak, winning it 12–10 to make the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in two years. There, she defeated defending champion and second-seeded Maria Sharapova to make the Wimbledon final for the fifth time in six years. Playing top-seeded Davenport in the final, Williams saved a match point with a backhand winner en route to winning. This was Williams's third Wimbledon singles title, her fifth Grand Slam singles title overall and her first since 2001. It was the first time in 70 years that a player had won after being down match point during the women's final at Wimbledon.[citation needed] In addition, Williams was the lowest-ranked (world no. 16) and lowest-seeded (14th) champion in tournament history.[citation needed] Williams returned to the top 10 following the victory.
Following Wimbledon, Williams reached her fourth final of the year in Stanford, where she lost to Clijsters. At the US Open, Williams achieved her second consecutive win over Serena in the fourth round, but then lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Kim Clijsters. Williams did not qualify for the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships because of an injury sustained during the tournament in Beijing. She finished the year ranked world no. 10. It was the first year since 2001 that she had finished a year ranked higher than Serena.



 Venus Williams prepares to serve during the 2006 J&S Cup in Warsaw
In 2006, Williams was upset in the first round of the Australian Open by Tszvetana Pironkova, which was her earliest loss ever at that tournament. After that loss, she did not play again for three months due to a wrist injury. She returned in late April on clay in Warsaw, where she defeated former world no. 1 Martina Hingis in the second round, before losing to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals. Williams completed the clay-court season by reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open, where she lost to Nicole Vaidišová.
Williams was the defending champion and one of the favorites to win the singles title at Wimbledon. However, she lost in the third round to 26th-seeded Jelena Janković. After the loss, Williams said that she was having pain in her left wrist, although she admitted that the injury was not the cause of her loss. Williams did not play in the US Open series or the US Open itself due to the wrist injury. During her first tournament in almost three months in October, she reinjured her wrist at the tournament in Luxembourg and lost in the second round to qualifier Agnieszka Radwańska. Williams finished the season as world no. 46, her lowest finish since she began to play on the WTA Tour full-time in 1997. It was the second consecutive year she finished higher than Serena, who finished the year at world no. 95.
2007–09: Return to form[edit]
Williams withdrew from the 2007 Australian Open, the second consecutive Grand Slam that she had missed due to her recurring wrist injury. She returned in February at the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, USA, defeating top-seeded Shahar Pe'er in the final, her first singles title since her victory at Wimbledon in 2005.
At the beginning of the clay-court season, Williams reached the semifinals of the Tier I Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, where she lost to Jelena Janković on a third set tiebreak. She also lost to fourth seed Janković in the third round of the French Open, her third consecutive loss to Janković. During her second round win over Ashley Harkleroad, Williams hit a 206 km/h (128 mph) serve, which is the second fastest woman's serve ever recorded and the fastest ever recorded during a main draw match.



 Venus competing in the WTT
Williams was ranked World No. 31 going into Wimbledon and was seeded 23rd at the tournament due to her previous results at Wimbledon. Williams was a game away from defeat in her first round match against Alla Kudryavtseva and in her third round match against Akiko Morigami she was two points away from defeat, but she eventually won both 7–5 in the third set. She then advanced to reach her sixth Wimbledon final, after beating Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovic in straight sets en route, where she defeated 18th seed Marion Bartoli also in straight sets. Williams thus became only the fourth woman in the open era to win Wimbledon at least four times, along with Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf. She also became the lowest-seeded Wimbledon champion in history, breaking the record she herself set in 2005. Williams returned to the top 20 as a result of the win.[18]
At the US Open, after setting a Grand-Slam record 129 mph (208 km/h) serve in the opening round,[19] Williams advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal outside of Wimbledon since 2003. However she then lost to eventual champion Justine Henin. The tournament resulted in Williams's ranking moving up to World No. 9. Williams then won her third title of the year at the Hansol Korea Open Tennis Championships in Seoul, South Korea, defeating Maria Kirilenko in the final, before then losing in the final of the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo to Virginie Razzano. Williams had earned enough points during the year to qualify for the year-ending WTA Tour Championships in Madrid; however, she withdrew because of continuing problems with anemia.[20] Williams finished the year as World No. 8 with three titles, her best performance in both respects since 2002, and a winning percentage of 83 percent.
In 2008, as the eighth seed at the Australian Open, Williams reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003. However, she then lost to eventual runner-up Ana Ivanovic. Williams made her first semifinal of the year at the Bangalore Open in Bangalore, India, where she met sister Serena for the first time since 2005 with Serena winning despite Venus holding a match point in the third set tie break.
Williams missed two tournaments at the beginning of the clay-court season due to undisclosed medical problems.[21] At the French Open, Williams was seeded eighth but was eliminated by 26th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta in the third round.
Williams was the defending champion and seventh-seeded player at Wimbledon. Without dropping a set, she reached her seventh Wimbledon singles final. She then won her fifth Wimbledon singles title, and seventh Grand Slam singles title overall, by beating sister Serena in straight sets. This was the first time since 2003 that Venus and Serena had played each other in a Grand Slam final and was the first time since 2001 that Venus had defeated her in a Grand Slam final. Venus and Serena then teamed to win the women's doubles title, their first Grand Slam doubles title together since 2003.
Williams lost in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics to Li Na. She did, however, earn a gold medal along with Serena in women's doubles, their second gold medal as a team, having won together at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. At the US Open, Williams was playing some of her best tennis since dominating the circuit in 2003, However, she was defeated in two tiebreaks by Serena in an epic quarter final match after Venus led 5–3 in both sets, and would later win the tournament.



 Venus Williams at the 2008 WTA Tour Championships
At the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany in October, Williams defeated a player ranked in the top three for the first time that season by defeating World No. 3 Dinara Safina to reach her third semifinal of the year. There, she lost to Janković. A fortnight later, Williams won the Zurich Open, defeating Ivanovic in the semifinals before defeating Pennetta in the final to claim her second title of the year and secure a position in the year-ending 2008 WTA Tour Championships in Doha, Qatar. There, Williams defeated World No. 2 Safina, World No. 3 Serena and World No. 5 Dementieva in the preliminary round-robin stage. In the semifinals, Williams defeated World No. 1 Janković before winning the year-ending tournament for the first time by defeating Vera Zvonareva in the final. She ended the year ranked sixth in the world with three titles and a winning percentage of 78 percent.
As the sixth seed at the 2009 Australian Open, Williams lost in the second round to Carla Suárez Navarro after holding a match point in the third set. However, she teamed up with Serena to win the women's doubles title at the event, their eighth Grand Slam doubles title together. Venus rebounded in singles play in February at the Premier 5 (formerly Tier I) Dubai Tennis Championships, defeating defending champion and World No. 4 Dementieva in the quarterfinals and World No. 1 Serena in the semifinals on a third set tiebreak. The latter win meant that Venus led the head-to-head in career matches with her sister for the first time since 2002. Venus went on to defeat Virginie Razzano in the final. This win meant Williams was ranked in the top five for the first time since 2003, while it also marked her 40th professional singles title, only the twelfth player in the open era to achieve the feat.[22] Williams won another title the following week at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, Mexico, defeating Pennetta in the final. This was her first title on clay since 2005.
On European clay, Williams reached the semifinals in Rome before losing to World No. 1 Safina. This run meant Williams was ranked in the top three for the first time since 2003. Seeded third at the French Open, Williams lost to Ágnes Szávay in the third round, the third consecutive year she had exited at that stage.[23]
Williams was seeded third at Wimbledon. She advanced to her eighth Wimbledon final where she had won 36 straight sets (held since Wimbledon 2007). In the final however she lost the first set tie break and from then on lost in two sets to sister Serena. The Williams sisters teamed up to win the doubles title at the tournament for the fourth time.
In Stanford, Williams defeated Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva to advance to the finals, where she would lose to Marion Bartoli. Teaming with her sister, she played doubles and won the title, defeating Monica Niculescu and Yung-Jan Chan.



 Venus lost to the eventual champion at the US Open
At the 2009 US Open, as the third seed, Williams made it to the fourth round before losing to Kim Clijsters in three sets. Venus then teamed up with Serena to play doubles at the open, where they won the title over defending champions and world No. 1s in doubles, Cara Black and Liezel Huber, claiming their third grand slam doubles title in 2009.
Williams's last tournament in 2009 was the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships, where she was the defending champion in singles. She was in the maroon group which includes her sister Serena, along with Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova. She lost her first match against Dementieva, and her second match against Serena- both in straight sets, after taking the first set. In her third and final RR match, Williams defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova. Because of Dementieva's loss to Kuznetsova in their round robin match, Venus advanced to the semifinal of the championships. In her semifinal match, she defeated Jelena Janković of Serbia to advance to her second consecutive final in the tournament. In the final, she lost to her sister Serena. In doubles, Venus teamed with Serena as the second seed. However, they lost to Nuria Llagostera Vives and María José Martínez Sánchez in the semifinal. Their doubles record at the end of the year stood at 24–2.
Venus finished 2009 ranked world number 6 in singles (with a winning percentage of 70 percent) and world number 3 in doubles with Serena, in spite of playing only 6 events together in 2009.
2010: Return to top 2[edit]
Williams played at the Australian Open as the sixth seed. She defeated 17th-seeded Francesca Schiavone in the fourth round. She was two points from defeating 16th-seeded Li Na in the quarterfinals before losing in three sets. In doubles, she teamed with her sister Serena to successfully defend their title, defeating the top-ranked team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber in the final. The Williams sisters are undefeated in Grand Slam women's doubles finals and are 4–0 in Australian Open doubles finals.



 Williams at the 2010 Wimbledon.
Williams then played the Dubai Tennis Championships, where she was the defending champion. Seeded third, she successfully defended her title by defeating fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka in the final.
Williams next played on clay at the Abierto Mexico Telcel in Acapulco where she was the defending champion. She reached the semifinals after recovering from a 1–5 third set deficit to Laura Pous Tió in the quarterfinals. In the final, she defeated first-time finalist Polona Hercog from Slovenia. This was her 43rd career title, the most among active female players.
Her next tournament was the Premier Mandatory Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, where she was seeded third. She defeated World No. 9 Agnieszka Radwańska in the quarterfinals and World No. 13 Marion Bartoli in the semifinals to reach her third straight WTA tour final and fourth Sony Ericsson Open final. She was defeated by Kim Clijsters in the final in just 58 minutes, ending her 15-match winning streak. By reaching the final, her ranking improved to World No. 4 and she crossed the $26 million mark in career prize money, the only player besides Serena to do so.
The knee injury that hampered her during the final of the Sony Ericsson Open forced her to skip the Fed Cup tie against Russia and the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Williams returned to the tour at the Premier 5 Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. She suffered the worst defeat of her career in the quarterfinals, losing to World No. 4 Jelena Janković 6–0, 6–1. Despite this loss, Williams's ranking improved to World No. 3 on May 10.



 Williams at the 2010 Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open
Her next tournament was the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open, a Premier Mandatory tournament. She lost to Aravane Rezaï in the final. In doubles, she teamed with Serena to win the title.
On May 17, her ranking improved to World No. 2, behind only Serena. This was the fourth time that the William sisters' have occupied the top two spots, and the first time since May 2003.
Her next tournament was the French Open, where she played both singles and doubles despite her knee injury. Seeded second in singles, she advanced past the third round at this tournament for the first time since 2006 before losing to Nadia Petrova in the round of 16. She also played doubles with Serena as the top seeds. Their defeat of Huber and Anabel Medina Garrigues in the semifinals increased their doubles ranking to World No. 1. They then defeated 12th seeded Květa Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik in the final to win their fourth consecutive Grand Slam women's doubles title.
Her next tournament was the Wimbledon Championships, where she had reached the final the previous three years. Despite her knee injury, she made it to the quarterfinals, where she lost to Tsvetana Pironkova. Pironkova was ranked 82nd in the world and had never gone past the second round of a Grand Slam event. As a result, Williams dropped to #4 in the world. She was the defending champion in doubles with her sister Serena, having won the tournament in the previous two years. However, they lost this time in the quarterfinals to Elena Vesnina and Vera Zvonareva.
Williams then missed all tournaments in the US Open Series because of a left knee injury but still participated at the US Open as the third seed. She won three matches to move into the fourth round. Williams became one of only two women in 2010 (along with Caroline Wozniacki) to reach at least the fourth round at all four Grand Slam singles tournaments. Williams then defeated Pe'er and French Open champion Schiavone en route to her eighth US Open semifinal, against defending champion Clijsters. Williams won the first set of their match and recovered from 5–2 down in the second set but ultimately double-faulted on a key point near the end of the match and lost in three sets. Because of Serena's withdrawal from the US Open, Venus did not participate at the doubles event where she was the defending champion.
The recovery of her left knee took longer than expected and it forced her to miss the rest of 2010, including the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships and Fed Cup final.[24] Williams ended the year ranked fifth in singles, the first time she ended a year in the top five since 2002, while playing only nine tournaments. She finished the year ranked eleventh in doubles.
2011: Injuries and illness[edit]



 Williams in 2011
Williams started 2011 by participating at the Hong Kong Tennis Classic. She lost both her singles matches against Vera Zvonareva and Li Na, but she managed to help Team America to win the silver group. Her next tournament was the 2011 Australian Open where she was the fourth seed. She retired in the second game of her third round match against the 30th seed Andrea Petkovic due to a hip muscle injury.[25] This was Williams's first retirement during a match in a Grand Slam tournament since 1994 and thus ended her record of most Grand Slam matches without ever retiring, with 250 consecutive matches.[26] This was also her first retirement from a match since LA Women's Tennis Championships in Los Angeles in 2004, ending her 294 consecutive matches without retiring.
The injury forced Williams to pull out of the Fed Cup quarterfinal against Belgium, the Dubai Tennis Championships, and the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, where she was the two-time defending champion in both tournaments. She also pulled out of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami causing her ranking to drop to world no. 15. Further, she missed Madrid and Rome. This caused her rankings to drop to world no. 29. Originally scheduled to come back in Brussels, she eventually withdrew from the Premier tournament. Further, she also missed Roland Garros, marking the first Grand Slam tournament since 2003 US Open where neither of the Williams sisters are competing.
Williams then made her first appearance since the Australian Open in Eastbourne. Unseeded, she lost for the first time in eleven meetings to Daniela Hantuchová in the quarterfinals. She was seeded 23rd at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships. She played for nearly three hours in her second round match against Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm, winning in three tough sets. She then defeated Spaniard María José Martínez Sánchez in the third round but was defeated by Bulgarian 32nd seed Tsvetana Pironkova in the fourth round.
Originally scheduled to participate in Toronto and Cincinnati, Williams withdrew due to viral illness.[27] Her next scheduled tournament was the US Open.[28] As an unseeded player, Williams defeated Vesna Dolonts in the first round. She was scheduled to meet 22nd seed Sabine Lisicki in the second round, but withdrew before the match began due to Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease with which she was recently diagnosed.[29][30] This marked the first time in her career that she did not reach the quarterfinals or better in any of the grandslam tournaments in a season. As a result, her ranking dropped to world no. 105.
Williams did not play for the rest of the year in competitive level; although she did appear in three exhibitions tournaments in November and early December. She played a match against Serena in Colombia which she won in straight sets.[31] The week later, the sisters appeared in Milan, Italy to play exhibition against Italian duo Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta. Williams lost both her singles tie-break matches but won the doubles pairing with her sister.[32] Williams then headed to Barbados to play her third exhibition tournament where she lost to Victoria Azarenka.
She ended the year ranked world no. 102. This is her first finish of a season ranked outside of the world top 50 since 1997.
2012: Comeback to WTA tour[edit]
Williams was scheduled to play in Auckland as her preparation before the Australian Open.[33] However, she withdrew from the tournament because of her ongoing health problems. Further, she announced in her website that she also withdrew from the Australian Open. However, she also mentioned her intention to come back to the WTA circuit in February.[34] As a result, her ranking dropped further to world no. 135. Williams returned to the competition in the doubles match of the Fed Cup's World Group II tie between USA and Belarus that was held in Worcester, Massachusetts on 4–5 February.[35] She partnered with Liezel Huber and won the dead-rubber in straight sets.
Williams was granted wildcards to participate in Miami[36] and Charleston.[37] In her first singles match since the 2011 US Open, Williams defeated Japanese veteran, Kimiko Date-Krumm in straight sets in the first round of Miami. She followed up the victory by defeating world no. 3 Petra Kvitová in the second round, her first Top 3 victory since defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2009. Then, she beat Aleksandra Wozniak in a three-set tiebreaker in the third round, in a match that lasted almost three hours and where she saved a match point, to advance to the fourth round. In the round of 16, she bested world no. 15, Ana Ivanovic in three sets to reach the quarterfinals where she appeared fatigued and lost to the eventual champion, Agnieszka Radwańska in straight sets. Her run improved her ranking to no. 87. A week later in Charleston, she reached her second consecutive quarterfinals appearance, defeating Jelena Janković en route. She lost in three sets in the quarterfinals to Samantha Stosur.



 Williams at the French Open.
In the following the clay court season, Williams was granted wildcards to participate in Madrid and Rome. In Madrid, she lost in the second round to Angelique Kerber but still improved her world ranking to no. 63. A week later in Rome, she reached her third quarterfinals of the four tournaments she had participated in with a straight-sets victory against Samantha Stosur in the third round. She lost in the quarterfinals in straight sets to the world no. 2, defending and eventual champion Maria Sharapova.[38] Her appearance in Rome increased her ranking to world no. 52 and putting her as the third-ranked American. She lost in the second round of the French Open to Agnieszka Radwańska in straight sets.
She next participated in the Wimbledon tournament, where for the first time since 1997 she was not seeded.[39] She was drawn against Elena Vesnina in the first round, to whom Venus lost in straight sets.[40] It was also the first time Venus lost in the first round of a Grand Slam Tournament since the 2006 Australian Open, as well as the first opening round loss at Wimbledon since her pro tennis debut appearance there in 1997.[41] Williams fared much better in her return to doubles competition where she played alongside her sister, Serena. In just the pair's first tournament since 2010 Wimbledon, the unseeded sisters advanced to the final with notable victories against fourth-seeded Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova in the second round and top-seeded Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond in the semifinals. The Williams sisters claimed their fifth Wimbledon doubles title after defeating sixth-seeded Andrea Hlaváčková and Lucie Hradecká in straight sets in the final, on the same day Serena won her fifth Wimbledon singles title.
Williams's next stop was the 2012 Summer Olympics Games which was held in the same venue as Wimbledon. She entered the women's singles and women's doubles events, partnering with sister Serena in doubles. In singles, Williams defeated Sara Errani and Aleksandra Wozniak in convincing fashion to reach the third round where she faced Angelique Kerber. She lost to Kerber in two tiebreaks despite having three set points and leading 5–1 in the tiebreak in the first set. In doubles, the unseeded Williams sisters advanced to the final which was a repeat of Wimbledon's final match against fourth-seeded Hlaváčková and Hradecká. The sisters won their third gold medal in doubles after defeating the Czech pair in straight sets.
Next, Williams participated in Cincinnati where she received a singles wild card entry. She defeated her first two opponents, 14th seeded Maria Kirilenko and Chanelle Scheepers, in three tight sets before crushing 8th seeded Errani in the third round. In the quarterfinals, she defeated her second top 10 opponent in a row Samantha Stosur in three sets which advanced her to her first semifinals appearance since the 2010 US Open. In the semifinals Williams played through a back injury, eventually losing in three sets to Li Na in a match where her average first serve was between 80–90 miles per hour.[citation needed] Her semifinals run would bring her ranking back to within the top 50 for the first time in almost a year. At the US Open Williams lost in a second round match against Angelique Kerber in three sets, after she had a 4–2 lead in the third set.[citation needed]
Williams won her 44th career WTA title and her first in over two and half years at the 2012 BGL Luxembourg Open. She defeated Belinda Bencic, Mona Barthel, Roberta Vinci, and Andrea Petkovic to reach the final. There she defeated Monica Niculescu in two sets. With the title, Williams's ranking rose to #24 and ended 2012 with this ranking.
2013: Back injury[edit]
At the 2013 Hopman Cup, and playing for USA (with John Isner), the first rubber was against South Africa. Williams beat Chanelle Scheepers and, with John Isner, they comfortably defeated the South African pair Chanelle Scheepers and Kevin Anderson. In USA's second rubber against France, she won both her singles and in mixed doubles defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mathilde Johansson. Next she faced Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain and won in two sets.
From there Williams went onto the Australian Open, seeded 25, after missing it the previous year due to injury. She beat Galina Voskoboeva and Alizé Cornet before losing to the second seed, Maria Sharapova. Her next tournament was Brasil Tennis Cup. She participated the tournament as the 1st seed. She defeated Mirjana Lučić-Baroni in the first round, Garbiñe Muguruza in the second round and Magdaléna Rybáriková during the quarterfinals. Reaching her first semifinal of the year, she was then defeated by Olga Puchkova in three sets, 6–4, 4–6, 5–7. This tournament allowed Williams to strengthen her position in the Top 20. She retired from the 2013 Sony Open Tennis in the third round due to a lower back injury.



 Williams at the US Open
One week after Miami, Williams participated in Charleston as the fifth seed. She reached the semifinals, after playing both her third round and quarterfinals matches on the same day, where she lost to her sister, Serena, in two sets in the sisters' first meeting since the 2009 WTA Tour Championships.A few weeks later she participated in Fed Cup, in a tie between the United States and Sweden. After Sloane Stephens lost the opening match, Williams stepped into her spot, winning a match against Johanna Larsson 6–3, 7–5, after converting on her eighth match point. This was the first time in Williams's career that she clinched the winning match in a Fed Cup tie, leading the United States to a 3–2 victory over Sweden. Venus's next event was the Mutua Madrid Open where she withdrew just before playing her 1st Round match, her next tournament was the Italian Open in Rome where she lost in the 1st Round to Laura Robson 6–3, 6–2. Venus then played at the 2013 French Open where she lost to Urszula Radwanska in the 1st Round she was also entered in Doubles with her sister Serena but pulled out just before their 1st Round match, Venus pulled out of the 2013 Wimbledon Championships due to a back injury it was the first time she has missed Wimbledon in her career. At the Roger's Cup, she lost in the first round to 13th seed Kirsten Flipkens in 3 sets. At the 2013 Western and Southern Open, she defeated Qualifier Jana Cepelova in 2 sets, before losing in the 2nd round to Elena Vesnina in 3 sets. Her next tournament was the 2013 US Open. She pulled an upset in the first round by defeating 12th seed Kirsten Flipkens in a rematch of the Roger's Cup first round. She then was defeated by Zheng Jie in 3 sets. She entered the doubles with Serena Williams. They beat Carla Suarez Navarro and Silvia Soler Espinosa in the first round. In the 2nd round, the duo beat the 7th seeded team of Abigail Spears and Raquel Kops-Jones, and defeated the 11th seeded team of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Lucie Safarova in the 3rd round. In the Quarterfinals, they defeated the 1st seeded team of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci in a rematch of the Australian Open Quarterfinals. Their run ended in the Semifinals against the 5th seeded team and eventual champions Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova. Her next tournament was the Toray Pan Pacific Open. She defeated Mona Barthel in the first round, and upset the 1st seeded and World Number 2 Victoria Azarenka in the 2nd round. In the 3rd round, she came back from a set down to beat the 13th seed Simona Halep in 3 sets to make it to the quarterfinals of the Premier 5 event. In the quarterfinals she defeated Canadian Eugenie Bouchard in three sets. Venus fell in the semi-finals of the tournament to Petra Kvitova in another three set match. Venus then played at the 2013 China Open in Beijing where she played Singles & Doubles, Venus lost her 2nd Round match in Singles losing to Sabine Lisicki 6–1, 6–2 and she also lost her 1st Round match in Doubles despite having two match points. Venus's last tournament of the season was the 2013 Kremlin Cup in Moscow but she withdrew due to injury bringing an end to her 2013 season.
2014: Ending title drought and return to top 20[edit]
Venus started her official tennis season as the world no. 47 at the 2014 ASB Classic in Auckland where she made it to the final and finished runner-up to Ana Ivanovic. She next participated at the 2014 Australian Open where, as an unseeded player, she lost in the first round to world no. 23 Ekaterina Makarova in three sets. Williams lost to world no. 6 Petra Kvitová in the second round in Doha at the 2014 Qatar Total Open despite having match point in the third set tie-break. Williams then entered the Dubai Tennis Championships where she defeated five top forty players to win her biggest title since the Mutua Madrid Open in 2010 and, at 33 years and 8 months of age, becoming the seventh oldest woman to win a WTA singles title. En route, she avenged her loss to Ana Ivanovic in Auckland 6-2, 6-1 and her sister Serena’s loss to Alizé Cornet in the semi-finals, and for the title, with the score reading 6-3, 6-0 in the final. She also kept her head-to-head record perfect versus Caroline Wozniacki. Williams then competed in Miami at the 2014 Sony Open Tennis and in Charleston at the 2014 Family Circle Cup where she lost to Dominika Cibulková on hard and Eugenie Bouchard on clay, respectively - both in the round of 16 and both in three sets. Venus’s only loss of the year up until that point not having gone the distance of three sets occurred at her next tournament in Rome at the 2014 Internazionali BNL d'Italia where she lost 4-6, 2-6 to Carla Suárez Navarro. At the 2014 French Open, Venus was upset by world no. 56 Anna Karolína Schmiedlová in three sets. Venus then made it through to the third round of the Wimbledon Championships where she lost 7-5, 6-7, 5-7 to eventual champion Petra Kvitová in a classic and much praised encounter featuring 34 holds of serve to only 2 breaks. Williams was the only player to have won a set against Kvitová during the 2014 Wimbledon Championships.
Venus played her first tournament of the 2014 US Open Series at the 2014 Bank of the West Classic where she is a two-time former champion. In the second round she scored her first top 10 victory of the year and, in the process, improved her head-to-head record against Victoria Azarenka to 4-0. Williams lost to world no. 18 Andrea Petkovic in three sets in the quarterfinals. At the 2014 Rogers Cup, Venus defeated world no. 24 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three sets - scoring her first ever victory at that tournament (on her fifth attempt). She defeated world no. 7 Angelique Kerber in the third round in a three-set thriller described by one of the commentators as "quite simply one of the matches of the 2014 season so far on the WTA". Williams produced yet another upset by winning in three against Carla Suárez Navarro to advance to the semi-finals, where she defeated younger sister and world no. 1, Serena Williams, in the pair's 25th meeting. It was her 14th victory over a reigning world no. 1 and her first since the 2009 Wimbledon Championships when she defeated Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0 in the semi-finals. It was also the first time since 2009 that Venus had beaten Serena. She lost the championship match 4-6, 2-6 to world no. 5 Agnieszka Radwańska. At her final tournament before the 2014 US Open, Williams lost in a tight three-setter to world no. 17 Lucie Šafářová in the first round at the 2014 Western & Southern Open. At the US Open Venus made it to the third round for the first time since 2010 and was two points away (multiple times) from moving into the Round of 16 before ultimately going down to 13th seeded Sara Errani for the first time in four meetings.
Venus' next tournament was at the 2014 Coupe Banque Nationale in Quebec, where she received a wildcard as the no. 1 seed. She advanced to the quarter-finals in straight set first and second round victories and is set to play Czech player, Lucie Hradecká. She defeated Hradecká in a lengthy 2 hour and 13 minute match, winning 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3). Williams then played fellow countrywomen, Shelby Rogers in the semi-final and won in straight sets to progress to her fourth final of the year. Unfortunately, she lost to a resurgent Mirjana Lučić-Baroni in straight sets. Williams then played at the 2014 Wuhan Open, where she lost in the first round to Caroline Garcia despite having held a match point. Her final tournament of the year was at the 2014 China Open where she won her first two matches before withdrawing prior to the third round. Venus finished the year ranked world no. 19 in singles - the first time since 2010 that she's finished inside the top 20. Williams joined Bangalore Raptors team in 2014 for the first edition of Champions Tennis League India.[42]
2015: Australian Open big form[edit]
Venus started off her season at the 2015 ASB Classic where she won her 46th career singles title by defeating Caroline Wozniacki in three sets in the final. Then, at the Australian Open, Venus made it to the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2010 US Open. She defeated Camila Giorgi in the third round having to recover from 4-6, 2-4 and 0-40 down to reach the second week of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since the 2011 Wimbledon Championships and then overturned a three-match losing streak to Agnieszka Radwańska before losing to Madison Keys after being up a break in the deciding set. Venus had her 16-match winning streak at the Dubai Tennis Championships ended by Lucie Šafářová in the third round. Her next tournament was at the Qatar Total Open where she saved a match point in a heated encounter versus Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová in the second round before defeating Agnieszka Radwańska for a second time in 2015 to advance to the semifinals. She ended up losing in three sets to Victoria Azarenka. Venus competed at the Miami Open, where she won against Samantha Stosur in the third round and Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round (scoring her fourth top-10 win of the season and improving her head-to-head record against Wozniacki to a perfect 7-0). In the quarterfinals, she was defeated by Carla Suárez Navarro in three sets.
Fight for equal prize money[edit]
Despite years of protesting by tennis pioneer Billie Jean King and others, in 2005 the French Open and Wimbledon still refused to pay women's and men's players equally through all rounds. In 2005, Williams met with officials from both tournaments, arguing that female tennis players should be paid as much as male tennis players.[43] Although WTA tour President Larry Scott commented that she left "a very meaningful impression", Williams's demands were rejected.
The turning point was an essay published in The Times on the eve of Wimbledon in 2006. In it, Williams accused Wimbledon of being on the "wrong side of history", writing:

I feel so strongly that Wimbledon's stance devalues the principle of meritocracy and diminishes the years of hard work that women on the tour have put into becoming professional tennis players.
 I believe that athletes – especially female athletes in the world's leading sport for women – should serve as role models. The message I like to convey to women and girls across the globe is that there is no glass ceiling. My fear is that Wimbledon is loudly and clearly sending the opposite message....
 Wimbledon has argued that women's tennis is worth less for a variety of reasons; it says, for example, that because men play a best of five sets game they work harder for their prize money.
 This argument just doesn’t make sense; first of all, women players would be happy to play five sets matches in grand slam tournaments....
 Secondly, tennis is unique in the world of professional sports. No other sport has men and women competing for a grand slam championship on the same stage, at the same time. So in the eyes of the general public the men's and women's games have the same value.
 Third, ... we enjoy huge and equal celebrity and are paid for the value we deliver to broadcasters and spectators, not the amount of time we spend on the stage. And, for the record, the ladies’ final at Wimbledon in 2005 lasted 45 minutes longer than the men's....
 Wimbledon has justified treating women as second class because we do more for the tournament. The argument goes that the top women – who are more likely also to play doubles matches than their male peers – earn more than the top men if you count singles, doubles and mixed doubles prize money. So the more we support the tournament, the more unequally we should be treated! But doubles and mixed doubles are separate events from the singles competition. Is Wimbledon suggesting that, if the top women withdrew from the doubles events, that then we would deserve equal prize money in singles? And how then does the All England Club explain why the pot of women's doubles prize money is nearly £130,000 smaller than the men's doubles prize money?
 I intend to keep doing everything I can until Billie Jean's original dream of equality is made real. It's a shame that the name of the greatest tournament in tennis, an event that should be a positive symbol for the sport, is tarnished.[43]
In response, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and members of Parliament publicly endorsed Williams's arguments.[44] Later that year, the Women's Tennis Association and UNESCO teamed for a campaign to promote gender equality in sports, asking Williams to lead the campaign.[45] Under enormous pressure, Wimbledon announced in February 2007 that it would award equal prize money to all competitors in all rounds, and the French Open followed suit a day later.[46] In the aftermath, the Chicago Sun-Times cited Williams as "the single factor" that "changed the minds of the boys" and a leader whose "willingness to take a public stand separates her not only from most of her female peers, but also from our most celebrated male athletes."[47] Williams herself commented, "Somewhere in the world a little girl is dreaming of holding a giant trophy in her hands and being viewed as an equal to boys who have similar dreams."[48]
Venus herself became the first woman to benefit from the equalization of prize money at Wimbledon, as she won the 2007 tournament and was awarded the same amount as the male winner Roger Federer. Venus's fight for equality was documented in Nine for IX, Venus Vs. It premiered on July 2, 2013.[49][50]
Personal life[edit]



 Williams for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "National Wear Red Day"
On December 13, 2007, Williams received her associate degree in fashion design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.[51]
Beginning the 2011 fall semester, Williams began pursuing a bachelor's degree in the school of business through an online degree program at Indiana University East in Richmond, Indiana.[52] Her ultimate goal is to get an MBA in the near future.[53]
Williams's longtime boyfriend, pro golfer Dorian Andrews, was a visible presence from the time of Wimbledon 2007 until 2010, when Kuehne dated and (in May 2011) married his current wife, Andy. Williams is now dating Cuban model Elio Pis whom she met when he modeled for her EleVen fashion line.[54]
In 2003, Venus and Serena Williams's older sister Yetunde Price, 31, was shot dead in Compton, California, near the courts on which the sisters once practiced. Price was the Williams sisters' personal assistant. The Williams family issued this statement shortly after the death: "We are extremely shocked, saddened and devastated by the shooting death of our beloved Yetunde. She was our nucleus and our rock. She was a personal assistant, confidante, and adviser to her sisters, and her death leaves a void that can never be filled. Our grief is overwhelming, and this is the saddest day of our lives."[55]
In 2011, Williams was forced to withdraw from the US Open before her second-round match, following a Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis.[30]
After the diagnosis, she adopted a vegan diet, as well as reducing her intake of calories and sugars.[56]
Like her mother and sister Serena, Williams is a Jehovah's Witness and has a practice of not voting. She has, however, expressed her support for Barack Obama.[57]
Entrepreneur[edit]



 Williams in July 2010
Williams is the chief executive officer of her interior design firm V Starr Interiors located in Jupiter, Florida. Her company designed the set of the Tavis Smiley Show on the Public Broadcasting Service, the Olympic athletes' apartments as part of New York City's failed bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and residences and businesses in the Palm Beach, Florida area.[58]
In 2001, Williams was named one of the 30 most powerful women in America by the Ladies Home Journal.[59]
In 2007, Williams teamed with retailer Steve & Barry's to launch her own fashion line, EleVen. "I love fashion and the idea that I am using my design education to actually create clothing and footwear that I will wear on and off the tennis court is a dream come true for me. The vision has been to create a collection that will allow women to enjoy an active lifestyle while remaining fashionable at the same time. I'm thrilled with everything we've created to launch EleVen."[60][61]
In June 2009, Williams was named 77th in the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities compiled by Forbes magazine.[62]
In August 2009, Williams and her sister Serena became part-owners of the Miami Dolphins. The announcement was made during a press conference overlooking the practice field. This made the sisters the first African-American females to obtain ownership in an NFL franchise. Stephan Ross, the majority owner of the Dolphins, said "We are thrilled to have Venus and Serena join the Dolphins as limited partners. They are among the most admired athletes in the world and have become global ambassadors for the game of tennis. Their addition to our ownership group further reflects our commitment to connect with aggressively and embrace the great diversity that makes South Florida a multicultural gem."[63]
In late June 2010, Williams released her first book, Come to Win; on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession, which she co-wrote with Kelly E. Carter. In promotion of the book she embarked on a tour around America in support of the release, whilst also appearing on several talk shows, including The Early Show and Good Morning America. This gave her a place in the Top 5 of The New York Times Best Seller List.[64]
Recognition[edit]
In 2005 Tennis Magazine ranked her as the 25th-best player in 40 years.[65][66] In June 2011, she was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by Time.[67]
Equipment[edit]
##Coach: David Witt, Richard Williams, Oracene Price
##Racket: Wilson BLX Blade Team (104)
##Clothing: EleVen
##Shoes: Nike
In 1995, when Williams was 14 years old, she signed an endorsement deal with Reebok and wore the company's apparel and shoes.[68][69] She used Wilson Hammer 6.2 Stretch racket.[70]
Career statistics[edit]
Main article: Venus Williams career statistics
Grand Slam performance timeline[edit]
Key
W  F  SF QF R# RR LQ (Q#) A P Z# PO SF-B F-S G NMS NH
Won tournament; or reached Final; Semifinal; Quarter-final; Round 4, 3, 2, 1; competed at a Round Robin stage; lost in Qualification Round; absent from tournament event; played in a Davis Cup Zonal Group (with its number indication) or Play-off; won a bronze, silver (F or S) or gold medal at the Olympics; a downgraded Masters Series/1000 tournament (Not a Masters Series); or a tournament that was Not Held in a given year.
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated either at the conclusion of a tournament, or when the player's participation in the tournament has ended.

Tournament
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
SR
W–L
Australian Open A QF QF A SF QF F 3R 4R 1R A QF 2R QF 3R A 3R 1R QF 0 / 14 45–15
French Open 2R QF 4R QF 1R F 4R QF 3R QF 3R 3R 3R 4R A 2R 1R 2R  0 / 17 42–17
Wimbledon 1R QF QF W W F F 2R W 3R W W F QF 4R 1R A 3R  5 / 17 73–12
US Open F SF SF W W F A 4R QF A SF QF 4R SF 2R 2R 2R 3R  2 / 16 64–13
Win–Loss
7–3
17–4
15–4
18–1
19–2
22–4
15–3
10–4
16–3
6–3
14–2
17–3
12–4
16–4
6–2
2–3
3–3
5–4

7 / 60
224–57

Grand Slam finals[edit]
Singles: 14 (7 titles, 7 runner-ups)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Opponent
Score

Runner-up 1997 US Open Hard Switzerland Martina Hingis 0–6, 4–6
Winner 2000 Wimbledon Grass United States Lindsay Davenport 6–3, 7–6(7–3)
Winner 2000 US Open Hard United States Lindsay Davenport 6–4, 7–5
Winner 2001 Wimbledon (2) Grass Belgium Justine Henin 6–1, 3–6, 6–0
Winner 2001 US Open (2) Hard United States Serena Williams 6–2, 6–4
Runner-up 2002 French Open Clay United States Serena Williams 5–7, 3–6
Runner-up 2002 Wimbledon Grass United States Serena Williams 6–7(4–7), 3–6
Runner-up 2002 US Open (2) Hard United States Serena Williams 4–6, 3–6
Runner-up 2003 Australian Open Hard United States Serena Williams 6–7(4–7), 6–3, 4–6
Runner-up 2003 Wimbledon (2) Grass United States Serena Williams 6–4, 4–6, 2–6
Winner 2005 Wimbledon (3) Grass United States Lindsay Davenport 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 9–7
Winner 2007 Wimbledon (4) Grass France Marion Bartoli 6–4, 6–1
Winner 2008 Wimbledon (5) Grass United States Serena Williams 7–5, 6–4
Runner-up 2009 Wimbledon (3) Grass United States Serena Williams 6–7(3–7), 2–6

Women's doubles: 13 finals (13 titles)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Partner
Opponent
Score

Winner 1999 French Open United States Serena Williams Switzerland Martina Hingis
Russia Anna Kournikova 6–3, 6–7(2–7), 8–6
Winner 1999 US Open United States Serena Williams United States Chanda Rubin
France Sandrine Testud 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
Winner 2000 Wimbledon United States Serena Williams France Julie Halard-Decugis
Japan Ai Sugiyama 6–3, 6–2
Winner 2001 Australian Open United States Serena Williams United States Lindsay Davenport
United States Corina Morariu 6–2, 2–6, 6–4
Winner 2002 Wimbledon (2) United States Serena Williams Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Argentina Paola Suárez 6–2, 7–5
Winner 2003 Australian Open (2) United States Serena Williams Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Argentina Paola Suárez 4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2008 Wimbledon (3) United States Serena Williams United States Lisa Raymond
Australia Samantha Stosur 6–2, 6–2
Winner 2009 Australian Open (3) United States Serena Williams Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová
Japan Ai Sugiyama 6–3, 6–3
Winner 2009 Wimbledon (4) United States Serena Williams Australia Samantha Stosur
Australia Rennae Stubbs 7–6(7–4), 6–4
Winner 2009 US Open (2) United States Serena Williams Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber 6–2, 6–2
Winner 2010 Australian Open (4) United States Serena Williams Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2010 French Open (2) United States Serena Williams Czech Republic Květa Peschke
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik 6–2, 6–3
Winner 2012 Wimbledon (5) United States Serena Williams Czech Republic Andrea Hlaváčková
Czech Republic Lucie Hradecká 7-5, 6-4

Mixed doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score

Winner 1998 Australian Open Hard United States Justin Gimelstob Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
Czechoslovakia Cyril Suk 6–2, 6–1
Winner 1998 French Open Clay United States Justin Gimelstob United States Serena Williams
Argentina Luis Lobo 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 2006 Wimbledon Grass United States Bob Bryan Russia Vera Zvonareva
Israel Andy Ram 3–6, 2–6

Records and achievements[edit]
##These records were attained in Open Era of tennis.
##Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.
##Records in italics are currently active streaks.
Championship Years Record accomplished Player tied
1999 French Open – 2012 Wimbledon 1999–2012 First 13 Grand Slam doubles finals won (with Serena Williams) Stands alone
2002 French Open – 2003 Australian Open 2002–2003 Four consecutive runner-up finishes Chris Evert
2002 French Open – 2003 Australian Open 2002–2003 Four consecutive runner-up finishes to the same player (Serena Williams) Stands alone
Wimbledon 2005 Longest women's singles final[71] Lindsay Davenport
Wimbledon 2007 Lowest-ranked champion (31st)[72] Stands alone
Wimbledon 2007 Lowest-seeded champion (23rd)[72] Stands alone
Wimbledon 2008 Fastest serve by a woman (129 mph)[73] Stands alone
US Open 2007 Fastest serve by a woman (129 mph)[74][75] Stands alone
Summer Olympics 2000–2012 4 Gold Medals Serena Williams
Summer Olympics 2000–2012 3 Doubles Gold Medals (with Serena Williams) Stands alone
Miami Masters 1998–2002 22 consecutive singles matches won at this tournament Steffi Graf
Dubai Tennis Championships 2009–2015 16 consecutive singles matches won at this tournament Stands alone
Dubai Tennis Championships 2010–2014 2 consecutive singles titles without dropping a set Justine Henin
Dubai Tennis Championships 2014 Only unseeded player to have won in singles and as a wildcard Stands alone
New Haven Open at Yale 1999–2002 4 consecutive singles titles Caroline Wozniacki
New Haven Open at Yale 1999–2000 2 consecutive singles titles without dropping a set Stands alone
Rogers Cup 2014 Oldest singles finalist (34 years, 2 months) Stands alone
##In 1997, Williams became the first woman since Pam Shriver in 1978 to reach the singles final of the US Open on her first attempt.[76]
##In 1997, Williams became the first unseeded singles finalist at the US Open.[76]
##In 1997, the combined ages of Williams at age 17 and Martina Hingis at age 16 in the US Open final were the lowest in the open era history of that tournament.
##At 1999 IGA SuperThrift Classic in Oklahoma City marking the first time in tennis history that sisters won titles in the same week (Serena won the Open Gaz de France in Paris).
##At the 1999 Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne became the first pair of sisters in the open era to meet in a tournament final (with Serena Williams).
##In 2000, Williams became the second African-American to win Wimbledon during the open era.
##At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Williams became only the second player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles at the same Olympic Games, after Helen Wills Moody in 1924. Serena Williams has since joined these 2 women in completing this feat when she won gold in the Singles and Doubles at 2012 London Olympics.
##By winning the 2001 Australian Open doubles championship, Venus and Serena Williams became the fifth pair to complete a Career Doubles Grand Slam and the only pair to win a Career Doubles Golden Slam.
##The 2001 US Open marked the first time in the open era, and only the second time in 117 years, that sisters met in a Grand Slam singles final (with Serena Williams).
##In 2001, she became the third woman in the open era, after Navratilova and Graf, to win both Wimbledon and the US Open in consecutive years.
##In February 2002, she became the first African-American woman to become World No. 1 since the computer rankings began in 1975.
##In 2002 became the first ever siblings to rank Top 2 at same time with sister Serena.
##At Wimbledon in 2003, she reached her fourth consecutive Wimbledon final, which since the abolishment of the challenge round system is tied with Helen Wills Moody for fourth behind Navratilova's nine, King's five, and Evert's five.
##Williams and Hingis hold the open era record for consecutive losses in Grand Slam singles finals (five). One of four women, the others being Serena Williams, Navratilova and Graf, to win the Wimbledon singles title at least five times during the open era.
##During the 2008 WTA Tour Championships became the 3rd player after Steffi Graf and Serena Williams to beat the second Dinara Safina, third Serena Williams and first Jelena Jankovic ranked players in the same tournament.
##At Wimbledon in 2009, Williams defeated World No. 1 Dinara Safina in the semifinals 6–1, 6–0, which was the most one-sided women's semifinal at Wimbledon since 1969, when King defeated Rosemary Casals by the same score.
##Williams held the record for the fastest serve in women's tennis at 207.9 km/h (129.2 mph), achieved at the 2007 US Open. She held this record for almost 8 years, until her record was broken by Sabine Lisicki at the 2014 Stanford Classic with a service speed of 210.8 km/h (131.0 mph).
Awards[edit]
See also: WTA Awards
1995##Sports Image Foundation Award for conducting tennis clinics in low-income areas
1997##WTA Newcomer of the Year
##September's Olympic Committee Female Athlete
1998##Tennis Magazine's Most Improved Player
2000##WTA Player of the Year
##WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
##Sports Illustrated for Women's Sportswoman of the Year
##Teen Choice Awards – Extraordinary Achievement Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.62)
##Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year for team sports (with Serena Williams)
2001##Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
##EMMA Best Sport Personality Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.57)
2002##Best Female Athlete ESPY Award
##Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.60)
2003##The President's Award of the 34th NAACP Image Awards
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.65)
2004##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1)
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.77)
2005##Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.81)
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
2006##Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
##BET's Best Female Athlete of the Year
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1)
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.90)
 2007##Gitanjali Diamond Award
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
##Vogue Magazine Top 10 Best Dressed List for 2007
2008##Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year Award
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
##Anti-Defamation League Americanism Award
##Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year Award
##ITF Women's Doubles World Champion (with Serena Williams)
##WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
##WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
##Doha 21st Century Leaders Awards – Outstanding Leadership
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.77)
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2)
2010##Caesars Tennis Classic Achievement Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.83)
##YWCA GLA Phenomenal Woman of the Year Award
##WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
##Forbes 30 Utterly Inspiring Role Models
##Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (No.60)
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2)
2011##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.86)
##TIME Magazine 30 Legends of Women's Tennis
##Forbes Most Powerful Black Women In The U.S. (No.10)
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2)
2012##World TeamTennis Finals Most Valuable Player
##WTA Player Service Award
##WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
2013##BET Black Girls Rock! Star Power Award
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
2014##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
##WTA Fan Favorite Dress (2014 Wimbledon)
##Tennis Magazine Top 10 Matches of 2014 No.3 (2014 Wimbledon 3rd Round)
##ESPN Tennis Top 10 Women's Matches of 2014 No.3 (2014 Wimbledon 3rd Round)

See also[edit]

Portal icon Tennis portal
##WTA Tour records
##Grand Slam (tennis)
##List of WTA number 1 ranked players
##List of female tennis players
##List of tennis tournaments
##List of tennis rivalries
##Tennis records of the Open Era - Women's Singles
##Overall tennis records - Womens's Singles
##Graf–Navratilova rivalry
##Graf–Sabatini rivalry
##Graf–Seles rivalry
##Hingis – V. Williams rivalry
##Williams sisters rivalry
##List of Grand Slam women's singles champions
##List of Grand Slam women's doubles champions
##List of Grand Slam mixed doubles champions
References[edit]
Notes
1.Jump up ^ "Family Tree Legends". Family Tree Legends. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
2.Jump up ^ Chase, Chris (July 15, 2010). "Ranking the top-10 women's tennis players of all time – Busted Racquet – Tennis Blog – Yahoo! Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
3.Jump up ^ "All-Time Women's Majors Titles". Blueridgenow.com. June 5, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
4.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters net gold in doubles, beating off Spaniards in final". ESPN. August 17, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
5.Jump up ^ Chase, Chris (September 13, 2010). "Ranking the top-10 women's tennis players of all time – Busted Racquet – Tennis – Yahoo! Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
6.Jump up ^ Kaufman, Michelle (April 22, 2007). "Venus, Serena reflect as they prepare for Fed Cup". blackathlete.net. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
7.Jump up ^ Peyser, Marc; Samuels, Allison (August 24, 1998). "Venus And Serena Against The World". Newsweek. Retrieved April 19, 2009.[dead link]
8.Jump up ^ Lydia Pyle, 2005, Venus and Serena Williams, p. 10.
9.Jump up ^ the, United States. "Venus Williams: Biography from". Answers.com. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
10.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Interview Australian Open – Jan 17". Tennis-x.com. January 17, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
11.Jump up ^ 'Harder, Better, Faster...' Article discussing the serve speeds of women in 2008 – Nov 28[dead link]
12.Jump up ^ "Venus Envy". Sportsillustrated.com. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
13.Jump up ^ "WTA, Info, Venus Williams". WTA Tour, Inc. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
14.Jump up ^ "What Happened at Indian Wells?". ESPN. March 11, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
15.Jump up ^ Rogers, Martin (September 13, 2010). "Indian Wells boycott hurts Williamses more than it helps". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
16.Jump up ^ Keating, Gina; Tippit, Sarah. Eldest sister of Venus, Serena shot dead, Rediff, September 15, 2003. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
17.Jump up ^ Burt, Jason. Seeds are shaken by Sprem's flowering talent, The Independent, June 27, 2004. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
18.Jump up ^ "Williams joins women's elite with fourth Wimbledon title". Sport.monstersandcritics.com. July 7, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
19.Jump up ^ "Sister Sister: Venus sets record with 129 mph (208 km/h) serve; Serena sails". SI.com. August 27, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2008.
20.Jump up ^ Sharapova, Hantuchova Round Out Elite Eight Field[dead link]
21.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Out of Tennis Indefinitely with Mystery Illness". Tennis-x.com. April 9, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
22.Jump up ^ Williams Beats Razzano for 40th Career Singles Title[dead link]
23.Jump up ^ "Venus crashes out of French Open". BBC Sport. May 29, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
24.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams out for the remainder of 2010; Will miss Fed Cup Final , Pro Tennis – News". USTA. October 6, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
25.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Injury: Tennis Star Withdraws From Australian Open". Huffington Post. January 21, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
26.Jump up ^ "Venus Retires, Petkovic Moves Through". Wtatennis.com. January 21, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
27.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Out Again For The Western & Southern Open". tennisnow.com. 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
28.Jump up ^ Lynch, Lauren. "Venus Williams Out Again For The Western & Southern Open". Tennis Now. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
29.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Pulls Out Of U.S. Open : NPR". npr.org. 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
30.^ Jump up to: a b Lila (2011-08-31). "Venus Williams Leaves US Open. 10 Things You Should Know About Sjogren's Syndrome". Celebritydiagnosis.com. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
31.Jump up ^ Venus defeats Serena in exhibition in Colombia
32.Jump up ^ Schiavone beats Venus, Serena in Milan
33.Jump up ^ "Tennis: Venus Williams pulls out of ASB Classic". NZ Herald News. December 20, 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
34.Jump up ^ 2012 Australia Open
35.Jump up ^ [1]
36.Jump up ^ V. Williams, Gonzalez, and Nalbandian Granted Sony Ericsson Open Wildcards
37.Jump up ^ Venus Williams Enters Cup
38.Jump up ^ Maria Sharapova ends Venus Williams' run. Accessed 20 May 2012.
39.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams". USA Today. June 20, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-25.
40.Jump up ^ Brown, Oliver (June 25, 2012). "Venus Williams". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 2012-06-25.
41.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams ousted in first round".
42.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams play for Bangalore Raptors in CTL". 16 November 2014.
43.^ Jump up to: a b Williams, Venus. Wimbledon has sent me a message: I'm only a second-class champion, The Times, June 26, 2006. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
44.Jump up ^ "Blair adds support for equal pay". BBC Sport. June 28, 2006. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
45.Jump up ^ WTA Tour and UNESCO to promote gender equality, International Herald Tribune, November 11, 2006. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
46.Jump up ^ Roland Garros Awards Equal Pay[dead link]
47.Jump up ^ "French Open To Give Equal Paydays To Male, Female Winners", Sports Business Daily
48.Jump up ^ Slezak, Carol. "We haven't heard last of Venus", Chicago Sun-Times, March 18, 2007.
49.Jump up ^ Cingari, Jennifer (February 19, 2013). "ESPN Films and espnW Announce Nine for IX". Retrieved February 27, 2013.
50.Jump up ^ "Air dates set for Nine for IX series". espnW.com. April 10, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
51.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Aces Fashion Degree from Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale". Artinstitutes.edu. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
52.Jump up ^ "Tennis star Venus Williams enrolls at Indiana University East". indystar.com. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
53.Jump up ^ "Sister Act: Serena and Venus Williams". http://hamptons-magazine.com. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
54.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Is Dating Cuban Model Elio Pis". People. September 9, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
55.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters 'shocked' by shooting death of oldest sister – Sports". Findarticles.com. September 29, 2003. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
56.Jump up ^ "Vegan Venus Williams talks about food and tennis". Mercury News. January 14, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
57.Jump up ^ Leibenluft, Jacob (June 26, 2008). "Why Don't Jehovah's Witnesses Vote?". Slate. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
58.Jump up ^ Vstarr Interiors[dead link]
59.Jump up ^ "#21 to #25". Ladies Home Journal.[dead link]
60.Jump up ^ "Eleven website". Elevenbyvenus.com. September 6, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
61.Jump up ^ Venus Unveils EleVen Clothing Range[dead link]
62.Jump up ^ "#77 Venus Williams". Forbes Magazine. June 3, 2009.
63.Jump up ^ Williams sisters buy into Dolphins group ESPN, August 25, 2009
64.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams book on NYT Bestseller list". Usta.com. July 15, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
65.Jump up ^ "40 Greatest Players of the Tennis Era (25–28)". Tennis Magazine. May 17, 2006. Retrieved April 22, 2009.[dead link]
66.Jump up ^ "High time we appreciate Venus Williams". ESPN. September 13, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
67.Jump up ^ William Lee Adams (June 22, 2011). "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future – Venus Williams". TIME. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
68.Jump up ^ "DEAL WITH VENUS IN THE STARS FOR REEBOK". SportsBusiness Journal. May 22, 1995. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
69.Jump up ^ "WHAT THEY'RE WEARING (AND HITTING WITH) AT THE U.S. OPEN". SportsBusiness Journal. August 28, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
70.Jump up ^ "What they're wearing (and hitting with) at Wimbledon". SportsBusiness Journal. June 25, 2001. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
71.Jump up ^ "Venus rallies to win longest Wimbledon final". MSNBC. July 3, 2005. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
72.^ Jump up to: a b "A Trio of Favorites at Wimbledon". MSNBC. June 19, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
73.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Defeats Sister Serena, Taking Fifth Wimbledon Title". Fox News. July 5, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
74.Jump up ^ "Venus sets record with 129-mph serve; Serena sails". SI.com. August 27, 2007. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
75.Jump up ^ "Venus serves up a record". Tvnz.co.nz. August 28, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
76.^ Jump up to: a b 1997 U.S. OPEN: A Phenomenal Final; Hingus (sic) and Williams Show Improvement With Every Match,The New York Times, September 7, 1997. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
Bibliography##Edmondson, Jacqueline (2005). Venus and Serena Williams: A Biography. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33165-0.
External links[edit]

Find more about
Venus Williams
 at Wikipedia's sister projects

Search Commons Media from Commons
##Official website
##Venus Williams at the Women's Tennis Association
##Venus Williams at the International Tennis Federation
##Venus Williams at the Fed Cup
##Venus Williams at the Internet Movie Database
##Venus Williams, National Press CLub 2010


[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Venus Williams











Venus Williams 2012.jpg

















































































[show] 
Venus Williams (Achievement predecessor & successor)







United States
United States
United States


United States
United States
United States



Russia

United States
United States

United States
SwitzerlandRussia
ZimbabweUnited States
United States
United States
United StatesAustralia
ArgentinaItaly
United States
Russia

United States
Russia
United States

United States
ZimbabweUnited States
United States 

RussiaBelarus
United States
United States
RussiaBelarus
RussiaRussia
Italy
 



Netherlands

Germany




[show] 
Venus Williams in the Grand Slam Tournaments











































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































United States
Australia
Australia









United States
Australia
West Germany









AustraliaAustralia









Brazil
United StatesUnited States
Switzerland









AustraliaAustralia
Australia
Australia









United Kingdom
United States
Australia
Australia
United States
Switzerland
Spain









United States
United States
United States
Australia
United States
United States
United States
West Germany
United States
Russia









Australia
Australia
Australia
AustraliaAustralia
Australia
Australia
AustraliaAustralia
South Africa
Australia
Sweden
NetherlandsNetherlands
Australia
Australia
Sweden
United StatesUnited States
Canada
India









United States
United States
United States
United States
Brazil
Australia
Australia
Australia
United StatesUnited States
CzechoslovakiaUnited States
United States
Czechoslovakia
United States
Belarus
Czech Republic
Switzerland
United StatesUnited States
United States
ItalyItaly









France
United StatesAustralia
Australia
Australia
Australia
United States
United States
South Africa
Australia
Australia
United States
Slovakia
India
Zimbabwe







[show] 
Venus Williams Achievements














United StatesSteady
CanadaSteady
United StatesIncrease
United StatesIncrease
United StatesIncrease


United StatesDecrease
United StatesSteady
United StatesDecrease
United StatesDecrease
United StatesIncrease










United States


Steady
Increase
Increase
Increase
Decrease


Steady
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Decrease













United States
Australia
United States
United States
Germany
Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaFederal Republic of YugoslaviaUnited States
Spain
Switzerland
United States
United States
United States
United States
Belgium
Belgium
France
Russia
Serbia
Serbia
Russia
Denmark
Belarus


















United States
United States
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Puerto Rico
Belarus
Latvia
Spain
United States
Switzerland
Russia
United States
United States
Australia
France
Japan
Argentina
Belgium
Spain
Zimbabwe
Australia
United States
United States
United States
Argentina
Italy
Czech Republic
Slovenia
Italy
Italy
China
Chinese Taipei
India











































United Kingdom
United States
United States
United States
United States
China
United States


































































































[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Women's Tennis Association: United States Top American female singles tennis players as of May 18, 2015


Steady
Increase
Increase
Increase
Decrease


Steady
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Decrease




[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
2014 World TeamTennis Champion Washington Kastles

















Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 165099100 ·
 LCCN: n98055993 ·
 GND: 128464119
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: Venus Williams
1980 births
African-American tennis players
American female tennis players
Australian Open (tennis) champions
Living people
Olympic gold medalists for the United States
Olympic tennis players of the United States
Sportspeople from Compton, California
People from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
People from Saginaw, Michigan
Sportspeople from West Palm Beach, Florida
Tennis people from California
Tennis people from Florida
Tennis people from Michigan
Tennis players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Tennis players at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Tennis players at the 2008 Summer Olympics
US Open (tennis) champions
Wimbledon champions
World No. 1 tennis players
Olympic medalists in tennis
African-American sportswomen
Tennis players at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in women's singles
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in women's doubles
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in mixed doubles
Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
American Jehovah's Witnesses


















Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Afrikaans
العربية
বাংলা
Bân-lâm-gú
Беларуская
Български
Boarisch
Bosanski
Català
Čeština
Cymraeg
Dansk
Deutsch
Eesti
Emiliàn e rumagnòl
Español
Esperanto
فارسی
Français
Gaeilge
한국어
हिन्दी
Hrvatski
Ido
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
ಕನ್ನಡ
Kapampangan
ქართული
Latina
Latviešu
Lietuvių
Magyar
മലയാളം
मराठी
مصرى
Nederlands
日本語
Norsk bokmål
Norsk nynorsk
Occitan
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Scots
Simple English
Slovenčina
Српски / srpski
Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски
Suomi
Svenska
Tagalog
தமிழ்
తెలుగు
ไทย
Türkçe
Українська
Tiếng Việt
Yorùbá
粵語
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 11 May 2015, at 14:08.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Williams








Venus Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For this tennis player's detailed statistics, records, and other achievements, see Venus Williams career statistics.
Venus Williams
Venus Williams 2012.jpg
Country
 United States
Residence
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Born
June 17, 1980 (age 34)
Lynwood, California
Height
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Turned pro
October 31, 1994
Plays
Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach(es)
Richard Williams
Oracene Price
 David Witt
Prize money
$30,595,369
Singles

Career record
688–184 (78.9%)
Career titles
46
Highest ranking
No. 1 (February 25, 2002)
Current ranking
No. 16 (May 11, 2015)
Grand Slam Singles results

Australian Open
F (2003)
French Open
F (2002)
Wimbledon
W (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008)
US Open
W (2000, 2001)
Other tournaments

Tour Finals
W (2008)
Olympic Games
Gold medal.svg Gold medal (2000)
Doubles

Career record
174–30 (85.29%)
Career titles
21 WTA
Highest ranking
No. 1 (June 7, 2010)
Current ranking
No. 128 (March 23, 2015)
Grand Slam Doubles results

Australian Open
W (2001, 2003, 2009, 2010)
French Open
W (1999, 2010)
Wimbledon
W (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012)
US Open
W (1999, 2009)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals
SF (2009)
Olympic Games
Gold medal.svg Gold medal (2000, 2008, 2012)
Mixed doubles

Career record
25–6 (80.65%)
Career titles
2
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results

Australian Open
W (1998)
French Open
W (1998)
Wimbledon
F (2006)
US Open
QF (1998)
Other mixed doubles tournaments
Team competitions

Fed Cup
W (1999), Record 21–4
Hopman Cup
RR (2013)
Last updated on: March 23, 2015.
Venus Williams

Medal record

Women's tennis

Competitor for the  United States

Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Singles
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2012 London Doubles
Venus Ebony Starr Williams[1] (born June 17, 1980) is an American professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1 and is ranked World No. 11 in singles as of February 1, 2015.[2] She has been ranked World No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association on three separate occasions. She became the World No. 1 for the first time on February 25, 2002, becoming the first black American woman to achieve this feat during the Open Era. She is credited as changing the women's game and ushering a new, modern era of power and athleticism on the women's professional tennis tour. She is also regarded as the best grass court player of her generation and she is widely considered as one of the all-time greats of women's tennis.
Her seven Grand Slam singles titles ties her seventh on the all time list,[3] and is more than any other active female player except for her younger sister Serena Williams. Her 22 overall Grand Slam titles consist of seven in singles, thirteen in women's doubles, and two in mixed doubles. Her five Wimbledon singles titles tie her with two other women for eighth place on the all-time list. Venus Williams is one of only four women in the open era to have won five or more Wimbledon singles titles. Between the 2000 Wimbledon Championships to the 2001 US Open, Williams won four of the six Grand Slam singles tournaments held. She is one of only five women in the open era to win 200 or more main draw Grand Slam singles matches.
Williams has won four Olympic gold medals, one in singles and three in women's doubles.[4] She and her sister Serena have won more Olympic gold medals than any other female tennis players. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Williams became only the second player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles at the same Olympic Games, after Helen Wills Moody in 1924.
With 46 career singles titles, Williams is behind only her sister Serena amongst active players on the WTA Tour. Her 35-match winning streak from the 2000 Wimbledon Championships to the 2000 Generali Ladies Linz tournament final is the longest winning streak since January 1, 2000. She is also one of only three active WTA players to have made the finals of all four Grand Slams, the other players being her sister Serena Williams and Russian Maria Sharapova.[5]
Venus Williams has played against her sister Serena Williams in 25 professional matches since 1998, with Venus winning 11 of the 25 matches. They have played against each other in eight Grand Slam singles finals, with Serena winning six times. Beginning with the 2002 French Open, they opposed each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals, the first time in the Open Era that the same two players played against each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals. On the doubles side, the pair have won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles playing alongside each other and are undefeated in Grand Slam finals.


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Playing style
3 Professional career 3.1 1994–96: Professional debut
3.2 1997–99: Early success
3.3 2000–02: Williams sisters domination
3.4 2003–06: Injuries and losses
3.5 2007–09: Return to form
3.6 2010: Return to top 2
3.7 2011: Injuries and illness
3.8 2012: Comeback to WTA tour
3.9 2013: Back injury
3.10 2014: Ending title drought and return to top 20
3.11 2015: Australian Open big form
4 Fight for equal prize money
5 Personal life 5.1 Entrepreneur
6 Recognition
7 Equipment
8 Career statistics 8.1 Grand Slam performance timeline
8.2 Grand Slam finals 8.2.1 Singles: 14 (7 titles, 7 runner-ups)
8.2.2 Women's doubles: 13 finals (13 titles)
8.2.3 Mixed doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

9 Records and achievements
10 Awards
11 See also
12 References
13 External links

Early life[edit]
Venus Ebony Starr Williams was born in Lynwood, California, to Richard Williams and Oracene Price.
The Williams family moved from Compton, California, to West Palm Beach, when she was ten, so that Venus and Serena could attend the tennis academy of Rick Macci, who took notice of the sisters and who would provide additional coaching. He did not always agree with Williams's father but respected that "he treated his daughters like kids, allowed them to be little girls".[6] Richard stopped sending his daughters to national junior tennis tournaments when Williams was eleven, since he wanted them to take it slow and focus on school work. Another motivation was racial, as he had allegedly heard parents of other players talk negatively about the Williams sisters during tournaments.[7] At that time, Venus Williams held a 63–0 record on the United States Tennis Association junior tour and was ranked No. 1 among the under-12 players in Southern California.[8] In 1995, Richard pulled his daughters out of Macci's academy, and from then on took over all coaching at their home.
Playing style[edit]


 This section of a biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2012)
Williams is a very powerful baseliner, equipped with an attacking all-court game. Her game is very well adapted to grass, where she feels most comfortable, which is reflected in her five Wimbledon singles titles. Across her career, she has developed into a skillful volleyer and effectively utilizes her long "wingspan" (1.85m) and agility around the net.[9] Williams also has great court coverage using her long reach to play with balls that most players reject and is capable of hitting outright winners from a defensive position.[10]
Williams holds the record for fastest serve in three of the four Grand Slam tournaments: 2007 French Open second round, 2008 Wimbledon final, 2007 US Open first round – 129 mph (208 km/h).[11] At Wimbledon in 2008, her average first serve speed was 115 mph (185 km/h) in the quarterfinal, 116 mph (187 km/h) in the semifinal, and 111 mph (179 km/h) in the final.[citation needed]
Williams has always been an explosive hitter of the ball off the ground, but her backhand is the more consistently reliable of her groundstrokes.[citation needed] Her backhand is equally effective down-the-line or crosscourt (frequently for a set-up approach shot).[citation needed] Her forehand occasionally breaks down under pressure.[citation needed] However, it is still the more powerful of her groundstrokes and yields many winners, from a variety of court positions.[citation needed] Additionally, it is one of the most powerful forehands in the women's game,[citation needed] frequently struck in the 85 – 90 mph (140 km/h) range.[citation needed] In the 2008 Wimbledon women's final, Venus struck a forehand winner measured at 94 mph (IBM/Wimbledon).[citation needed]
The low bounces that grass produces tend to make her first serve an even more powerful weapon.[citation needed] Her movement on grass is also among the best on the WTA tour.[citation needed] Clay is Williams's weakest surface although she has suffered numerous injuries prior to the French Open.[citation needed] Her movement is suspect and her powerful serve and groundstrokes are less effective.[citation needed] Still, she has won numerous[clarification needed] titles on clay.
Professional career[edit]


 This section of a biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2012)
1994–96: Professional debut[edit]
Venus Williams turned professional on October 31, 1994, at the age of fourteen. In the second round of her first professional tournament, the Bank of the West Classic in Oakland, Williams was up a set and a service break against World No. 2 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario before losing the match. That was the only tournament Williams played in 1994.
In 1995, Williams played three more events as a wild card, falling in the first round of the tournament in Los Angeles and the tournament in Toronto but reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament in Oakland, defeating World No. 18 Amy Frazier in the second round for her first win over a top 20 ranked player before losing to Magdalena Maleeva.
Williams played five events in 1996, falling in the first round four times but reaching the third round in Los Angeles, before losing to World Number 1 Steffi Graf.
1997–99: Early success[edit]
Williams played 15 tour events in 1997, including five Tier I tournaments. She reached the quarterfinals in three of the Tier I events – the State Farm Evert Cup in Indian Wells, California, the European Indoor Championships in Zürich, and the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. In Indian Wells in March, Williams defeated World No. 9 Iva Majoli in the third round for her first win over a player ranked in the top 10. She then lost in the quarterfinals to World No. 8 Lindsay Davenport in a third set tiebreak. Her ranking broke into the top 100 on April 14, 1997. She made her debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament at the French Open, reaching the second round before losing to Nathalie Tauziat. She then lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Magdalena Grzybowska. During her debut at the US Open, she lost the final to Martina Hingis after defeating Irina Spîrlea in a semifinal famous for "the bump" in which Spîrlea intentionally collided with Williams during a changeover. Richard Williams, her father, later claimed that this incident was racially motivated.[12] She was the first woman since Pam Shriver in 1978 to reach a US Open singles final on her first attempt and was the first unseeded US Open women's singles finalist since 1958. On September 8, 1997, her ranking broke into the top 50 for the first time. She ended the year ranked World No. 22.
In her debut at the Australian Open, Williams defeated younger sister Serena in the second round, which was the sisters' first professional meeting. Venus eventually lost in the quarterfinals to World No. 3 Davenport.
Three weeks later, Williams defeated World No. 2 Davenport for the first time in the semifinals of the IGA Tennis Classic in Oklahoma City. Williams then defeated Joannette Kruger in the final to win the first singles title of her career. In her first Tier I event of the year, Williams lost in the semifinals of the State Farm Evert Cup in Indian Wells to World No. 1 Hingis. The following week, Williams won the Tier I Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida, defeating World No. 1 Hingis in the semifinals. On March 30, 1998, her ranking broke into the top 10 for the first time, at World No. 10.
Williams played only one tournament on clay before the 1998 French Open. At the Italian Open in Rome, she defeated sister Serena in the quarterfinals and World No. 5 Sánchez Vicario in the semifinals before losing to World No. 1 Hingis in the final. Williams lost again to Hingis in the quarterfinals of the French Open. Williams lost her first match at the Direct Line International Championships in Eastbourne on grass before losing to eventual champion and World No. 3 Jana Novotná in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. On July 27, 1998, her ranking rose to World No. 5.
Williams played three tournaments during the North American 1998 summer hard court season. She reached her fifth final of the year at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California, defeating World No. 6 Monica Seles in the semifinals before losing to World No. 1 Davenport. Patellar tendonitis in her left knee caused her to retire from her quarterfinal match at the tournament in San Diego while trailing Mary Pierce 4–0 in the third set. At the US Open, Williams defeated fourth seeded Sánchez Vicario in the quarterfinals before losing to second seeded and eventual champion Davenport in the semifinals.
Williams played four tournaments the remainder of 1998. She won her third title of the year at the Grand Slam Cup in Munich in September, defeating World No. 9 Patty Schnyder in the final. She lost in the second round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt before losing in the final of the Tier I Swisscom Challenge in Zürich to World No. 1 Davenport and the semifinals of the Tier I Kremlin Cup in Moscow to Pierce. She had earned enough points during the year to participate in the year-ending Chase Championship but withdrew from the tournament because of tendinitis in her knee. She finished the year ranked World No. 5.
In 1998, Williams teamed with Justin Gimelstob to win the mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and the French Open. Her sister Serena won the other two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles that year, completing a "Williams Family Mixed Doubles Grand Slam". Williams won the first two women's doubles titles of her career, in Oklahoma City and Zürich. Both titles came with sister Serena, becoming only the third pair of sisters to win a WTA tour doubles title.[13]
Williams started the 1999 tour in Australia, where she lost to World No. 10 Steffi Graf in the quarterfinals of the Medibank International in Sydney and World No. 1 Davenport in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. However, she rebounded at the Faber Grand Prix in Hanover, defeating Graf for the first time in the semifinals before losing the final to World No. 3 Novotná. Williams then successfully defended her titles in both Oklahoma City and Key Biscayne. She defeated Novotná and Graf to reach the final in Key Biscayne, where she defeated Serena in three sets in the first final on the WTA Tour to be contested by two sisters.
Williams played four clay court events during the spring. She lost her first match at the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Florida. Three weeks later, however, she won her first title on clay at the Betty Barclay Cup in Hamburg, defeating Mary Pierce in the final. Williams then won the Tier I Italian Open in Rome, defeating World No. 1 Hingis in the semifinals and World No. 8 Pierce in the final. At the French Open, she extended her winning streak to 22 matches before losing in the fourth round to World No. 125 Barbara Schwartz. Williams teamed with Serena to win the women's doubles title at this event, the first Grand Slam title the pair won together.
At the 1999 Wimbledon Championships, Williams defeated World No. 17 Anna Kournikova in the fourth round to reach the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year, where she lost to eventual runner-up Graf.
Williams rebounded in the summer when she won two Fed Cup matches against Italy and lost in the final of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford to World No. 1 Davenport. One week later, Williams defeated Davenport in the semifinals of the TIG Tennis Classic in San Diego before losing to World No. 2 Hingis in the final. In her last tournament before the US Open, Williams won the Pilot Pen Tennis in New Haven, Connecticut, defeating World No. 5 Seles in the semifinals and Davenport in the final. On August 30, 1999, her world ranking reached third for the first time. Seeded third at the US Open, Williams lost in the semifinals to World No. 1 Hingis in three sets. However, she teamed with singles champion Serena at this event to win their second Grand Slam women's doubles title.
During the remainder of the year, Williams contributed to the USA's victory over Russia in the Fed Cup final, winning one singles rubber before joining Serena to win the doubles rubber. At the Grand Slam Cup in Munich, Venus defeated Hingis in the semifinals before losing to Serena for the first time in the final. Venus won her sixth title of the year at the Tier I event in Zurich, defeating World No. 1 Hingis in the final. Four weeks later, she lost to Davenport in the semifinals of the tournament in Philadelphia. Making her debut at the year-ending Chase Championships, Williams lost to Hingis in the semifinals. She finished the year ranked World No. 3.
2000–02: Williams sisters domination[edit]
In 2000, Williams missed the first five months of the year with tendinitis in both wrists. She returned to the tour during the European clay court season. She lost in the quarterfinals of the Betty Barclay Cup in Hamburg to Amanda Coetzer and in the third round of the Tier I Italian Open in Rome to Jelena Dokić. Although she had won only two of her four matches before the French Open, she was seeded fourth there. She won her first four matches in Paris without losing a set before losing in the quarterfinals to eighth-seeded and former champion Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in three sets.
Williams then won 35 consecutive singles matches and six tournaments. She won her first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, defeating World No. 1 Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals, sister Serena in the semifinals, and defending champion Lindsay Davenport in the final. She also teamed with Serena to win the women's doubles title at this event.
She won three Tier II events during the North American summer hard court season, defeating Davenport in the final of the tournament in Stanford, California and Monica Seles in the finals of both the tournament in San Diego and the tournament in New Haven, Connecticut.
At the US Open, Williams defeated still-World No. 1 Hingis in the semifinals and World No. 2 Davenport in the final. At the Olympic Games in Sydney, she defeated Sánchez Vicario in the quarterfinals, Seles in the semifinals, and Elena Dementieva in the final to win the gold medal. She also won the gold medal in women's doubles with her sister Serena. Davenport eventually snapped her winning streak in October in the final of the tournament in Linz. Williams did not play a tournament the rest of the year because of anemia. She finished the year ranked World No. 3 and with six singles titles.
In 2001, Williams reached the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time, where she lost to World No. 1 Hingis. However, Venus teamed with Serena to win the doubles title at the event, completing a Career Grand Slam in women's doubles for the pair.
Williams also reached the semifinals of the Tier I Tennis Masters Series tournament in Indian Wells, California, where she controversially defaulted her match with sister Serena just before the match started. Venus had been suffering from knee tendinitis throughout the tournament and eventually this prevented her from playing. The following day, Venus and her father Richard were booed as they made their way to their seats to watch the final.[14] Serena was subsequently booed during the final with Kim Clijsters and during the trophy presentation. Due to this, neither Williams sister has entered the tournament since.[15] Venus rebounded from the Indian Wells 'boycott' controversy to win the next tournament on the tour calendar, the Tier I Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida. She defeated Hingis in the semifinals and World No. 4 Jennifer Capriati in the final, after saving eight championship points. Because of this victory, her ranking rose to a career high of World No. 2.
During the European clay court season, Williams won the Tier II tournament in Hamburg but lost in the third round of the Tier I EUROCARD Ladies German Open to World No. 18 Justine Henin and the first round of the French Open to Barbara Schett. This was only the second time that she had lost in the first round of a Grand Slam singles tournament. Williams then successfully defended her Wimbledon title, defeating third-seeded Davenport in the semifinals and eighth-seeded Henin in three sets in Henin's first Wimbledon final.
During the North American summer hard court season, Williams won for the second consecutive year the tournaments in San Diego, defeating Seles in the final, and in New Haven, defeating Davenport in the final. Williams also won the US Open singles title for the second consecutive year, without dropping a set. In the quarterfinals, she beat fifth-seeded Clijsters, followed by a semifinal victory over World No. 2 Capriati. She played Serena in the final, which was the first Grand Slam singles final contested by two sisters during the open era. Venus won the match and her fourth Grand Slam singles title. Venus also became only the sixth woman in history to win the singles titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open in consecutive years, the others being Martina Navrátilová (twice), Steffi Graf (twice), Althea Gibson, Maureen Connolly Brinker, and Helen Wills Moody (twice).
Williams began 2002 by winning the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts in Gold Coast, Australia, defeating Henin in the final. However, she then lost for the first time in her career to Seles in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Williams then went on to win the Open Gaz de France in Paris when Jelena Dokić withdrew from the final, and the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium, defeating Henin in the final. As a result of her strong start to the season, Williams assumed the World No. 1 position for the first time on February 25, dislodging Capriati. Williams was the first African-American woman ever to hold the ranking. She held it for just three weeks before surrendering it back to Capriati.
Williams failed to defend her title in Miami after losing in the semifinals to Serena. However, she made a strong start to the clay-court season, winning the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Florida, defeating Henin in the final. A week after winning that tournament, she once again replaced Capriati as the World No. 1, before losing it again to Capriati after three weeks. During those three weeks, Williams had made the final in Hamburg, defeating Hingis in the semifinals before losing to Clijsters in the final. Seeded second at the French Open, Williams defeated former champion Seles to reach the semifinals for the first time. There, she defeated Clarisa Fernández. In the final, Williams met Serena for a second time in a Grand Slam final, with Serena winning. Venus once again replaced Capriati as the World No. 1 as a result of reaching the final.
As the top seed at Wimbledon, Williams defeated Henin in the semifinals to make the final for the third consecutive year. However, there, she lost to Serena. This result meant Serena replaced Venus as the World No. 1. The Williams sisters teamed up to win the women's doubles title at the event, their fifth Grand Slam women's doubles title together.
Williams won the titles in San Diego and New Haven for the third consecutive year, defeating Davenport and Dokic to win the former and defeating Davenport in the final of the latter. At the US Open, Williams defeated Seles in the quarterfinals and Amélie Mauresmo in three sets to make the final. Playing Serena for their third consecutive Grand Slam final, Serena won once again. After that, Venus played just four more matches during the season. She reached the semifinals at the year-ending Sanex Championships after defeating Seles in the quarterfinals, but she then was forced to retire against Clijsters due to injury. Williams finished the year ranked World No. 2 having won seven titles, her best showing in both respects of her career.
2003–06: Injuries and losses[edit]
Williams started 2003 by defeating fifth seed Justine Henin to make the final of the Australian Open for the first time. In the final, however, she lost to sister Serena. This marked the first time in the open era that the same two players had met in four consecutive Grand Slam finals. Venus and Serena teamed to win the women's doubles title at the event, their sixth Grand Slam title in women's doubles.
In February, Williams won the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium for the second consecutive year, defeating Kim Clijsters in the final. However, shortly afterwards, she began to struggle with injury. She reached the final of the clay-court J&S Cup in Warsaw, before being forced to retire against Amélie Mauresmo. She then suffered her earliest exit at a Grand Slam tournament in two years when she lost in the fourth round of the French Open to Vera Zvonareva.
At Wimbledon, Williams was seeded fourth. Williams defeated former champion Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals and Kim Clijsters in the semifinals to advance to her fourth consecutive Wimbledon final, where she lost again to sister Serena.
Wimbledon was Williams's last event of the year as an abdominal injury that occurred during the Clijsters match prevented her from playing again. While she was recovering from the injury, her sister Yetunde Price was murdered.[16] Williams finished the year ranked world no. 11. It was the first time in nearly six years that she had dropped out of the top 10.
In 2004, Williams came back to the tour suffering inconsistent results. As the third seed because of a protected ranking, she reached the third round of the Australian Open, where she lost to Lisa Raymond. She then lost in the quarterfinals of her next three tournaments.
Williams began to find her form at the beginning of the clay-court season. At the Tier I Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, Williams defeated Conchita Martínez in the final to win her first title in over a year and the second Tier I title on clay of her career. She then won in Warsaw, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final, before reaching the final of the Tier I German Open in Berlin. She then withdrew from that match against Mauresmo due to injury. Going into the French Open, Williams had the best clay-court record among the women and was among the favorites to win the title; however, after making the quarterfinals to extend her winning streak on the surface to 19 matches, she lost to eventual champion Anastasia Myskina. Despite her defeat, she re-entered the top 10.
At Wimbledon, Williams lost a controversial second-round match to Croatian Karolina Šprem. The umpire of the match, Ted Watts, awarded Šprem an unearned point in the second-set tiebreak. Upon the conclusion of the match, he was relieved of his duties.[17] This defeat marked the first time since 1997 that Williams had exited Wimbledon prior to the quarterfinals. After Wimbledon, Williams reached her fourth final of the year at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California, where she was beaten by Lindsay Davenport for the first time since 2000.
As the defending champion at the Athens Olympics, Williams lost in the third round to Mary Pierce. She then won three very close matches against Petra Mandula, Shikha Uberoi and Chanda Rubin to make the fourth round of the US Open where she lost to Davenport, the first time she had ever lost at the US Open prior to the semifinals. Williams completed the year by losing in the quarterfinals of three indoor tournaments in the fall, a period that included defeat in her first meeting with 17-year-old Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova at the Zurich Open. Williams finished the year as world no. 9 and did not qualify for the year-ending WTA Tour Championships.
In 2005, Williams started the year by losing in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Alicia Molik. She then reached the final in Antwerp, defeating Clijsters and Myskina en route. In the final, Williams was a set and a service break up against Mauresmo before eventually losing.
In March, at the NASDAQ-100 Open in Miami, Williams defeated sister and Australian Open champion Serena in the quarterfinals, the first time she had defeated Serena since 2001. Venus went on to lose in the semifinals to world no. 3 Sharapova. In May, Williams won her first title in over a year at the clay-court İstanbul Cup, defeating Nicole Vaidišová in the final. However, at the French Open, she lost in the third round to 15-year-old Sesil Karatantcheva, who subsequently tested positive for steroids and was suspended.
Williams was seeded 14th at Wimbledon. In the quarterfinals of the tournament, she defeated French Open runner-up Pierce in an epic second-set tiebreak, winning it 12–10 to make the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in two years. There, she defeated defending champion and second-seeded Maria Sharapova to make the Wimbledon final for the fifth time in six years. Playing top-seeded Davenport in the final, Williams saved a match point with a backhand winner en route to winning. This was Williams's third Wimbledon singles title, her fifth Grand Slam singles title overall and her first since 2001. It was the first time in 70 years that a player had won after being down match point during the women's final at Wimbledon.[citation needed] In addition, Williams was the lowest-ranked (world no. 16) and lowest-seeded (14th) champion in tournament history.[citation needed] Williams returned to the top 10 following the victory.
Following Wimbledon, Williams reached her fourth final of the year in Stanford, where she lost to Clijsters. At the US Open, Williams achieved her second consecutive win over Serena in the fourth round, but then lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Kim Clijsters. Williams did not qualify for the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships because of an injury sustained during the tournament in Beijing. She finished the year ranked world no. 10. It was the first year since 2001 that she had finished a year ranked higher than Serena.



 Venus Williams prepares to serve during the 2006 J&S Cup in Warsaw
In 2006, Williams was upset in the first round of the Australian Open by Tszvetana Pironkova, which was her earliest loss ever at that tournament. After that loss, she did not play again for three months due to a wrist injury. She returned in late April on clay in Warsaw, where she defeated former world no. 1 Martina Hingis in the second round, before losing to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals. Williams completed the clay-court season by reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open, where she lost to Nicole Vaidišová.
Williams was the defending champion and one of the favorites to win the singles title at Wimbledon. However, she lost in the third round to 26th-seeded Jelena Janković. After the loss, Williams said that she was having pain in her left wrist, although she admitted that the injury was not the cause of her loss. Williams did not play in the US Open series or the US Open itself due to the wrist injury. During her first tournament in almost three months in October, she reinjured her wrist at the tournament in Luxembourg and lost in the second round to qualifier Agnieszka Radwańska. Williams finished the season as world no. 46, her lowest finish since she began to play on the WTA Tour full-time in 1997. It was the second consecutive year she finished higher than Serena, who finished the year at world no. 95.
2007–09: Return to form[edit]
Williams withdrew from the 2007 Australian Open, the second consecutive Grand Slam that she had missed due to her recurring wrist injury. She returned in February at the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, USA, defeating top-seeded Shahar Pe'er in the final, her first singles title since her victory at Wimbledon in 2005.
At the beginning of the clay-court season, Williams reached the semifinals of the Tier I Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, where she lost to Jelena Janković on a third set tiebreak. She also lost to fourth seed Janković in the third round of the French Open, her third consecutive loss to Janković. During her second round win over Ashley Harkleroad, Williams hit a 206 km/h (128 mph) serve, which is the second fastest woman's serve ever recorded and the fastest ever recorded during a main draw match.



 Venus competing in the WTT
Williams was ranked World No. 31 going into Wimbledon and was seeded 23rd at the tournament due to her previous results at Wimbledon. Williams was a game away from defeat in her first round match against Alla Kudryavtseva and in her third round match against Akiko Morigami she was two points away from defeat, but she eventually won both 7–5 in the third set. She then advanced to reach her sixth Wimbledon final, after beating Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovic in straight sets en route, where she defeated 18th seed Marion Bartoli also in straight sets. Williams thus became only the fourth woman in the open era to win Wimbledon at least four times, along with Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf. She also became the lowest-seeded Wimbledon champion in history, breaking the record she herself set in 2005. Williams returned to the top 20 as a result of the win.[18]
At the US Open, after setting a Grand-Slam record 129 mph (208 km/h) serve in the opening round,[19] Williams advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal outside of Wimbledon since 2003. However she then lost to eventual champion Justine Henin. The tournament resulted in Williams's ranking moving up to World No. 9. Williams then won her third title of the year at the Hansol Korea Open Tennis Championships in Seoul, South Korea, defeating Maria Kirilenko in the final, before then losing in the final of the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo to Virginie Razzano. Williams had earned enough points during the year to qualify for the year-ending WTA Tour Championships in Madrid; however, she withdrew because of continuing problems with anemia.[20] Williams finished the year as World No. 8 with three titles, her best performance in both respects since 2002, and a winning percentage of 83 percent.
In 2008, as the eighth seed at the Australian Open, Williams reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003. However, she then lost to eventual runner-up Ana Ivanovic. Williams made her first semifinal of the year at the Bangalore Open in Bangalore, India, where she met sister Serena for the first time since 2005 with Serena winning despite Venus holding a match point in the third set tie break.
Williams missed two tournaments at the beginning of the clay-court season due to undisclosed medical problems.[21] At the French Open, Williams was seeded eighth but was eliminated by 26th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta in the third round.
Williams was the defending champion and seventh-seeded player at Wimbledon. Without dropping a set, she reached her seventh Wimbledon singles final. She then won her fifth Wimbledon singles title, and seventh Grand Slam singles title overall, by beating sister Serena in straight sets. This was the first time since 2003 that Venus and Serena had played each other in a Grand Slam final and was the first time since 2001 that Venus had defeated her in a Grand Slam final. Venus and Serena then teamed to win the women's doubles title, their first Grand Slam doubles title together since 2003.
Williams lost in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics to Li Na. She did, however, earn a gold medal along with Serena in women's doubles, their second gold medal as a team, having won together at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. At the US Open, Williams was playing some of her best tennis since dominating the circuit in 2003, However, she was defeated in two tiebreaks by Serena in an epic quarter final match after Venus led 5–3 in both sets, and would later win the tournament.



 Venus Williams at the 2008 WTA Tour Championships
At the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany in October, Williams defeated a player ranked in the top three for the first time that season by defeating World No. 3 Dinara Safina to reach her third semifinal of the year. There, she lost to Janković. A fortnight later, Williams won the Zurich Open, defeating Ivanovic in the semifinals before defeating Pennetta in the final to claim her second title of the year and secure a position in the year-ending 2008 WTA Tour Championships in Doha, Qatar. There, Williams defeated World No. 2 Safina, World No. 3 Serena and World No. 5 Dementieva in the preliminary round-robin stage. In the semifinals, Williams defeated World No. 1 Janković before winning the year-ending tournament for the first time by defeating Vera Zvonareva in the final. She ended the year ranked sixth in the world with three titles and a winning percentage of 78 percent.
As the sixth seed at the 2009 Australian Open, Williams lost in the second round to Carla Suárez Navarro after holding a match point in the third set. However, she teamed up with Serena to win the women's doubles title at the event, their eighth Grand Slam doubles title together. Venus rebounded in singles play in February at the Premier 5 (formerly Tier I) Dubai Tennis Championships, defeating defending champion and World No. 4 Dementieva in the quarterfinals and World No. 1 Serena in the semifinals on a third set tiebreak. The latter win meant that Venus led the head-to-head in career matches with her sister for the first time since 2002. Venus went on to defeat Virginie Razzano in the final. This win meant Williams was ranked in the top five for the first time since 2003, while it also marked her 40th professional singles title, only the twelfth player in the open era to achieve the feat.[22] Williams won another title the following week at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, Mexico, defeating Pennetta in the final. This was her first title on clay since 2005.
On European clay, Williams reached the semifinals in Rome before losing to World No. 1 Safina. This run meant Williams was ranked in the top three for the first time since 2003. Seeded third at the French Open, Williams lost to Ágnes Szávay in the third round, the third consecutive year she had exited at that stage.[23]
Williams was seeded third at Wimbledon. She advanced to her eighth Wimbledon final where she had won 36 straight sets (held since Wimbledon 2007). In the final however she lost the first set tie break and from then on lost in two sets to sister Serena. The Williams sisters teamed up to win the doubles title at the tournament for the fourth time.
In Stanford, Williams defeated Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva to advance to the finals, where she would lose to Marion Bartoli. Teaming with her sister, she played doubles and won the title, defeating Monica Niculescu and Yung-Jan Chan.



 Venus lost to the eventual champion at the US Open
At the 2009 US Open, as the third seed, Williams made it to the fourth round before losing to Kim Clijsters in three sets. Venus then teamed up with Serena to play doubles at the open, where they won the title over defending champions and world No. 1s in doubles, Cara Black and Liezel Huber, claiming their third grand slam doubles title in 2009.
Williams's last tournament in 2009 was the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships, where she was the defending champion in singles. She was in the maroon group which includes her sister Serena, along with Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova. She lost her first match against Dementieva, and her second match against Serena- both in straight sets, after taking the first set. In her third and final RR match, Williams defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova. Because of Dementieva's loss to Kuznetsova in their round robin match, Venus advanced to the semifinal of the championships. In her semifinal match, she defeated Jelena Janković of Serbia to advance to her second consecutive final in the tournament. In the final, she lost to her sister Serena. In doubles, Venus teamed with Serena as the second seed. However, they lost to Nuria Llagostera Vives and María José Martínez Sánchez in the semifinal. Their doubles record at the end of the year stood at 24–2.
Venus finished 2009 ranked world number 6 in singles (with a winning percentage of 70 percent) and world number 3 in doubles with Serena, in spite of playing only 6 events together in 2009.
2010: Return to top 2[edit]
Williams played at the Australian Open as the sixth seed. She defeated 17th-seeded Francesca Schiavone in the fourth round. She was two points from defeating 16th-seeded Li Na in the quarterfinals before losing in three sets. In doubles, she teamed with her sister Serena to successfully defend their title, defeating the top-ranked team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber in the final. The Williams sisters are undefeated in Grand Slam women's doubles finals and are 4–0 in Australian Open doubles finals.



 Williams at the 2010 Wimbledon.
Williams then played the Dubai Tennis Championships, where she was the defending champion. Seeded third, she successfully defended her title by defeating fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka in the final.
Williams next played on clay at the Abierto Mexico Telcel in Acapulco where she was the defending champion. She reached the semifinals after recovering from a 1–5 third set deficit to Laura Pous Tió in the quarterfinals. In the final, she defeated first-time finalist Polona Hercog from Slovenia. This was her 43rd career title, the most among active female players.
Her next tournament was the Premier Mandatory Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, where she was seeded third. She defeated World No. 9 Agnieszka Radwańska in the quarterfinals and World No. 13 Marion Bartoli in the semifinals to reach her third straight WTA tour final and fourth Sony Ericsson Open final. She was defeated by Kim Clijsters in the final in just 58 minutes, ending her 15-match winning streak. By reaching the final, her ranking improved to World No. 4 and she crossed the $26 million mark in career prize money, the only player besides Serena to do so.
The knee injury that hampered her during the final of the Sony Ericsson Open forced her to skip the Fed Cup tie against Russia and the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Williams returned to the tour at the Premier 5 Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. She suffered the worst defeat of her career in the quarterfinals, losing to World No. 4 Jelena Janković 6–0, 6–1. Despite this loss, Williams's ranking improved to World No. 3 on May 10.



 Williams at the 2010 Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open
Her next tournament was the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open, a Premier Mandatory tournament. She lost to Aravane Rezaï in the final. In doubles, she teamed with Serena to win the title.
On May 17, her ranking improved to World No. 2, behind only Serena. This was the fourth time that the William sisters' have occupied the top two spots, and the first time since May 2003.
Her next tournament was the French Open, where she played both singles and doubles despite her knee injury. Seeded second in singles, she advanced past the third round at this tournament for the first time since 2006 before losing to Nadia Petrova in the round of 16. She also played doubles with Serena as the top seeds. Their defeat of Huber and Anabel Medina Garrigues in the semifinals increased their doubles ranking to World No. 1. They then defeated 12th seeded Květa Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik in the final to win their fourth consecutive Grand Slam women's doubles title.
Her next tournament was the Wimbledon Championships, where she had reached the final the previous three years. Despite her knee injury, she made it to the quarterfinals, where she lost to Tsvetana Pironkova. Pironkova was ranked 82nd in the world and had never gone past the second round of a Grand Slam event. As a result, Williams dropped to #4 in the world. She was the defending champion in doubles with her sister Serena, having won the tournament in the previous two years. However, they lost this time in the quarterfinals to Elena Vesnina and Vera Zvonareva.
Williams then missed all tournaments in the US Open Series because of a left knee injury but still participated at the US Open as the third seed. She won three matches to move into the fourth round. Williams became one of only two women in 2010 (along with Caroline Wozniacki) to reach at least the fourth round at all four Grand Slam singles tournaments. Williams then defeated Pe'er and French Open champion Schiavone en route to her eighth US Open semifinal, against defending champion Clijsters. Williams won the first set of their match and recovered from 5–2 down in the second set but ultimately double-faulted on a key point near the end of the match and lost in three sets. Because of Serena's withdrawal from the US Open, Venus did not participate at the doubles event where she was the defending champion.
The recovery of her left knee took longer than expected and it forced her to miss the rest of 2010, including the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships and Fed Cup final.[24] Williams ended the year ranked fifth in singles, the first time she ended a year in the top five since 2002, while playing only nine tournaments. She finished the year ranked eleventh in doubles.
2011: Injuries and illness[edit]



 Williams in 2011
Williams started 2011 by participating at the Hong Kong Tennis Classic. She lost both her singles matches against Vera Zvonareva and Li Na, but she managed to help Team America to win the silver group. Her next tournament was the 2011 Australian Open where she was the fourth seed. She retired in the second game of her third round match against the 30th seed Andrea Petkovic due to a hip muscle injury.[25] This was Williams's first retirement during a match in a Grand Slam tournament since 1994 and thus ended her record of most Grand Slam matches without ever retiring, with 250 consecutive matches.[26] This was also her first retirement from a match since LA Women's Tennis Championships in Los Angeles in 2004, ending her 294 consecutive matches without retiring.
The injury forced Williams to pull out of the Fed Cup quarterfinal against Belgium, the Dubai Tennis Championships, and the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, where she was the two-time defending champion in both tournaments. She also pulled out of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami causing her ranking to drop to world no. 15. Further, she missed Madrid and Rome. This caused her rankings to drop to world no. 29. Originally scheduled to come back in Brussels, she eventually withdrew from the Premier tournament. Further, she also missed Roland Garros, marking the first Grand Slam tournament since 2003 US Open where neither of the Williams sisters are competing.
Williams then made her first appearance since the Australian Open in Eastbourne. Unseeded, she lost for the first time in eleven meetings to Daniela Hantuchová in the quarterfinals. She was seeded 23rd at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships. She played for nearly three hours in her second round match against Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm, winning in three tough sets. She then defeated Spaniard María José Martínez Sánchez in the third round but was defeated by Bulgarian 32nd seed Tsvetana Pironkova in the fourth round.
Originally scheduled to participate in Toronto and Cincinnati, Williams withdrew due to viral illness.[27] Her next scheduled tournament was the US Open.[28] As an unseeded player, Williams defeated Vesna Dolonts in the first round. She was scheduled to meet 22nd seed Sabine Lisicki in the second round, but withdrew before the match began due to Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease with which she was recently diagnosed.[29][30] This marked the first time in her career that she did not reach the quarterfinals or better in any of the grandslam tournaments in a season. As a result, her ranking dropped to world no. 105.
Williams did not play for the rest of the year in competitive level; although she did appear in three exhibitions tournaments in November and early December. She played a match against Serena in Colombia which she won in straight sets.[31] The week later, the sisters appeared in Milan, Italy to play exhibition against Italian duo Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta. Williams lost both her singles tie-break matches but won the doubles pairing with her sister.[32] Williams then headed to Barbados to play her third exhibition tournament where she lost to Victoria Azarenka.
She ended the year ranked world no. 102. This is her first finish of a season ranked outside of the world top 50 since 1997.
2012: Comeback to WTA tour[edit]
Williams was scheduled to play in Auckland as her preparation before the Australian Open.[33] However, she withdrew from the tournament because of her ongoing health problems. Further, she announced in her website that she also withdrew from the Australian Open. However, she also mentioned her intention to come back to the WTA circuit in February.[34] As a result, her ranking dropped further to world no. 135. Williams returned to the competition in the doubles match of the Fed Cup's World Group II tie between USA and Belarus that was held in Worcester, Massachusetts on 4–5 February.[35] She partnered with Liezel Huber and won the dead-rubber in straight sets.
Williams was granted wildcards to participate in Miami[36] and Charleston.[37] In her first singles match since the 2011 US Open, Williams defeated Japanese veteran, Kimiko Date-Krumm in straight sets in the first round of Miami. She followed up the victory by defeating world no. 3 Petra Kvitová in the second round, her first Top 3 victory since defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2009. Then, she beat Aleksandra Wozniak in a three-set tiebreaker in the third round, in a match that lasted almost three hours and where she saved a match point, to advance to the fourth round. In the round of 16, she bested world no. 15, Ana Ivanovic in three sets to reach the quarterfinals where she appeared fatigued and lost to the eventual champion, Agnieszka Radwańska in straight sets. Her run improved her ranking to no. 87. A week later in Charleston, she reached her second consecutive quarterfinals appearance, defeating Jelena Janković en route. She lost in three sets in the quarterfinals to Samantha Stosur.



 Williams at the French Open.
In the following the clay court season, Williams was granted wildcards to participate in Madrid and Rome. In Madrid, she lost in the second round to Angelique Kerber but still improved her world ranking to no. 63. A week later in Rome, she reached her third quarterfinals of the four tournaments she had participated in with a straight-sets victory against Samantha Stosur in the third round. She lost in the quarterfinals in straight sets to the world no. 2, defending and eventual champion Maria Sharapova.[38] Her appearance in Rome increased her ranking to world no. 52 and putting her as the third-ranked American. She lost in the second round of the French Open to Agnieszka Radwańska in straight sets.
She next participated in the Wimbledon tournament, where for the first time since 1997 she was not seeded.[39] She was drawn against Elena Vesnina in the first round, to whom Venus lost in straight sets.[40] It was also the first time Venus lost in the first round of a Grand Slam Tournament since the 2006 Australian Open, as well as the first opening round loss at Wimbledon since her pro tennis debut appearance there in 1997.[41] Williams fared much better in her return to doubles competition where she played alongside her sister, Serena. In just the pair's first tournament since 2010 Wimbledon, the unseeded sisters advanced to the final with notable victories against fourth-seeded Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova in the second round and top-seeded Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond in the semifinals. The Williams sisters claimed their fifth Wimbledon doubles title after defeating sixth-seeded Andrea Hlaváčková and Lucie Hradecká in straight sets in the final, on the same day Serena won her fifth Wimbledon singles title.
Williams's next stop was the 2012 Summer Olympics Games which was held in the same venue as Wimbledon. She entered the women's singles and women's doubles events, partnering with sister Serena in doubles. In singles, Williams defeated Sara Errani and Aleksandra Wozniak in convincing fashion to reach the third round where she faced Angelique Kerber. She lost to Kerber in two tiebreaks despite having three set points and leading 5–1 in the tiebreak in the first set. In doubles, the unseeded Williams sisters advanced to the final which was a repeat of Wimbledon's final match against fourth-seeded Hlaváčková and Hradecká. The sisters won their third gold medal in doubles after defeating the Czech pair in straight sets.
Next, Williams participated in Cincinnati where she received a singles wild card entry. She defeated her first two opponents, 14th seeded Maria Kirilenko and Chanelle Scheepers, in three tight sets before crushing 8th seeded Errani in the third round. In the quarterfinals, she defeated her second top 10 opponent in a row Samantha Stosur in three sets which advanced her to her first semifinals appearance since the 2010 US Open. In the semifinals Williams played through a back injury, eventually losing in three sets to Li Na in a match where her average first serve was between 80–90 miles per hour.[citation needed] Her semifinals run would bring her ranking back to within the top 50 for the first time in almost a year. At the US Open Williams lost in a second round match against Angelique Kerber in three sets, after she had a 4–2 lead in the third set.[citation needed]
Williams won her 44th career WTA title and her first in over two and half years at the 2012 BGL Luxembourg Open. She defeated Belinda Bencic, Mona Barthel, Roberta Vinci, and Andrea Petkovic to reach the final. There she defeated Monica Niculescu in two sets. With the title, Williams's ranking rose to #24 and ended 2012 with this ranking.
2013: Back injury[edit]
At the 2013 Hopman Cup, and playing for USA (with John Isner), the first rubber was against South Africa. Williams beat Chanelle Scheepers and, with John Isner, they comfortably defeated the South African pair Chanelle Scheepers and Kevin Anderson. In USA's second rubber against France, she won both her singles and in mixed doubles defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mathilde Johansson. Next she faced Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain and won in two sets.
From there Williams went onto the Australian Open, seeded 25, after missing it the previous year due to injury. She beat Galina Voskoboeva and Alizé Cornet before losing to the second seed, Maria Sharapova. Her next tournament was Brasil Tennis Cup. She participated the tournament as the 1st seed. She defeated Mirjana Lučić-Baroni in the first round, Garbiñe Muguruza in the second round and Magdaléna Rybáriková during the quarterfinals. Reaching her first semifinal of the year, she was then defeated by Olga Puchkova in three sets, 6–4, 4–6, 5–7. This tournament allowed Williams to strengthen her position in the Top 20. She retired from the 2013 Sony Open Tennis in the third round due to a lower back injury.



 Williams at the US Open
One week after Miami, Williams participated in Charleston as the fifth seed. She reached the semifinals, after playing both her third round and quarterfinals matches on the same day, where she lost to her sister, Serena, in two sets in the sisters' first meeting since the 2009 WTA Tour Championships.A few weeks later she participated in Fed Cup, in a tie between the United States and Sweden. After Sloane Stephens lost the opening match, Williams stepped into her spot, winning a match against Johanna Larsson 6–3, 7–5, after converting on her eighth match point. This was the first time in Williams's career that she clinched the winning match in a Fed Cup tie, leading the United States to a 3–2 victory over Sweden. Venus's next event was the Mutua Madrid Open where she withdrew just before playing her 1st Round match, her next tournament was the Italian Open in Rome where she lost in the 1st Round to Laura Robson 6–3, 6–2. Venus then played at the 2013 French Open where she lost to Urszula Radwanska in the 1st Round she was also entered in Doubles with her sister Serena but pulled out just before their 1st Round match, Venus pulled out of the 2013 Wimbledon Championships due to a back injury it was the first time she has missed Wimbledon in her career. At the Roger's Cup, she lost in the first round to 13th seed Kirsten Flipkens in 3 sets. At the 2013 Western and Southern Open, she defeated Qualifier Jana Cepelova in 2 sets, before losing in the 2nd round to Elena Vesnina in 3 sets. Her next tournament was the 2013 US Open. She pulled an upset in the first round by defeating 12th seed Kirsten Flipkens in a rematch of the Roger's Cup first round. She then was defeated by Zheng Jie in 3 sets. She entered the doubles with Serena Williams. They beat Carla Suarez Navarro and Silvia Soler Espinosa in the first round. In the 2nd round, the duo beat the 7th seeded team of Abigail Spears and Raquel Kops-Jones, and defeated the 11th seeded team of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Lucie Safarova in the 3rd round. In the Quarterfinals, they defeated the 1st seeded team of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci in a rematch of the Australian Open Quarterfinals. Their run ended in the Semifinals against the 5th seeded team and eventual champions Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova. Her next tournament was the Toray Pan Pacific Open. She defeated Mona Barthel in the first round, and upset the 1st seeded and World Number 2 Victoria Azarenka in the 2nd round. In the 3rd round, she came back from a set down to beat the 13th seed Simona Halep in 3 sets to make it to the quarterfinals of the Premier 5 event. In the quarterfinals she defeated Canadian Eugenie Bouchard in three sets. Venus fell in the semi-finals of the tournament to Petra Kvitova in another three set match. Venus then played at the 2013 China Open in Beijing where she played Singles & Doubles, Venus lost her 2nd Round match in Singles losing to Sabine Lisicki 6–1, 6–2 and she also lost her 1st Round match in Doubles despite having two match points. Venus's last tournament of the season was the 2013 Kremlin Cup in Moscow but she withdrew due to injury bringing an end to her 2013 season.
2014: Ending title drought and return to top 20[edit]
Venus started her official tennis season as the world no. 47 at the 2014 ASB Classic in Auckland where she made it to the final and finished runner-up to Ana Ivanovic. She next participated at the 2014 Australian Open where, as an unseeded player, she lost in the first round to world no. 23 Ekaterina Makarova in three sets. Williams lost to world no. 6 Petra Kvitová in the second round in Doha at the 2014 Qatar Total Open despite having match point in the third set tie-break. Williams then entered the Dubai Tennis Championships where she defeated five top forty players to win her biggest title since the Mutua Madrid Open in 2010 and, at 33 years and 8 months of age, becoming the seventh oldest woman to win a WTA singles title. En route, she avenged her loss to Ana Ivanovic in Auckland 6-2, 6-1 and her sister Serena’s loss to Alizé Cornet in the semi-finals, and for the title, with the score reading 6-3, 6-0 in the final. She also kept her head-to-head record perfect versus Caroline Wozniacki. Williams then competed in Miami at the 2014 Sony Open Tennis and in Charleston at the 2014 Family Circle Cup where she lost to Dominika Cibulková on hard and Eugenie Bouchard on clay, respectively - both in the round of 16 and both in three sets. Venus’s only loss of the year up until that point not having gone the distance of three sets occurred at her next tournament in Rome at the 2014 Internazionali BNL d'Italia where she lost 4-6, 2-6 to Carla Suárez Navarro. At the 2014 French Open, Venus was upset by world no. 56 Anna Karolína Schmiedlová in three sets. Venus then made it through to the third round of the Wimbledon Championships where she lost 7-5, 6-7, 5-7 to eventual champion Petra Kvitová in a classic and much praised encounter featuring 34 holds of serve to only 2 breaks. Williams was the only player to have won a set against Kvitová during the 2014 Wimbledon Championships.
Venus played her first tournament of the 2014 US Open Series at the 2014 Bank of the West Classic where she is a two-time former champion. In the second round she scored her first top 10 victory of the year and, in the process, improved her head-to-head record against Victoria Azarenka to 4-0. Williams lost to world no. 18 Andrea Petkovic in three sets in the quarterfinals. At the 2014 Rogers Cup, Venus defeated world no. 24 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three sets - scoring her first ever victory at that tournament (on her fifth attempt). She defeated world no. 7 Angelique Kerber in the third round in a three-set thriller described by one of the commentators as "quite simply one of the matches of the 2014 season so far on the WTA". Williams produced yet another upset by winning in three against Carla Suárez Navarro to advance to the semi-finals, where she defeated younger sister and world no. 1, Serena Williams, in the pair's 25th meeting. It was her 14th victory over a reigning world no. 1 and her first since the 2009 Wimbledon Championships when she defeated Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0 in the semi-finals. It was also the first time since 2009 that Venus had beaten Serena. She lost the championship match 4-6, 2-6 to world no. 5 Agnieszka Radwańska. At her final tournament before the 2014 US Open, Williams lost in a tight three-setter to world no. 17 Lucie Šafářová in the first round at the 2014 Western & Southern Open. At the US Open Venus made it to the third round for the first time since 2010 and was two points away (multiple times) from moving into the Round of 16 before ultimately going down to 13th seeded Sara Errani for the first time in four meetings.
Venus' next tournament was at the 2014 Coupe Banque Nationale in Quebec, where she received a wildcard as the no. 1 seed. She advanced to the quarter-finals in straight set first and second round victories and is set to play Czech player, Lucie Hradecká. She defeated Hradecká in a lengthy 2 hour and 13 minute match, winning 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3). Williams then played fellow countrywomen, Shelby Rogers in the semi-final and won in straight sets to progress to her fourth final of the year. Unfortunately, she lost to a resurgent Mirjana Lučić-Baroni in straight sets. Williams then played at the 2014 Wuhan Open, where she lost in the first round to Caroline Garcia despite having held a match point. Her final tournament of the year was at the 2014 China Open where she won her first two matches before withdrawing prior to the third round. Venus finished the year ranked world no. 19 in singles - the first time since 2010 that she's finished inside the top 20. Williams joined Bangalore Raptors team in 2014 for the first edition of Champions Tennis League India.[42]
2015: Australian Open big form[edit]
Venus started off her season at the 2015 ASB Classic where she won her 46th career singles title by defeating Caroline Wozniacki in three sets in the final. Then, at the Australian Open, Venus made it to the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2010 US Open. She defeated Camila Giorgi in the third round having to recover from 4-6, 2-4 and 0-40 down to reach the second week of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since the 2011 Wimbledon Championships and then overturned a three-match losing streak to Agnieszka Radwańska before losing to Madison Keys after being up a break in the deciding set. Venus had her 16-match winning streak at the Dubai Tennis Championships ended by Lucie Šafářová in the third round. Her next tournament was at the Qatar Total Open where she saved a match point in a heated encounter versus Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová in the second round before defeating Agnieszka Radwańska for a second time in 2015 to advance to the semifinals. She ended up losing in three sets to Victoria Azarenka. Venus competed at the Miami Open, where she won against Samantha Stosur in the third round and Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round (scoring her fourth top-10 win of the season and improving her head-to-head record against Wozniacki to a perfect 7-0). In the quarterfinals, she was defeated by Carla Suárez Navarro in three sets.
Fight for equal prize money[edit]
Despite years of protesting by tennis pioneer Billie Jean King and others, in 2005 the French Open and Wimbledon still refused to pay women's and men's players equally through all rounds. In 2005, Williams met with officials from both tournaments, arguing that female tennis players should be paid as much as male tennis players.[43] Although WTA tour President Larry Scott commented that she left "a very meaningful impression", Williams's demands were rejected.
The turning point was an essay published in The Times on the eve of Wimbledon in 2006. In it, Williams accused Wimbledon of being on the "wrong side of history", writing:

I feel so strongly that Wimbledon's stance devalues the principle of meritocracy and diminishes the years of hard work that women on the tour have put into becoming professional tennis players.
 I believe that athletes – especially female athletes in the world's leading sport for women – should serve as role models. The message I like to convey to women and girls across the globe is that there is no glass ceiling. My fear is that Wimbledon is loudly and clearly sending the opposite message....
 Wimbledon has argued that women's tennis is worth less for a variety of reasons; it says, for example, that because men play a best of five sets game they work harder for their prize money.
 This argument just doesn’t make sense; first of all, women players would be happy to play five sets matches in grand slam tournaments....
 Secondly, tennis is unique in the world of professional sports. No other sport has men and women competing for a grand slam championship on the same stage, at the same time. So in the eyes of the general public the men's and women's games have the same value.
 Third, ... we enjoy huge and equal celebrity and are paid for the value we deliver to broadcasters and spectators, not the amount of time we spend on the stage. And, for the record, the ladies’ final at Wimbledon in 2005 lasted 45 minutes longer than the men's....
 Wimbledon has justified treating women as second class because we do more for the tournament. The argument goes that the top women – who are more likely also to play doubles matches than their male peers – earn more than the top men if you count singles, doubles and mixed doubles prize money. So the more we support the tournament, the more unequally we should be treated! But doubles and mixed doubles are separate events from the singles competition. Is Wimbledon suggesting that, if the top women withdrew from the doubles events, that then we would deserve equal prize money in singles? And how then does the All England Club explain why the pot of women's doubles prize money is nearly £130,000 smaller than the men's doubles prize money?
 I intend to keep doing everything I can until Billie Jean's original dream of equality is made real. It's a shame that the name of the greatest tournament in tennis, an event that should be a positive symbol for the sport, is tarnished.[43]
In response, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and members of Parliament publicly endorsed Williams's arguments.[44] Later that year, the Women's Tennis Association and UNESCO teamed for a campaign to promote gender equality in sports, asking Williams to lead the campaign.[45] Under enormous pressure, Wimbledon announced in February 2007 that it would award equal prize money to all competitors in all rounds, and the French Open followed suit a day later.[46] In the aftermath, the Chicago Sun-Times cited Williams as "the single factor" that "changed the minds of the boys" and a leader whose "willingness to take a public stand separates her not only from most of her female peers, but also from our most celebrated male athletes."[47] Williams herself commented, "Somewhere in the world a little girl is dreaming of holding a giant trophy in her hands and being viewed as an equal to boys who have similar dreams."[48]
Venus herself became the first woman to benefit from the equalization of prize money at Wimbledon, as she won the 2007 tournament and was awarded the same amount as the male winner Roger Federer. Venus's fight for equality was documented in Nine for IX, Venus Vs. It premiered on July 2, 2013.[49][50]
Personal life[edit]



 Williams for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "National Wear Red Day"
On December 13, 2007, Williams received her associate degree in fashion design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.[51]
Beginning the 2011 fall semester, Williams began pursuing a bachelor's degree in the school of business through an online degree program at Indiana University East in Richmond, Indiana.[52] Her ultimate goal is to get an MBA in the near future.[53]
Williams's longtime boyfriend, pro golfer Dorian Andrews, was a visible presence from the time of Wimbledon 2007 until 2010, when Kuehne dated and (in May 2011) married his current wife, Andy. Williams is now dating Cuban model Elio Pis whom she met when he modeled for her EleVen fashion line.[54]
In 2003, Venus and Serena Williams's older sister Yetunde Price, 31, was shot dead in Compton, California, near the courts on which the sisters once practiced. Price was the Williams sisters' personal assistant. The Williams family issued this statement shortly after the death: "We are extremely shocked, saddened and devastated by the shooting death of our beloved Yetunde. She was our nucleus and our rock. She was a personal assistant, confidante, and adviser to her sisters, and her death leaves a void that can never be filled. Our grief is overwhelming, and this is the saddest day of our lives."[55]
In 2011, Williams was forced to withdraw from the US Open before her second-round match, following a Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis.[30]
After the diagnosis, she adopted a vegan diet, as well as reducing her intake of calories and sugars.[56]
Like her mother and sister Serena, Williams is a Jehovah's Witness and has a practice of not voting. She has, however, expressed her support for Barack Obama.[57]
Entrepreneur[edit]



 Williams in July 2010
Williams is the chief executive officer of her interior design firm V Starr Interiors located in Jupiter, Florida. Her company designed the set of the Tavis Smiley Show on the Public Broadcasting Service, the Olympic athletes' apartments as part of New York City's failed bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and residences and businesses in the Palm Beach, Florida area.[58]
In 2001, Williams was named one of the 30 most powerful women in America by the Ladies Home Journal.[59]
In 2007, Williams teamed with retailer Steve & Barry's to launch her own fashion line, EleVen. "I love fashion and the idea that I am using my design education to actually create clothing and footwear that I will wear on and off the tennis court is a dream come true for me. The vision has been to create a collection that will allow women to enjoy an active lifestyle while remaining fashionable at the same time. I'm thrilled with everything we've created to launch EleVen."[60][61]
In June 2009, Williams was named 77th in the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities compiled by Forbes magazine.[62]
In August 2009, Williams and her sister Serena became part-owners of the Miami Dolphins. The announcement was made during a press conference overlooking the practice field. This made the sisters the first African-American females to obtain ownership in an NFL franchise. Stephan Ross, the majority owner of the Dolphins, said "We are thrilled to have Venus and Serena join the Dolphins as limited partners. They are among the most admired athletes in the world and have become global ambassadors for the game of tennis. Their addition to our ownership group further reflects our commitment to connect with aggressively and embrace the great diversity that makes South Florida a multicultural gem."[63]
In late June 2010, Williams released her first book, Come to Win; on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession, which she co-wrote with Kelly E. Carter. In promotion of the book she embarked on a tour around America in support of the release, whilst also appearing on several talk shows, including The Early Show and Good Morning America. This gave her a place in the Top 5 of The New York Times Best Seller List.[64]
Recognition[edit]
In 2005 Tennis Magazine ranked her as the 25th-best player in 40 years.[65][66] In June 2011, she was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by Time.[67]
Equipment[edit]
##Coach: David Witt, Richard Williams, Oracene Price
##Racket: Wilson BLX Blade Team (104)
##Clothing: EleVen
##Shoes: Nike
In 1995, when Williams was 14 years old, she signed an endorsement deal with Reebok and wore the company's apparel and shoes.[68][69] She used Wilson Hammer 6.2 Stretch racket.[70]
Career statistics[edit]
Main article: Venus Williams career statistics
Grand Slam performance timeline[edit]
Key
W  F  SF QF R# RR LQ (Q#) A P Z# PO SF-B F-S G NMS NH
Won tournament; or reached Final; Semifinal; Quarter-final; Round 4, 3, 2, 1; competed at a Round Robin stage; lost in Qualification Round; absent from tournament event; played in a Davis Cup Zonal Group (with its number indication) or Play-off; won a bronze, silver (F or S) or gold medal at the Olympics; a downgraded Masters Series/1000 tournament (Not a Masters Series); or a tournament that was Not Held in a given year.
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated either at the conclusion of a tournament, or when the player's participation in the tournament has ended.

Tournament
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
SR
W–L
Australian Open A QF QF A SF QF F 3R 4R 1R A QF 2R QF 3R A 3R 1R QF 0 / 14 45–15
French Open 2R QF 4R QF 1R F 4R QF 3R QF 3R 3R 3R 4R A 2R 1R 2R  0 / 17 42–17
Wimbledon 1R QF QF W W F F 2R W 3R W W F QF 4R 1R A 3R  5 / 17 73–12
US Open F SF SF W W F A 4R QF A SF QF 4R SF 2R 2R 2R 3R  2 / 16 64–13
Win–Loss
7–3
17–4
15–4
18–1
19–2
22–4
15–3
10–4
16–3
6–3
14–2
17–3
12–4
16–4
6–2
2–3
3–3
5–4

7 / 60
224–57

Grand Slam finals[edit]
Singles: 14 (7 titles, 7 runner-ups)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Opponent
Score

Runner-up 1997 US Open Hard Switzerland Martina Hingis 0–6, 4–6
Winner 2000 Wimbledon Grass United States Lindsay Davenport 6–3, 7–6(7–3)
Winner 2000 US Open Hard United States Lindsay Davenport 6–4, 7–5
Winner 2001 Wimbledon (2) Grass Belgium Justine Henin 6–1, 3–6, 6–0
Winner 2001 US Open (2) Hard United States Serena Williams 6–2, 6–4
Runner-up 2002 French Open Clay United States Serena Williams 5–7, 3–6
Runner-up 2002 Wimbledon Grass United States Serena Williams 6–7(4–7), 3–6
Runner-up 2002 US Open (2) Hard United States Serena Williams 4–6, 3–6
Runner-up 2003 Australian Open Hard United States Serena Williams 6–7(4–7), 6–3, 4–6
Runner-up 2003 Wimbledon (2) Grass United States Serena Williams 6–4, 4–6, 2–6
Winner 2005 Wimbledon (3) Grass United States Lindsay Davenport 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 9–7
Winner 2007 Wimbledon (4) Grass France Marion Bartoli 6–4, 6–1
Winner 2008 Wimbledon (5) Grass United States Serena Williams 7–5, 6–4
Runner-up 2009 Wimbledon (3) Grass United States Serena Williams 6–7(3–7), 2–6

Women's doubles: 13 finals (13 titles)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Partner
Opponent
Score

Winner 1999 French Open United States Serena Williams Switzerland Martina Hingis
Russia Anna Kournikova 6–3, 6–7(2–7), 8–6
Winner 1999 US Open United States Serena Williams United States Chanda Rubin
France Sandrine Testud 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
Winner 2000 Wimbledon United States Serena Williams France Julie Halard-Decugis
Japan Ai Sugiyama 6–3, 6–2
Winner 2001 Australian Open United States Serena Williams United States Lindsay Davenport
United States Corina Morariu 6–2, 2–6, 6–4
Winner 2002 Wimbledon (2) United States Serena Williams Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Argentina Paola Suárez 6–2, 7–5
Winner 2003 Australian Open (2) United States Serena Williams Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Argentina Paola Suárez 4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2008 Wimbledon (3) United States Serena Williams United States Lisa Raymond
Australia Samantha Stosur 6–2, 6–2
Winner 2009 Australian Open (3) United States Serena Williams Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová
Japan Ai Sugiyama 6–3, 6–3
Winner 2009 Wimbledon (4) United States Serena Williams Australia Samantha Stosur
Australia Rennae Stubbs 7–6(7–4), 6–4
Winner 2009 US Open (2) United States Serena Williams Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber 6–2, 6–2
Winner 2010 Australian Open (4) United States Serena Williams Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber 6–4, 6–3
Winner 2010 French Open (2) United States Serena Williams Czech Republic Květa Peschke
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik 6–2, 6–3
Winner 2012 Wimbledon (5) United States Serena Williams Czech Republic Andrea Hlaváčková
Czech Republic Lucie Hradecká 7-5, 6-4

Mixed doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)[edit]

Outcome
Year
Championship
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score

Winner 1998 Australian Open Hard United States Justin Gimelstob Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
Czechoslovakia Cyril Suk 6–2, 6–1
Winner 1998 French Open Clay United States Justin Gimelstob United States Serena Williams
Argentina Luis Lobo 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 2006 Wimbledon Grass United States Bob Bryan Russia Vera Zvonareva
Israel Andy Ram 3–6, 2–6

Records and achievements[edit]
##These records were attained in Open Era of tennis.
##Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.
##Records in italics are currently active streaks.
Championship Years Record accomplished Player tied
1999 French Open – 2012 Wimbledon 1999–2012 First 13 Grand Slam doubles finals won (with Serena Williams) Stands alone
2002 French Open – 2003 Australian Open 2002–2003 Four consecutive runner-up finishes Chris Evert
2002 French Open – 2003 Australian Open 2002–2003 Four consecutive runner-up finishes to the same player (Serena Williams) Stands alone
Wimbledon 2005 Longest women's singles final[71] Lindsay Davenport
Wimbledon 2007 Lowest-ranked champion (31st)[72] Stands alone
Wimbledon 2007 Lowest-seeded champion (23rd)[72] Stands alone
Wimbledon 2008 Fastest serve by a woman (129 mph)[73] Stands alone
US Open 2007 Fastest serve by a woman (129 mph)[74][75] Stands alone
Summer Olympics 2000–2012 4 Gold Medals Serena Williams
Summer Olympics 2000–2012 3 Doubles Gold Medals (with Serena Williams) Stands alone
Miami Masters 1998–2002 22 consecutive singles matches won at this tournament Steffi Graf
Dubai Tennis Championships 2009–2015 16 consecutive singles matches won at this tournament Stands alone
Dubai Tennis Championships 2010–2014 2 consecutive singles titles without dropping a set Justine Henin
Dubai Tennis Championships 2014 Only unseeded player to have won in singles and as a wildcard Stands alone
New Haven Open at Yale 1999–2002 4 consecutive singles titles Caroline Wozniacki
New Haven Open at Yale 1999–2000 2 consecutive singles titles without dropping a set Stands alone
Rogers Cup 2014 Oldest singles finalist (34 years, 2 months) Stands alone
##In 1997, Williams became the first woman since Pam Shriver in 1978 to reach the singles final of the US Open on her first attempt.[76]
##In 1997, Williams became the first unseeded singles finalist at the US Open.[76]
##In 1997, the combined ages of Williams at age 17 and Martina Hingis at age 16 in the US Open final were the lowest in the open era history of that tournament.
##At 1999 IGA SuperThrift Classic in Oklahoma City marking the first time in tennis history that sisters won titles in the same week (Serena won the Open Gaz de France in Paris).
##At the 1999 Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne became the first pair of sisters in the open era to meet in a tournament final (with Serena Williams).
##In 2000, Williams became the second African-American to win Wimbledon during the open era.
##At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Williams became only the second player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles at the same Olympic Games, after Helen Wills Moody in 1924. Serena Williams has since joined these 2 women in completing this feat when she won gold in the Singles and Doubles at 2012 London Olympics.
##By winning the 2001 Australian Open doubles championship, Venus and Serena Williams became the fifth pair to complete a Career Doubles Grand Slam and the only pair to win a Career Doubles Golden Slam.
##The 2001 US Open marked the first time in the open era, and only the second time in 117 years, that sisters met in a Grand Slam singles final (with Serena Williams).
##In 2001, she became the third woman in the open era, after Navratilova and Graf, to win both Wimbledon and the US Open in consecutive years.
##In February 2002, she became the first African-American woman to become World No. 1 since the computer rankings began in 1975.
##In 2002 became the first ever siblings to rank Top 2 at same time with sister Serena.
##At Wimbledon in 2003, she reached her fourth consecutive Wimbledon final, which since the abolishment of the challenge round system is tied with Helen Wills Moody for fourth behind Navratilova's nine, King's five, and Evert's five.
##Williams and Hingis hold the open era record for consecutive losses in Grand Slam singles finals (five). One of four women, the others being Serena Williams, Navratilova and Graf, to win the Wimbledon singles title at least five times during the open era.
##During the 2008 WTA Tour Championships became the 3rd player after Steffi Graf and Serena Williams to beat the second Dinara Safina, third Serena Williams and first Jelena Jankovic ranked players in the same tournament.
##At Wimbledon in 2009, Williams defeated World No. 1 Dinara Safina in the semifinals 6–1, 6–0, which was the most one-sided women's semifinal at Wimbledon since 1969, when King defeated Rosemary Casals by the same score.
##Williams held the record for the fastest serve in women's tennis at 207.9 km/h (129.2 mph), achieved at the 2007 US Open. She held this record for almost 8 years, until her record was broken by Sabine Lisicki at the 2014 Stanford Classic with a service speed of 210.8 km/h (131.0 mph).
Awards[edit]
See also: WTA Awards
1995##Sports Image Foundation Award for conducting tennis clinics in low-income areas
1997##WTA Newcomer of the Year
##September's Olympic Committee Female Athlete
1998##Tennis Magazine's Most Improved Player
2000##WTA Player of the Year
##WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
##Sports Illustrated for Women's Sportswoman of the Year
##Teen Choice Awards – Extraordinary Achievement Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.62)
##Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year for team sports (with Serena Williams)
2001##Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
##EMMA Best Sport Personality Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.57)
2002##Best Female Athlete ESPY Award
##Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.60)
2003##The President's Award of the 34th NAACP Image Awards
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.65)
2004##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1)
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.77)
2005##Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.81)
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
2006##Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
##BET's Best Female Athlete of the Year
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1)
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.90)
 2007##Gitanjali Diamond Award
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
##Vogue Magazine Top 10 Best Dressed List for 2007
2008##Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year Award
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
##Anti-Defamation League Americanism Award
##Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year Award
##ITF Women's Doubles World Champion (with Serena Williams)
##WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
##WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
##Doha 21st Century Leaders Awards – Outstanding Leadership
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.77)
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2)
2010##Caesars Tennis Classic Achievement Award
##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.83)
##YWCA GLA Phenomenal Woman of the Year Award
##WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
##Forbes 30 Utterly Inspiring Role Models
##Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (No.60)
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2)
2011##Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.86)
##TIME Magazine 30 Legends of Women's Tennis
##Forbes Most Powerful Black Women In The U.S. (No.10)
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2)
2012##World TeamTennis Finals Most Valuable Player
##WTA Player Service Award
##WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
2013##BET Black Girls Rock! Star Power Award
##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
2014##Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
##WTA Fan Favorite Dress (2014 Wimbledon)
##Tennis Magazine Top 10 Matches of 2014 No.3 (2014 Wimbledon 3rd Round)
##ESPN Tennis Top 10 Women's Matches of 2014 No.3 (2014 Wimbledon 3rd Round)

See also[edit]

Portal icon Tennis portal
##WTA Tour records
##Grand Slam (tennis)
##List of WTA number 1 ranked players
##List of female tennis players
##List of tennis tournaments
##List of tennis rivalries
##Tennis records of the Open Era - Women's Singles
##Overall tennis records - Womens's Singles
##Graf–Navratilova rivalry
##Graf–Sabatini rivalry
##Graf–Seles rivalry
##Hingis – V. Williams rivalry
##Williams sisters rivalry
##List of Grand Slam women's singles champions
##List of Grand Slam women's doubles champions
##List of Grand Slam mixed doubles champions
References[edit]
Notes
1.Jump up ^ "Family Tree Legends". Family Tree Legends. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
2.Jump up ^ Chase, Chris (July 15, 2010). "Ranking the top-10 women's tennis players of all time – Busted Racquet – Tennis Blog – Yahoo! Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
3.Jump up ^ "All-Time Women's Majors Titles". Blueridgenow.com. June 5, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
4.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters net gold in doubles, beating off Spaniards in final". ESPN. August 17, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
5.Jump up ^ Chase, Chris (September 13, 2010). "Ranking the top-10 women's tennis players of all time – Busted Racquet – Tennis – Yahoo! Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
6.Jump up ^ Kaufman, Michelle (April 22, 2007). "Venus, Serena reflect as they prepare for Fed Cup". blackathlete.net. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
7.Jump up ^ Peyser, Marc; Samuels, Allison (August 24, 1998). "Venus And Serena Against The World". Newsweek. Retrieved April 19, 2009.[dead link]
8.Jump up ^ Lydia Pyle, 2005, Venus and Serena Williams, p. 10.
9.Jump up ^ the, United States. "Venus Williams: Biography from". Answers.com. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
10.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Interview Australian Open – Jan 17". Tennis-x.com. January 17, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
11.Jump up ^ 'Harder, Better, Faster...' Article discussing the serve speeds of women in 2008 – Nov 28[dead link]
12.Jump up ^ "Venus Envy". Sportsillustrated.com. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
13.Jump up ^ "WTA, Info, Venus Williams". WTA Tour, Inc. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
14.Jump up ^ "What Happened at Indian Wells?". ESPN. March 11, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
15.Jump up ^ Rogers, Martin (September 13, 2010). "Indian Wells boycott hurts Williamses more than it helps". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
16.Jump up ^ Keating, Gina; Tippit, Sarah. Eldest sister of Venus, Serena shot dead, Rediff, September 15, 2003. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
17.Jump up ^ Burt, Jason. Seeds are shaken by Sprem's flowering talent, The Independent, June 27, 2004. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
18.Jump up ^ "Williams joins women's elite with fourth Wimbledon title". Sport.monstersandcritics.com. July 7, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
19.Jump up ^ "Sister Sister: Venus sets record with 129 mph (208 km/h) serve; Serena sails". SI.com. August 27, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2008.
20.Jump up ^ Sharapova, Hantuchova Round Out Elite Eight Field[dead link]
21.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Out of Tennis Indefinitely with Mystery Illness". Tennis-x.com. April 9, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
22.Jump up ^ Williams Beats Razzano for 40th Career Singles Title[dead link]
23.Jump up ^ "Venus crashes out of French Open". BBC Sport. May 29, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
24.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams out for the remainder of 2010; Will miss Fed Cup Final , Pro Tennis – News". USTA. October 6, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
25.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Injury: Tennis Star Withdraws From Australian Open". Huffington Post. January 21, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
26.Jump up ^ "Venus Retires, Petkovic Moves Through". Wtatennis.com. January 21, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
27.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Out Again For The Western & Southern Open". tennisnow.com. 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
28.Jump up ^ Lynch, Lauren. "Venus Williams Out Again For The Western & Southern Open". Tennis Now. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
29.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Pulls Out Of U.S. Open : NPR". npr.org. 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
30.^ Jump up to: a b Lila (2011-08-31). "Venus Williams Leaves US Open. 10 Things You Should Know About Sjogren's Syndrome". Celebritydiagnosis.com. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
31.Jump up ^ Venus defeats Serena in exhibition in Colombia
32.Jump up ^ Schiavone beats Venus, Serena in Milan
33.Jump up ^ "Tennis: Venus Williams pulls out of ASB Classic". NZ Herald News. December 20, 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
34.Jump up ^ 2012 Australia Open
35.Jump up ^ [1]
36.Jump up ^ V. Williams, Gonzalez, and Nalbandian Granted Sony Ericsson Open Wildcards
37.Jump up ^ Venus Williams Enters Cup
38.Jump up ^ Maria Sharapova ends Venus Williams' run. Accessed 20 May 2012.
39.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams". USA Today. June 20, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-25.
40.Jump up ^ Brown, Oliver (June 25, 2012). "Venus Williams". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 2012-06-25.
41.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams ousted in first round".
42.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams play for Bangalore Raptors in CTL". 16 November 2014.
43.^ Jump up to: a b Williams, Venus. Wimbledon has sent me a message: I'm only a second-class champion, The Times, June 26, 2006. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
44.Jump up ^ "Blair adds support for equal pay". BBC Sport. June 28, 2006. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
45.Jump up ^ WTA Tour and UNESCO to promote gender equality, International Herald Tribune, November 11, 2006. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
46.Jump up ^ Roland Garros Awards Equal Pay[dead link]
47.Jump up ^ "French Open To Give Equal Paydays To Male, Female Winners", Sports Business Daily
48.Jump up ^ Slezak, Carol. "We haven't heard last of Venus", Chicago Sun-Times, March 18, 2007.
49.Jump up ^ Cingari, Jennifer (February 19, 2013). "ESPN Films and espnW Announce Nine for IX". Retrieved February 27, 2013.
50.Jump up ^ "Air dates set for Nine for IX series". espnW.com. April 10, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
51.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Aces Fashion Degree from Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale". Artinstitutes.edu. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
52.Jump up ^ "Tennis star Venus Williams enrolls at Indiana University East". indystar.com. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
53.Jump up ^ "Sister Act: Serena and Venus Williams". http://hamptons-magazine.com. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
54.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Is Dating Cuban Model Elio Pis". People. September 9, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
55.Jump up ^ "Williams sisters 'shocked' by shooting death of oldest sister – Sports". Findarticles.com. September 29, 2003. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
56.Jump up ^ "Vegan Venus Williams talks about food and tennis". Mercury News. January 14, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
57.Jump up ^ Leibenluft, Jacob (June 26, 2008). "Why Don't Jehovah's Witnesses Vote?". Slate. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
58.Jump up ^ Vstarr Interiors[dead link]
59.Jump up ^ "#21 to #25". Ladies Home Journal.[dead link]
60.Jump up ^ "Eleven website". Elevenbyvenus.com. September 6, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
61.Jump up ^ Venus Unveils EleVen Clothing Range[dead link]
62.Jump up ^ "#77 Venus Williams". Forbes Magazine. June 3, 2009.
63.Jump up ^ Williams sisters buy into Dolphins group ESPN, August 25, 2009
64.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams book on NYT Bestseller list". Usta.com. July 15, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
65.Jump up ^ "40 Greatest Players of the Tennis Era (25–28)". Tennis Magazine. May 17, 2006. Retrieved April 22, 2009.[dead link]
66.Jump up ^ "High time we appreciate Venus Williams". ESPN. September 13, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
67.Jump up ^ William Lee Adams (June 22, 2011). "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future – Venus Williams". TIME. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
68.Jump up ^ "DEAL WITH VENUS IN THE STARS FOR REEBOK". SportsBusiness Journal. May 22, 1995. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
69.Jump up ^ "WHAT THEY'RE WEARING (AND HITTING WITH) AT THE U.S. OPEN". SportsBusiness Journal. August 28, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
70.Jump up ^ "What they're wearing (and hitting with) at Wimbledon". SportsBusiness Journal. June 25, 2001. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
71.Jump up ^ "Venus rallies to win longest Wimbledon final". MSNBC. July 3, 2005. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
72.^ Jump up to: a b "A Trio of Favorites at Wimbledon". MSNBC. June 19, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
73.Jump up ^ "Venus Williams Defeats Sister Serena, Taking Fifth Wimbledon Title". Fox News. July 5, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
74.Jump up ^ "Venus sets record with 129-mph serve; Serena sails". SI.com. August 27, 2007. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
75.Jump up ^ "Venus serves up a record". Tvnz.co.nz. August 28, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
76.^ Jump up to: a b 1997 U.S. OPEN: A Phenomenal Final; Hingus (sic) and Williams Show Improvement With Every Match,The New York Times, September 7, 1997. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
Bibliography##Edmondson, Jacqueline (2005). Venus and Serena Williams: A Biography. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33165-0.
External links[edit]

Find more about
Venus Williams
 at Wikipedia's sister projects

Search Commons Media from Commons
##Official website
##Venus Williams at the Women's Tennis Association
##Venus Williams at the International Tennis Federation
##Venus Williams at the Fed Cup
##Venus Williams at the Internet Movie Database
##Venus Williams, National Press CLub 2010


[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Venus Williams











Venus Williams 2012.jpg

















































































[show] 
Venus Williams (Achievement predecessor & successor)







United States
United States
United States


United States
United States
United States



Russia

United States
United States

United States
SwitzerlandRussia
ZimbabweUnited States
United States
United States
United StatesAustralia
ArgentinaItaly
United States
Russia

United States
Russia
United States

United States
ZimbabweUnited States
United States 

RussiaBelarus
United States
United States
RussiaBelarus
RussiaRussia
Italy
 



Netherlands

Germany




[show] 
Venus Williams in the Grand Slam Tournaments











































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































United States
Australia
Australia









United States
Australia
West Germany









AustraliaAustralia









Brazil
United StatesUnited States
Switzerland









AustraliaAustralia
Australia
Australia









United Kingdom
United States
Australia
Australia
United States
Switzerland
Spain









United States
United States
United States
Australia
United States
United States
United States
West Germany
United States
Russia









Australia
Australia
Australia
AustraliaAustralia
Australia
Australia
AustraliaAustralia
South Africa
Australia
Sweden
NetherlandsNetherlands
Australia
Australia
Sweden
United StatesUnited States
Canada
India









United States
United States
United States
United States
Brazil
Australia
Australia
Australia
United StatesUnited States
CzechoslovakiaUnited States
United States
Czechoslovakia
United States
Belarus
Czech Republic
Switzerland
United StatesUnited States
United States
ItalyItaly









France
United StatesAustralia
Australia
Australia
Australia
United States
United States
South Africa
Australia
Australia
United States
Slovakia
India
Zimbabwe







[show] 
Venus Williams Achievements














United StatesSteady
CanadaSteady
United StatesIncrease
United StatesIncrease
United StatesIncrease


United StatesDecrease
United StatesSteady
United StatesDecrease
United StatesDecrease
United StatesIncrease










United States


Steady
Increase
Increase
Increase
Decrease


Steady
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Decrease













United States
Australia
United States
United States
Germany
Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaFederal Republic of YugoslaviaUnited States
Spain
Switzerland
United States
United States
United States
United States
Belgium
Belgium
France
Russia
Serbia
Serbia
Russia
Denmark
Belarus


















United States
United States
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Puerto Rico
Belarus
Latvia
Spain
United States
Switzerland
Russia
United States
United States
Australia
France
Japan
Argentina
Belgium
Spain
Zimbabwe
Australia
United States
United States
United States
Argentina
Italy
Czech Republic
Slovenia
Italy
Italy
China
Chinese Taipei
India











































United Kingdom
United States
United States
United States
United States
China
United States


































































































[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Women's Tennis Association: United States Top American female singles tennis players as of May 18, 2015


Steady
Increase
Increase
Increase
Decrease


Steady
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Decrease




[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
2014 World TeamTennis Champion Washington Kastles

















Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 165099100 ·
 LCCN: n98055993 ·
 GND: 128464119
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: Venus Williams
1980 births
African-American tennis players
American female tennis players
Australian Open (tennis) champions
Living people
Olympic gold medalists for the United States
Olympic tennis players of the United States
Sportspeople from Compton, California
People from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
People from Saginaw, Michigan
Sportspeople from West Palm Beach, Florida
Tennis people from California
Tennis people from Florida
Tennis people from Michigan
Tennis players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Tennis players at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Tennis players at the 2008 Summer Olympics
US Open (tennis) champions
Wimbledon champions
World No. 1 tennis players
Olympic medalists in tennis
African-American sportswomen
Tennis players at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in women's singles
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in women's doubles
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in mixed doubles
Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
American Jehovah's Witnesses


















Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Afrikaans
العربية
বাংলা
Bân-lâm-gú
Беларуская
Български
Boarisch
Bosanski
Català
Čeština
Cymraeg
Dansk
Deutsch
Eesti
Emiliàn e rumagnòl
Español
Esperanto
فارسی
Français
Gaeilge
한국어
हिन्दी
Hrvatski
Ido
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
ಕನ್ನಡ
Kapampangan
ქართული
Latina
Latviešu
Lietuvių
Magyar
മലയാളം
मराठी
مصرى
Nederlands
日本語
Norsk bokmål
Norsk nynorsk
Occitan
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Scots
Simple English
Slovenčina
Српски / srpski
Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски
Suomi
Svenska
Tagalog
தமிழ்
తెలుగు
ไทย
Türkçe
Українська
Tiếng Việt
Yorùbá
粵語
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 11 May 2015, at 14:08.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Williams










Milton George Henschel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Milton George Henschel
MiltonGeorgeHenschel.png
Milton George Henschel

Born
9 August 1920
Pomona, New Jersey, U.S.
Died
22 March 2003 (aged 82)
Brooklyn, NY, U.S.
Religion
Jehovah's Witnesses
Spouse(s)
Lucille Henschel

Question book-new.svg
 This article relies largely or entirely upon a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. (September 2009)
Part of a series on
Jehovah's Witnesses

Overview

Organizational structure
Governing Body
Watch Tower Bible
 and Tract Society
Corporations

History
Bible Student movement
Leadership dispute
Splinter groups
Doctrinal development
Unfulfilled predictions

Demographics
By country


Beliefs ·
 Practices
 
Salvation ·
 Eschatology

The 144,000
Faithful and discreet slave
Hymns ·
 God's name

Blood ·
 Discipline


Literature

The Watchtower ·
 Awake!

New World Translation
List of publications
Bibliography

Teaching programs

Kingdom Hall ·
 Gilead School


People

Watch Tower presidents

W. H. Conley ·
 C. T. Russell

J. F. Rutherford ·
 N. H. Knorr

F. W. Franz ·
 M. G. Henschel

D. A. Adams

Formative influences

William Miller ·
 Henry Grew

George Storrs ·
 N. H. Barbour

John Nelson Darby


Notable former members

Raymond Franz ·
 Olin Moyle


Opposition

Criticism ·
 Persecution

Supreme Court cases
 by country

v ·
 t ·
 e
   
Milton George Henschel (August 9, 1920 - March 22, 2003) was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses and succeeded Frederick W. Franz as president of the Watch Tower Society in 1992.


Contents  [hide]
1 Personal life
2 Professional life
3 References
4 Additional reading

Personal life[edit]
Milton Henschel was born in Pomona, New Jersey.[1] His father, Herman George Henschel assisted in the establishment of the Watch Tower Society's farm on Staten Island, working with and mentoring the staff about once each week during the 1920s.[2] The family relocated to Brooklyn, New York in 1934 to enable Herman to work on construction projects in the printeries and residences for Jehovah's Witnesses' headquarters there.[3]
Milton was baptized as a Jehovah's Witness minister in 1934,[4] and joined the full-time Watch Tower staff in 1939.[5] His older brother, Warren, was a full-time minister assigned to Oregon until he was invited to serve at the Brooklyn facility around 1940.[6] In 1956, Henschel married Lucille Bennett, a graduate of the 14th class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead and a former missionary in Venezuela.[7] Henschel died on March 22, 2003 at age 82, survived by his wife Lucille and brother Warren.[8]
Professional life[edit]
In 1939, Henschel was appointed secretary to Nathan H. Knorr, who was overseeing work at the Watch Tower printery. After Knorr became president of the Watch Tower Society in 1942, Henschel continued as his assistant. Henschel was often with Knorr in his travels, visiting at least 150 countries during this time. By 1945, Henschel was a featured speaker at international events though only 25 years old.[9]
By 1947 Henschel had claimed to be "anointed"[10]—not unusual among Jehovah's Witnesses at the time—which was a criterion at the time for appointment as a director of the Watch Tower Society. Henschel was elected to the board of directors in 1947,[11] after the death of W. E. Van Amburgh (since 1903 Secretary-Treasurer of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society), who died on February 7 of that year.[12]
By 1960, Henschel was a zone overseer,[13] supervising and auditing the administrative and ministry activities of about 10% of the Watch Tower Society's branch offices.[14]
In March, 1963, Henschel was among a large group of Jehovah's Witnesses who were detained and assaulted during a religious conference in Liberia.[15] He returned a few months later to meet with Liberia's president to discuss freedom of worship for Jehovah's Witnesses. In June, 1963, Henschel was a guest on a talk show hosted by Larry King.[16]
In a July, 1968 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Henschel was asked about the Watch Tower Society's recently stated opposition to organ transplants,[17] to which he responded that "transplanting organs is really cannibalism",[18] a position that was abandoned in 1980.[19] In the same interview, Henschel described the Watch Tower view of the immediate future, making reference to the impending battle of Armageddon. He conceded that there was no specific date for the outbreak of Armageddon, but stated, "1975 is a year to watch," alluding to Jehovah's Witnesses' belief that 6000 years of mankind's existence would be reached that year, an apparent precursor to Christ's millennial reign.[20]
By 1973, Henschel was "branch overseer for the United States".[21] Henschel contributed to the book Religions of America (1975), edited by Leo Rosten, with the chapter "Who are Jehovah's Witnesses?". In 1984, Henschel was the chairman for the centennial commemoration of the incorporation of the Watch Tower Society.
In February 1990, Henschel met with the chairman of the Committee of Religious Affairs in Moscow, along with eleven Russian elders representing local Jehovah's Witnesses, which led to the official recognition of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia by March 1991.[22]
Henschel became president of the Watch Tower Society December 30, 1992 and remained in that position until 2000. Major organizational changes took place in 2000, as the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses was separated from the Society's board of directors. As a result, members of the Governing Body stepped aside from their capacities in the Watch Tower Society, and Don A. Adams was appointed president. Henschel remained a member of the Governing Body until his death in 2003.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "Obituary: Milton Henschel, 82; Executive Who Led Jehovah's Witnesses", The New York Times, March 30, 2003, As Retrieved 2009-09-23
2.Jump up ^ "My Part in Advancing Right Worship", The Watchtower, June 15, 1965, pages 381-382
3.Jump up ^ "Milton Henschel dies at 82", Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses, As Retrieved 2010-03-14
4.Jump up ^ "Obituary: Milton Henschel, 82; Executive Who Led Jehovah's Witnesses", The New York Times, March 30, 2003, As Retrieved 2009-09-23
5.Jump up ^ "Obituaries in the News: Milton Henschel", Associated Press, March 31, 2003
6.Jump up ^ "Taught by Jehovah From My Youth", The Watchtower, November 1, 2003, page 20
7.Jump up ^ "Gilead School—50 Years Old and Going Strong!", The Watchtower, June 1, 1993, page 26
8.Jump up ^ "Milton Henschel dies at 82", Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses, As Retrieved 2010-03-14
9.Jump up ^ "A Privileged Share in Postwar Expansion", The Watchtower, October 1, 2002, page 23
10.Jump up ^ 1974 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, page 46-47 (see also The Watchtower, July 1, 1947)
11.Jump up ^ "All Nations Expansion Assembly", The Watchtower, December 15, 1947, page 381
12.Jump up ^ "Resignation and New Appointment", The Watchtower, March 1, 1947 page 66
13.Jump up ^ "The Philippines", 1978 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, page 126
14.Jump up ^ "Ending the Fourth, Beginning the Fifth Decade of Kingdom Operation", The Watchtower, April 1, 1956, page 223
15.Jump up ^ 1977 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, pages 171-7.
16.Jump up ^ "Something Better Than Fame", Awake!, August 22, 2004, page 22
17.Jump up ^ Heart Transplants Held Cannibalism, The Detroit Free Press, July, 1968, by Hiley H. Ward.
18.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, 11/15/1967, Questions from Readers.
19.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, 3/15/1980, Questions from Readers.
20.Jump up ^ See Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God (PDF). Watch Tower Society. 1966. pp. 29–35..
21.Jump up ^ "Response to the Need for Workers", Awake!, November 8, 1973, page 26
22.Jump up ^ "Russia", 2008 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, pages 198, 203
Additional reading[edit]
##He Loved Kindness, The Watchtower, pg.31, August 15, 2003.
Preceded by
Frederick W. Franz President of Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
 December 30, 1992-October 7, 2000 Succeeded by
Don A. Adams



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: American Jehovah's Witnesses
Watch Tower Society presidents
Members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses
1920 births
2003 deaths






Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Català
Dansk
Deutsch
Ελληνικά
Español
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
Magyar
Nederlands
Norsk bokmål
Polski
Português
Русский
Suomi
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 9 November 2014, at 20:41.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_George_Henschel









Milton George Henschel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Milton George Henschel
MiltonGeorgeHenschel.png
Milton George Henschel

Born
9 August 1920
Pomona, New Jersey, U.S.
Died
22 March 2003 (aged 82)
Brooklyn, NY, U.S.
Religion
Jehovah's Witnesses
Spouse(s)
Lucille Henschel

Question book-new.svg
 This article relies largely or entirely upon a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. (September 2009)
Part of a series on
Jehovah's Witnesses

Overview

Organizational structure
Governing Body
Watch Tower Bible
 and Tract Society
Corporations

History
Bible Student movement
Leadership dispute
Splinter groups
Doctrinal development
Unfulfilled predictions

Demographics
By country


Beliefs ·
 Practices
 
Salvation ·
 Eschatology

The 144,000
Faithful and discreet slave
Hymns ·
 God's name

Blood ·
 Discipline


Literature

The Watchtower ·
 Awake!

New World Translation
List of publications
Bibliography

Teaching programs

Kingdom Hall ·
 Gilead School


People

Watch Tower presidents

W. H. Conley ·
 C. T. Russell

J. F. Rutherford ·
 N. H. Knorr

F. W. Franz ·
 M. G. Henschel

D. A. Adams

Formative influences

William Miller ·
 Henry Grew

George Storrs ·
 N. H. Barbour

John Nelson Darby


Notable former members

Raymond Franz ·
 Olin Moyle


Opposition

Criticism ·
 Persecution

Supreme Court cases
 by country

v ·
 t ·
 e
   
Milton George Henschel (August 9, 1920 - March 22, 2003) was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses and succeeded Frederick W. Franz as president of the Watch Tower Society in 1992.


Contents  [hide]
1 Personal life
2 Professional life
3 References
4 Additional reading

Personal life[edit]
Milton Henschel was born in Pomona, New Jersey.[1] His father, Herman George Henschel assisted in the establishment of the Watch Tower Society's farm on Staten Island, working with and mentoring the staff about once each week during the 1920s.[2] The family relocated to Brooklyn, New York in 1934 to enable Herman to work on construction projects in the printeries and residences for Jehovah's Witnesses' headquarters there.[3]
Milton was baptized as a Jehovah's Witness minister in 1934,[4] and joined the full-time Watch Tower staff in 1939.[5] His older brother, Warren, was a full-time minister assigned to Oregon until he was invited to serve at the Brooklyn facility around 1940.[6] In 1956, Henschel married Lucille Bennett, a graduate of the 14th class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead and a former missionary in Venezuela.[7] Henschel died on March 22, 2003 at age 82, survived by his wife Lucille and brother Warren.[8]
Professional life[edit]
In 1939, Henschel was appointed secretary to Nathan H. Knorr, who was overseeing work at the Watch Tower printery. After Knorr became president of the Watch Tower Society in 1942, Henschel continued as his assistant. Henschel was often with Knorr in his travels, visiting at least 150 countries during this time. By 1945, Henschel was a featured speaker at international events though only 25 years old.[9]
By 1947 Henschel had claimed to be "anointed"[10]—not unusual among Jehovah's Witnesses at the time—which was a criterion at the time for appointment as a director of the Watch Tower Society. Henschel was elected to the board of directors in 1947,[11] after the death of W. E. Van Amburgh (since 1903 Secretary-Treasurer of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society), who died on February 7 of that year.[12]
By 1960, Henschel was a zone overseer,[13] supervising and auditing the administrative and ministry activities of about 10% of the Watch Tower Society's branch offices.[14]
In March, 1963, Henschel was among a large group of Jehovah's Witnesses who were detained and assaulted during a religious conference in Liberia.[15] He returned a few months later to meet with Liberia's president to discuss freedom of worship for Jehovah's Witnesses. In June, 1963, Henschel was a guest on a talk show hosted by Larry King.[16]
In a July, 1968 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Henschel was asked about the Watch Tower Society's recently stated opposition to organ transplants,[17] to which he responded that "transplanting organs is really cannibalism",[18] a position that was abandoned in 1980.[19] In the same interview, Henschel described the Watch Tower view of the immediate future, making reference to the impending battle of Armageddon. He conceded that there was no specific date for the outbreak of Armageddon, but stated, "1975 is a year to watch," alluding to Jehovah's Witnesses' belief that 6000 years of mankind's existence would be reached that year, an apparent precursor to Christ's millennial reign.[20]
By 1973, Henschel was "branch overseer for the United States".[21] Henschel contributed to the book Religions of America (1975), edited by Leo Rosten, with the chapter "Who are Jehovah's Witnesses?". In 1984, Henschel was the chairman for the centennial commemoration of the incorporation of the Watch Tower Society.
In February 1990, Henschel met with the chairman of the Committee of Religious Affairs in Moscow, along with eleven Russian elders representing local Jehovah's Witnesses, which led to the official recognition of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia by March 1991.[22]
Henschel became president of the Watch Tower Society December 30, 1992 and remained in that position until 2000. Major organizational changes took place in 2000, as the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses was separated from the Society's board of directors. As a result, members of the Governing Body stepped aside from their capacities in the Watch Tower Society, and Don A. Adams was appointed president. Henschel remained a member of the Governing Body until his death in 2003.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "Obituary: Milton Henschel, 82; Executive Who Led Jehovah's Witnesses", The New York Times, March 30, 2003, As Retrieved 2009-09-23
2.Jump up ^ "My Part in Advancing Right Worship", The Watchtower, June 15, 1965, pages 381-382
3.Jump up ^ "Milton Henschel dies at 82", Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses, As Retrieved 2010-03-14
4.Jump up ^ "Obituary: Milton Henschel, 82; Executive Who Led Jehovah's Witnesses", The New York Times, March 30, 2003, As Retrieved 2009-09-23
5.Jump up ^ "Obituaries in the News: Milton Henschel", Associated Press, March 31, 2003
6.Jump up ^ "Taught by Jehovah From My Youth", The Watchtower, November 1, 2003, page 20
7.Jump up ^ "Gilead School—50 Years Old and Going Strong!", The Watchtower, June 1, 1993, page 26
8.Jump up ^ "Milton Henschel dies at 82", Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses, As Retrieved 2010-03-14
9.Jump up ^ "A Privileged Share in Postwar Expansion", The Watchtower, October 1, 2002, page 23
10.Jump up ^ 1974 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, page 46-47 (see also The Watchtower, July 1, 1947)
11.Jump up ^ "All Nations Expansion Assembly", The Watchtower, December 15, 1947, page 381
12.Jump up ^ "Resignation and New Appointment", The Watchtower, March 1, 1947 page 66
13.Jump up ^ "The Philippines", 1978 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, page 126
14.Jump up ^ "Ending the Fourth, Beginning the Fifth Decade of Kingdom Operation", The Watchtower, April 1, 1956, page 223
15.Jump up ^ 1977 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, pages 171-7.
16.Jump up ^ "Something Better Than Fame", Awake!, August 22, 2004, page 22
17.Jump up ^ Heart Transplants Held Cannibalism, The Detroit Free Press, July, 1968, by Hiley H. Ward.
18.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, 11/15/1967, Questions from Readers.
19.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, 3/15/1980, Questions from Readers.
20.Jump up ^ See Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God (PDF). Watch Tower Society. 1966. pp. 29–35..
21.Jump up ^ "Response to the Need for Workers", Awake!, November 8, 1973, page 26
22.Jump up ^ "Russia", 2008 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, pages 198, 203
Additional reading[edit]
##He Loved Kindness, The Watchtower, pg.31, August 15, 2003.
Preceded by
Frederick W. Franz President of Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
 December 30, 1992-October 7, 2000 Succeeded by
Don A. Adams



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: American Jehovah's Witnesses
Watch Tower Society presidents
Members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses
1920 births
2003 deaths






Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Català
Dansk
Deutsch
Ελληνικά
Español
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
Magyar
Nederlands
Norsk bokmål
Polski
Português
Русский
Suomi
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 9 November 2014, at 20:41.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_George_Henschel








Page semi-protected

Prince (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Prince
Prince at Coachella 001.jpg
Prince performing in 2008

Background information

Birth name
Prince Roger Nelson [1]
Also known as
Jamie Starr ·
 Christopher ·
 Alexander Nevermind ·
 The Purple One ·
 Joey Coco ·
 Prince logo.svg ·
 The artist formerly known as Prince
 
Born
June 7, 1958 (age 56)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Genres
Funk ·
 R&B ·
 rock ·
 pop ·
 new wave ·
 Minneapolis sound ·
 synthpop
 
Occupation(s)
Singer-songwriter ·
 multi-instrumentalist ·
 record producer ·
 dancer ·
 actor ·
 film director
 
Instruments
Vocals ·
 guitar ·
 keyboards ·
 Linn Drum
 
Years active
1976–present
Labels
Warner Bros. ·
 Paisley Park ·
 NPG ·
 EMI ·
 Columbia ·
 Arista ·
 Universal
 
Associated acts
The Revolution ·
 Wendy & Lisa ·
 The New Power Generation ·
 The Time ·
 Morris Day ·
 Sheila E. ·
 Vanity 6 ·
 Apollonia 6 ·
 Mazarati ·
 The Family ·
 94 East ·
 Madhouse ·
 Andy Allo ·
 3rdeyegirl
 
Prince Roger Nelson (born June 7, 1958), known by his mononym Prince, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actor. A major figure in popular music for over three decades, Prince is renowned as an innovator and is widely-known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence and wide vocal range. Widely regarded as the pioneer of Minneapolis sound, Prince's music combines rock, R&B, soul, funk, hip hop, disco, psychedelia, jazz, and pop.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince developed an interest in music at an early age, writing his first song at age seven. After recording songs with his cousin's band 94 East, 19-year-old Prince recorded several unsuccessful demo tapes before releasing his debut album, For You, in 1978 under the guidance of Manager Owen Husney. His 1979 album, Prince, went platinum due to the success of the singles "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". His next three records, Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981) and 1999 (1982), continued his success, showcasing Prince's trademark of prominently sexual lyrics and incorporation of elements of funk, dance and rock music. In 1984, he began referring to his backup band as the Revolution and released Purple Rain, which served as the soundtrack to his film debut of the same name.
After releasing the albums Around the World in a Day (1985) and Parade (1986), The Revolution disbanded and Prince released the critically acclaimed double album Sign "O" the Times (1987) as a solo artist. He released three more solo albums before debuting The New Power Generation band in 1991. After changing his stage name to an unpronounceable symbol (Prince logo.svg), also known as the "Love Symbol", in 1993, he began releasing new albums at a faster pace to remove himself from contractual obligations to Warner Bros; he released five records between 1994 and 1996 before signing with Arista Records in 1998. In 2000, he began referring to himself as "Prince" once again. He has released fourteen albums since then, including his latest, Art Official Age, released on September 30, 2014.
Prince has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time.[2] He has won seven Grammy Awards[3] a Golden Globe,[4] and an Academy Award.[5] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the first year of his eligibility.[6] Rolling Stone has ranked Prince at number 27 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[7]


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Career 2.1 1975–84: Beginnings and breakthrough
2.2 1984–87: The Revolution, Purple Rain and subsequent releases
2.3 1987–91: Solo again, Sign "O" the Times and spiritual rebirth
2.4 1991–94: The New Power Generation, Diamonds and Pearls and name change
2.5 1994–2000: Increased output and The Gold Experience
2.6 2000–06: Turnaround, Musicology, label change and 3121
2.7 2007–10: Super Bowl XLI, Planet Earth and LOtUSFLOW3R
2.8 2010–12: 20Ten and The Welcome 2 Tours
2.9 2013–present: 3rdeyegirl and return to Warner Bros.
3 Personal life
4 Multi-instrumental abilities
5 Stage names
6 Copyright issues
7 Discography
8 Filmography
9 Tours
10 Awards and nominations 10.1 Grammy Awards
10.2 MTV Video Music Awards
10.3 Academy Awards
11 See also
12 References
13 Further reading
14 External links

Early life
Prince was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Mattie Della (Shaw) and John Lewis Nelson.[8] His parents were both African-American[8] and his family ancestry is centered in Louisiana, with all four of his grandparents hailing from the state.[9][10] Prince's father was a pianist and songwriter and his mother was a jazz singer. Prince was named after his father, whose stage name was Prince Rogers, and who performed with a jazz group called the Prince Rogers Trio. In a 1991 interview with A Current Affair, Prince's father said that "I named my son Prince because I wanted him to do everything I wanted to do".[11] Prince's childhood nickname was Skipper.[12]
In a PBS interview, Prince told Tavis Smiley that he was "born epileptic" and "used to have seizures" when he was young. During the interview, he also said: "My mother told me one day I walked in to her and said, 'Mom, I'm not going to be sick anymore,' and she said, 'Why?' and I said, 'Because an angel told me so'."[13]
Prince's sister Tika Evene (usually called Tyka) was born in 1960.[14] Both siblings developed a keen interest in music, and this was encouraged by their father.[15] Prince wrote his first tune, "Funk Machine", on his father's piano when he was seven.[15] When Prince was ten years old, his parents separated. Following the separation, Prince constantly switched homes, sometimes living with his father, and sometimes with his mother and stepfather.[15] Finally he moved into the home of neighbors, the Andersons, and befriended their son, Andre Anderson, who later became known as André Cymone.[16]
Prince and Anderson joined Prince's cousin, Charles Smith, in a band called Grand Central while they were attending Minneapolis's Central High School. Smith was later replaced by Morris Day on the drums. Prince played piano and guitar for the band which performed at clubs and parties in the Minneapolis area. Grand Central later changed its name to Champagne and started playing original music influenced by Sly & the Family Stone, James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Miles Davis, Parliament-Funkadelic, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and Todd Rundgren.[17] Prince also played basketball in high school.[18]
Career
1975–84: Beginnings and breakthrough
In 1975, Pepe Willie, the husband of Prince's cousin, Shauntel, formed the band 94 East with Marcy Ingvoldstad and Kristie Lazenberry. Willie hired André Cymone and Prince to record tracks with 94 East. Those songs were written by Willie and Prince contributed guitar tracks. Prince also co-wrote, with Willie, the 94 East song, "Just Another Sucker". The band recorded tracks which later became the album Minneapolis Genius – The Historic 1977 Recordings. Prince also recorded, but never released, a song written by Willie, "If You See Me" (also known as, "Do Yourself a Favor"). In 1995, Willie released the album 94 East featuring Prince, Symbolic Beginning, which included original recordings by Prince and Cymone.
In 1976, Prince created a demo tape with producer Chris Moon in Moon's Minneapolis studio. Unable to secure a recording contract, Moon brought the tape to Owen Husney, a Minneapolis businessman. Husney signed Prince, at the age of 17, to a management contract and helped Prince create a demo recording at Sound 80 Studios in Minneapolis using producer/engineer David Z. The demo recording, along with a press kit produced at Husney's ad agency, resulted in interest from several record companies including Warner Bros. Records, A&M Records, and Columbia Records.
With the help of Husney, Prince signed a recording contract with Warner Bros.. The record company agreed to give Prince creative control for three albums and ownership of the publishing rights.[citation needed] Husney and Prince then left Minneapolis and moved to Sausalito, California where Prince's first album, For You, was recorded at Record Plant Studios. Subsequently, the album was mixed in Los Angeles and released in on April 7, 1978.[19] According to the For You album notes, Prince produced, arranged, composed and played all 27 instruments on the recording. The album was written and performed by Prince, except for the song "Soft and Wet" which had lyrics co-written by Moon. The cost of recording the album was twice Prince's initial advance. Prince used the Prince's Music Co. to publish his songs. "Soft and Wet" reached No. 12 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 92 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song "Just as Long as We're Together" reached No. 91 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.



 Ticket to Prince's first performance with his band in January 1979
In 1979, Prince created a band that included André Cymone on bass, Dez Dickerson on guitar, Gayle Chapman and Doctor Fink on keyboards, and Bobby Z. on drums. Their first show was at the Capri Theater on January 5, 1979. Warner Bros. executives attended the show but decided that Prince and the band needed more time to develop his music.[20] In October 1979, Prince released a self-titled album, Prince, which was No. 4 on the Billboard Top R&B/Black Albums charts, and No. 22 on the Billboard 200, going platinum. It contained two R&B hits: "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". "I Wanna Be Your Lover" sold over a million copies, and reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 for two weeks on the Hot Soul Singles chart. Prince performed both these songs on January 26, 1980, on American Bandstand. On this album, Prince used Ecnirp Music – BMI.[21]
In 1980, Prince released the album, Dirty Mind, which he recorded in his own studio. The album was certified gold and the attendant single "Uptown" reached No. 5 on the Billboard Dance chart and No. 5 on the Hot Soul Singles charts. Prince was also the opening act for Rick James' 1980 Fire It Up tour. Dirty Mind contained sexually explicit material, including the title song, "Head", and the song "Sister". In February 1981, Prince made his first appearance on Saturday Night Live, performing "Partyup". In October 1981, Prince released the album, Controversy. He played several dates in support of it, at first as one of the opening acts for the Rolling Stones, who were then on tour in the US. He began 1982 with a small tour of college towns where he was the headlining act. The songs on Controversy were published by Controversy Music[22] – ASCAP, a practice he continued until the Emancipation album in 1996. Controversy also marked the introduction of Prince's use of abbreviated spelling, such as spelling the words you as U, to as 2, and for as 4, as indicated by the inclusion of the track "Jack U Off". (His earlier song titles had used conventional spelling.)[23] By 2002, MTV.com noted that "[n]ow all of his titles, liner notes and Web postings are written in his own shorthand spelling, as seen on 1999's Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, which featured 'Hot Wit U.'"[24]
In 1981, Prince formed a side project band called the Time. The band released four albums between 1981 and 1990, with Prince writing and performing most of the instrumentation and backing vocals, with lead vocals by Morris Day.[citation needed] In late 1982, Prince released a double album, 1999, which sold over three million copies.[25] The title track was a protest against nuclear proliferation and became his first top ten hit in countries outside the US. Prince's "Little Red Corvette" was one of the first two videos by a black artist played in heavy rotation on MTV, along with Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean".[26] The song "Delirious" also placed in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1984–87: The Revolution, Purple Rain and subsequent releases
During this period Prince referred to his band as the Revolution. The band's name was also printed, in reverse, on the cover of 1999 inside the letter "I" of the word "Prince". The band consisted of Lisa Coleman and Doctor Fink on keyboards, Bobby Z. on drums, Brown Mark on bass, and Dez Dickerson on guitar. Jill Jones, a backing singer, was also part of The Revolution line up for the 1999 album and tour. Following the 1999 Tour, Dickerson left the group for religious reasons. In the 2003 book Possessed: The Rise and Fall of Prince, author Alex Hahn says that Dickerson was reluctant to sign a three-year contract and wanted to pursue other musical ventures. Dickerson was replaced by Wendy Melvoin, a childhood friend of Coleman. At first the band was used sparsely in the studio but this gradually changed during the mid-1980s.[citation needed]
Prince's 1984 album Purple Rain sold more than 13 million copies in the US and spent 24 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The film of the same name won an Academy Award and grossed more than $80 million in the US.[27]



 Prince performing in Brussels during the Hit N Run Tour in 1986
Songs from the film were hits on pop charts around the world, while "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy" reached No. 1 and the title track reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. At one point in 1984, Prince simultaneously had the No. 1 album, single, and film in the US; it was the first time a singer had achieved this feat.[28] Prince won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain, and the album is ranked 72nd Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[29] The album is included on the list of Time magazine's All-Time 100 Albums.[30] After Tipper Gore heard her 12-year-old daughter Karenna listening to Prince's song "Darling Nikki", she founded the Parents Music Resource Center.[31] The center advocates the mandatory use of a warning label ("Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics") on the covers of records that have been judged to contain language or lyrical content unsuitable for minors. The recording industry later voluntarily complied with this request.[32] Of what is considered the Filthy Fifteen Prince's compositions appear no. 1 and no. 2, with the fourth position occupied by his protégée Vanity.[33]
In 1985, Prince announced that he would discontinue live performances and music videos after the release of his next album. His subsequent recording Around the World in a Day held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for three weeks. In 1986 his album Parade reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the R&B charts. The first single, "Kiss", with the video choreographed by Louis Falco, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was originally written for a side project called Mazarati. That same year the song "Manic Monday", which was written by Prince and recorded by The Bangles, reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart. The album Parade served as the soundtrack for Prince's second film, Under the Cherry Moon. Prince directed and starred in the movie, which also featured Kristin Scott Thomas. He received the Golden Raspberry Award for his efforts in acting and directing.[34]
In 1986, Prince began a series of sporadic live performances called the Hit n Run – Parade Tour. After the tour Prince abolished The Revolution, fired Wendy & Lisa and replaced Bobby Z. with Sheila E. Brown Mark quit the band while keyboardist Doctor Fink remained. Prince then recruited new band members Miko Weaver on guitar, Atlanta Bliss on trumpet, Eric Leeds on saxophone, Boni Boyer on keyboards, Levi Seacer, Jr. on bass and dancer Cat Glover.[citation needed]
1987–91: Solo again, Sign "O" the Times and spiritual rebirth
Prior to the disbanding of The Revolution, Prince was working on two separate projects, The Revolution album Dream Factory and a solo effort, Camille.[35] Unlike the three previous band albums, Dream Factory included significant input from the band members and even featured a number of songs with lead vocals by Wendy & Lisa,[35] while the Camille project saw Prince create a new persona primarily singing in a speeded-up, female-sounding voice. With the dismissal of The Revolution, Prince consolidated material from both shelved albums, along with some new songs, into a three-LP album to be titled Crystal Ball.[36] However, Warner Bros. forced Prince to trim the triple album to a double album and Sign "O" the Times was released on March 31, 1987.[37]
The album peaked at No.6 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.[37] The first single, "Sign o' the Times", would chart at No. 3 on the Hot 100.[38] The follow-up single, "If I Was Your Girlfriend" charted poorly at No. 67 on the Hot 100, but went to No.12 on R&B chart.[38] The third single, a duet with Sheena Easton, "U Got the Look" charted at No. 2 on the Hot 100, No. 11 on the R&B chart,[38] and the final single "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" finished at No.10 on Hot 100 and No.14 on the R&B chart.[38]
Despite receiving the greatest critical acclaim of any album in Prince's career, including being named the top album of the year by the Pazz & Jop critics' poll, and eventually selling 3.2 million copies, album sales steadily declined.[39] In Europe, however, it performed well and Prince promoted the album overseas with a lengthy tour. Putting together a new backing band from the remnants of The Revolution, Prince added bassist Levi Seacer, Jr., Boni Boyer on keyboards, and dancer/choreographer Cat Glover to go with new drummer Sheila E. and holdovers Miko Weaver, Doctor Fink, Eric Leeds, Atlanta Bliss, and the Bodyguards (Jerome, Wally Safford, and Greg Brooks) for the Sign o' the Times Tour.
The tour was a success overseas, with Warner Bros. and Prince's managers wanting to bring it to the US to resuscitate sagging sales of Sign "O" the Times;[40][41] however, Prince balked at a full US tour, as he was ready to produce a new album.[40] As a compromise the last two nights of the tour were filmed for release in movie theaters. The film quality was deemed subpar and reshoots were performed at his Paisley Park studios.[40] The film Sign o' the Times was released on November 20, 1987. Much like the album, the film garnered more critical praise than the previous year's Under the Cherry Moon; however, its box-office receipts were minimal, and it quickly left theaters.[41]
The next album intended for release was to be The Black Album.[42] More instrumental and funk and R&B themed than recent releases,[43] The Black Album also saw Prince experiment with hip hop music on the songs "Bob George" and "Dead on It". Prince was set to release the album with a monochromatic black cover with only the catalog number printed, but after 500,000 copies had been pressed,[44] Prince had a spiritual epiphany that the album was evil and had it recalled.[45] It would later be released by Warner Bros. as a limited edition album in 1994. Prince went back in the studio for eight weeks and recorded Lovesexy.
Released on May 10, 1988, Lovesexy serves as a spiritual opposite to the dark The Black Album.[46] Every song is a solo effort by Prince, with exception of "Eye No" which was recorded with his backing band at the time, dubbed the "Lovesexy Band" by fans. Lovesexy would reach No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the R&B albums chart.[47] The lead single, "Alphabet St.", peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 100 and No. 3 on the R&B chart,[37] but finished with only selling 750,000 copies.[48]
Prince again took his post-Revolution backing band (minus the Bodyguards) on a three leg, 84-show Lovesexy World Tour; although the shows were well received by huge crowds, they lost money due to the expensive sets and incorporated props.[49][50]



 Prince performing during his Nude Tour in 1990
In 1989, Prince appeared on Madonna's studio album Like a Prayer, co-writing and singing the duet "Love Song" and playing electric guitar (uncredited) on the songs "Like a Prayer", "Keep It Together", and "Act of Contrition". He also began work on a number of musical projects, including Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic and early drafts of his Graffiti Bridge film,[51][52] but both were put on hold when he was asked by Batman director Tim Burton to record several songs for the upcoming live-action adaptation. Prince went into the studio and produced an entire nine-track album that Warner Bros. released on June 20, 1989. Batman peaked at No.1 on the Billboard 200,[53] selling 4.3 million copies.[54] The single "Batdance" topped the Billboard and R&B charts.[37]
Additionally, the single "The Arms of Orion" with Sheena Easton charted at No. 36, and "Partyman" (also featuring the vocals of Prince's then-girlfriend, nicknamed Anna Fantastic) charted at No. 18 on the Hot 100 and at No. 5 on the R&B chart, while the love ballad "Scandalous!" went to No. 5 on the R&B chart.[37] However, he did have to sign away all publishing rights to the songs on the album to Warner Bros. as part of the deal to do the soundtrack.
In 1990, Prince went back on tour with a revamped band for his stripped down, back-to-basics Nude Tour. With the departures of Boni Boyer, Sheila E., the horns, and Cat, Prince brought in Rosie Gaines on keys, drummer Michael Bland, and dancing trio The Game Boyz (Tony M., Kirky J., and Damon Dickson). The European and Japanese tour was a financial success with its short, greatest hits setlist.[55] As the year progressed, Prince finished production on his fourth film, Graffiti Bridge, and the album of the same name. Initially, Warner Bros. was reluctant to fund the film, but with Prince's assurances it would be a sequel to Purple Rain as well as the involvement of the original members of The Time, the studio greenlit the project.[56] Released on August 20, 1990, the album reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and R&B albums chart.[57] The single "Thieves in the Temple" reaching No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on the R&B chart.[37] Also from that album, "Round and Round" placed at No. 12 on the US charts and No. 2 on the R&B charts. The song featured the teenage Tevin Campbell (who also had a role in the film) on lead vocals. The film, released on November 20, 1990, was a critical and box-office flop, grossing just $4.2 million.[58] After the release of the film and album, the last remaining members of The Revolution, Miko Weaver and Doctor Fink, left Prince's band.
1991–94: The New Power Generation, Diamonds and Pearls and name change



 Prince's Yellow Cloud Guitar at the Smithsonian Castle. Prince can be seen playing this guitar in the "Gett Off" video.
1991 marked the debut of Prince's new band, the New Power Generation. With guitarist Miko Weaver and long-time keyboardist Doctor Fink gone, Prince added bass player Sonny T., Tommy Barbarella on keyboards, and a brass section known as the Hornheads to go along with Levi Seacer (taking over on guitar), Rosie Gaines, Michael Bland, and the Game Boyz. With significant input from his band members, Diamonds and Pearls was released on October 1, 1991. Reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart,[59] Diamonds and Pearls saw four hit singles released in the United States. "Gett Off" peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100 and No. 6 on the R&B charts, followed by "Cream", which gave Prince his fifth US No. 1 single. The title track "Diamonds and Pearls" became the album's third single, reaching No. 3 on the Hot 100 and the top spot on the R&B charts. "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" peaked at No. 23 and No. 14 on the Hot 100 and R&B charts respectively.[60]
1992 saw Prince and The New Power Generation release his 12th album, Love Symbol Album,[61] bearing only an unpronounceable symbol on the cover (later copyrighted as Love Symbol #2).[62] The album, generally referred to as the Love Symbol Album, would peak at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.[63] While the label wanted "7" to be the first single, Prince fought to have "My Name Is Prince" as he "felt that the song's more hip-hoppery would appeal to the same audience" that had purchased the previous album.[64] Prince got his way but "My Name Is Prince" only managed to reach No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 23 on the R&B chart. The follow-up single "Sexy MF" fared worse, charting at No. 66 on the Hot 100 and No. 76 on the R&B chart. The label's preferred lead single choice "7" would be the album's lone top ten hit, reaching No. 7.[60] 'Love Symbol Album' would go on to sell 2.8 million copies worldwide.[64]

Logo. Hollow circle above downward arrow crossed with a curlicued horn-shaped symbol and then a short bar

 The unpronounceable symbol (later dubbed "Love Symbol #2")
After two failed attempts in 1990 and 1991,[65] Warner Bros. finally released a greatest hits compilation with the three-disc The Hits/The B-Sides in 1993. The first two discs were also sold separately as The Hits 1 and The Hits 2. In addition to featuring the majority of Prince's hit singles (with the exception of "Batdance" and other songs that appeared on the Batman soundtrack), The Hits includes an array of previously hard-to-find recordings, notably B-sides spanning the majority of Prince's career, as well as a handful of previously unreleased tracks such as the Revolution-recorded "Power Fantastic" and a live recording of "Nothing Compares 2 U" with Rosie Gaines. Two new songs, "Pink Cashmere" and "Peach", were chosen as promotional singles to accompany the compilation album.
1993 also marked the year in which Prince changed his stage name to the Love Symbol (see left), which was explained as a combination of the symbols for male (♂) and female (♀).[62] In order to use the symbol in print media, Warner Bros. had to organize a mass mailing of floppy disks with a custom font.[66] Because the symbol had no stated pronunciation, he was often referred to as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince", TAFKAP, and "The Artist".
1994–2000: Increased output and The Gold Experience
In 1994, Prince's attitude towards his artistic output underwent a notable shift. He began to view releasing albums in quick succession as a means of ejecting himself from his contractual obligations to Warner Bros. The label, he believed, was intent on limiting his artistic freedom by insisting that he release albums more sporadically. He also blamed Warner Bros. for the poor commercial performance of the Love Symbol Album, claiming that it was insufficiently marketed by Warner. It was out of these developments that the aborted The Black Album was officially released, approximately seven years after its initial recording and near-release. The "new" release, which was already in wide circulation as a bootleg, sold relatively poorly.
Following that disappointing venture, Warner Bros. succumbed to Prince's wishes to release an album of new material, to be entitled Come. When Come was eventually released, it confirmed all of Warner's fears. It became Prince's poorest-selling album to date, struggling to even shift 500,000 copies. Even more frustrating was the fact that Prince insisted on crediting the album to "Prince 1958–1993".
Prince pushed to have his next album The Gold Experience released simultaneously with Love Symbol-era material. Warner Bros. allowed the single "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" to be released via a small, independent distributor, Bellmark Records, in February 1994. The release was successful, reaching No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 in many other countries, but it would not prove to be a model for subsequent releases. Warner Bros. still resisted releasing The Gold Experience, fearing poor sales and citing "market saturation" as a defense. When eventually released in September 1995, The Gold Experience failed to sell well, although it reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 initially, and many reviewed it as Prince's best effort since Sign "O" the Times. The album is now out-of-print. Chaos and Disorder, released in 1996, was Prince's final album of new material for Warner Bros., as well as one of his least commercially successful releases. Prince attempted a major comeback later that year when, free of any further contractual obligations to Warner Bros., he released Emancipation, a 36-song, 3-CD set (each disc was exactly 60 minutes long). The album was released via his own NPG Records with distribution through EMI. To publish his songs on Emancipation, Prince did not use Controversy Music – ASCAP, which he had used for all his records since 1981, but rather used Emancipated Music Inc.[67] – ASCAP.
Certified Platinum by the RIAA, Emancipation is the first record featuring covers by Prince of songs of other artists: Joan Osborne's top ten hit song of 1995 "One of Us";[68] "Betcha by Golly Wow!" (written by Thomas Randolf Bell and Linda Creed);[69] "I Can't Make You Love Me" (written by James Allen Shamblin II and Michael Barry Reid);[70] and "La-La (Means I Love You)" (written by Thomas Randolf Bell and William Hart).[71]
Prince released Crystal Ball, a five-CD collection of unreleased material, in 1998. The distribution of this album was disorderly, with some fans pre-ordering the album on his website up to a year before it was eventually shipped to them; these pre-orders were eventually delivered months after the record had gone on sale in retail stores. The retail edition has only four discs, as it is missing the Kamasutra disc. There are also two different packaging editions for retail, one being in a four-disc sized jewel case with a simple white cover and the Love Symbol in a colored circle; the other is all four discs in a round translucent snap jewel case. The discs are the same, as is the CD jacket. The Newpower Soul album released three months later failed to make much of an impression on the charts. His collaboration on Chaka Khan's Come 2 My House, and Larry Graham's GCS2000, both released on the NPG Records label around the same time as Newpower Soul met with the same fate, despite heavy promotion and live appearances on Vibe with Sinbad, and the NBC Today show's Summer Concert Series.
In 1999, Prince once again signed with a major label, Arista Records, to release a new record, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic. In an attempt to make his new album a success, Prince easily gave more interviews than at any other point in his career, appearing on MTV's Total Request Live (with his album cover on the front of the Virgin Megastore, in the background on TRL throughout the whole show), Larry King Live (with Larry Graham) and other media outlets. Nevertheless, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic failed to perform well commercially. A few months earlier, Warner Bros. had also released The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale, a collection of unreleased material recorded by Prince throughout his career, and his final recording commitment on his contract with Warner Bros. The greatest success he had during the year was with the EP 1999: The New Master, released in time for Prince to collect a small portion of the sales dollars Warner Bros. had been seeing for the album and singles of the original 1999.
The pay-per-view concert, Rave Un2 the Year 2000, was broadcast on December 31, 1999 and consisted of footage from the December 17 and 18 concerts of his 1999 tour. The concert featured appearances by many guest musicians including Lenny Kravitz, George Clinton, Jimmy Russell, and The Time. It was released to home video the following year. A remix album, Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic (as opposed to "Un2") was released exclusively through Prince's NPG Music Club in April 2000.
2000–06: Turnaround, Musicology, label change and 3121
On May 16, 2000, Prince ceased using the Love Symbol moniker and returned to using "Prince" again, after his publishing contract with Warner/Chappell expired. In a press conference, he stated that, after being freed from undesirable relationships associated with the name "Prince", he would formally revert to using his real name. Prince still frequently uses the symbol as a logo and on album artwork and continues to play a Love Symbol-shaped guitar. For several years following the release of Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, Prince primarily released new music through his Internet subscription service, NPGOnlineLtd.com (later NPGMusicClub.com). Two albums that show substantive jazz influence were available commercially at record stores: 2001's The Rainbow Children, and the 2003 instrumental record N.E.W.S which was nominated for a Best Pop Instrumental Album Grammy Award. Another album of largely jazz-influenced music, Xpectation, was released via download in 2003 to members of the NPGMusicClub. Xpectation is jazz themed along with new age and atmospheric themes.
In 2002, Prince released his first live album, One Nite Alone... Live!, which features performances from the One Nite Alone...Tour. The 3-CD box set, which also includes a disc of "aftershow" music entitled It Ain't Over!, failed to chart. During this time, Prince sought to engage more effectively with his fan base via the NPG Music Club, pre-concert sound checks, and at yearly "celebrations" at Paisley Park, his music studios. Fans were invited into the studio for tours, interviews, discussions and music-listening sessions. Some of these fan discussions were filmed for an unreleased documentary, directed by Kevin Smith. Smith discusses what happened during those days at length in his An Evening with Kevin Smith DVD. Performances were also arranged to showcase Prince's talents, as well as to collaborate with popular and well-established artists and guests including Alicia Keys, the Time, Erykah Badu, Nikka Costa, George Clinton, and Norah Jones.
On February 8, 2004, Prince appeared at the Grammy Awards with Beyoncé Knowles. In a performance that opened the show, Prince and Knowles performed a medley of "Purple Rain", "Let's Go Crazy", "Baby I'm a Star", and Knowles' "Crazy in Love". The following month, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The award was presented to him by Alicia Keys along with Big Boi and André 3000 of OutKast. As well as performing a trio of his own hits during the ceremony, Prince also participated in a tribute to fellow inductee George Harrison in a rendering of Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", playing a long guitar solo that ended the song. In addition he performed "Red House" on the album Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix. On February 19, The Tavis Smiley Show broadcast included a performance of "Reflection" from Prince's Musicology album. Prince was accompanied by Wendy Melvoin, formerly of The Revolution.
In April 2004, Prince released Musicology through a one-album agreement with Columbia Records. The album rose as high as the top five on a number of international charts (including the US, UK, Germany and Australia). The US chart success was assisted by the CD being included as part of the concert ticket purchase, and each CD thereby qualifying (as chart rules then stood) towards US chart placement. Musicology is R&B and soul-themed along with funk, pop, quiet storm, and rock. Three months later, Spin named him the greatest frontman of all time.[72] That same year, Rolling Stone magazine named Prince as the highest-earning musician in the world, with an annual income of $56.5 million,[73] largely due to his Musicology Tour, which Pollstar named as the top concert draw among musicians in US. The artist played an impressive run of 96 concerts; the average ticket price for a show was US$61. Further highlighting the success of the album, Prince's Musicology went on to receive two Grammy wins, for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Call My Name" and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for the title track. Musicology was also nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Album, while "Cinnamon Girl" was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. The album became the artist's most commercially successful since Diamonds and Pearls, partly due to a radical scheme devised which included in Billboard′s sales figures those that were distributed to each customer during ticket sales for the Musicology tour, with concert figures accounting for 25% of the total album sales.[74] Rolling Stone magazine has ranked Prince No. 27 on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[7]
In April 2005, Prince played guitar (along with En Vogue singing backing vocals) on Stevie Wonder's single "So What the Fuss", Wonder's first since 1999.[75] In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the city of New Orleans on August 29, 2005, Prince offered a personal response by recording two new songs, "S.S.T." and the instrumental "Brand New Orleans", at Paisley Park in the early hours of September 2. Prince again performed all instrumental and vocal parts. These recordings were quickly dispersed to the public via Prince's NPG Music Club, and "S.S.T." was later picked up by iTunes, where it reached No. 1 on the store's R&B chart. On October 25, Sony Records released a version of the single on CD.
In late 2005, Prince signed with Universal Records to release his album, 3121, on March 21, 2006 (3/21). The first single was the Latin-tinged "Te Amo Corazón", the video for which was directed by actress Salma Hayek and filmed in Marrakech, Morocco, featuring Argentine actress and singer Mía Maestro. The video for the second single, "Black Sweat", was nominated at the MTV VMAs for Best Cinematography. The immediate success of 3121 gave Prince his first No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 with the album. To promote the new album, Prince was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on February 4, 2006, 17 years after his last SNL appearance on the 15th anniversary special and nearly 25 years since his first appearance on a regular episode in 1981, making Prince the only SNL musical guest to have that long of a gap between appearances. He performed two songs from the album, "Fury" and "Beautiful, Loved & Blessed", with Támar. Prince also held a contest to win a trip to see a 'Purple Ticket Concert' at his private residence in Hollywood, California. Seven winning tickets were placed inside 3121 CD packages in the US, and other tickets were given away in various contests on the Internet and around the world. On May 6, 2006, 24 prizewinners (with a guest each) attended a star-studded private party and performance at Prince's home.
On June 12, 2006, Prince received a Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his "visionary" use of the Internet; Prince was the first major artist to release an entire album, 1997's Crystal Ball, exclusively on the Internet (although he did take phone orders for it as well...1-800-NEW-FUNK).
Only weeks after winning a Webby Award, Prince abruptly shut down his then-official NPG Music Club website on July 4, 2006, after more than five years of operation.[citation needed] On the day of the music club's shutdown, a lawsuit was filed against Prince by the British company HM Publishing (owners of the Nature Publishing Group, also NPG). Despite these events occurring on the same day, Prince's attorney has called it pure coincidence and stated that the site did not close due to the trademark dispute.[76] Prince appeared at multiple award ceremonies in 2006. On February 15, 2006, Prince performed at the BRIT Awards along with Wendy & Lisa and Sheila E. He played "Te Amo Corazón" and "Fury" from 3121 and "Purple Rain" and "Let's Go Crazy" from Purple Rain. On June 27, 2006, Prince appeared at the BET Awards, where he was awarded Best Male R&B Artist. In addition to receiving his award, Prince performed a medley of Chaka Khan songs for Khan's BET Lifetime Award. Prince had previously written and performed several songs with the singer.
In November 2006, Prince was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame, appearing to collect his award but not performing. Also in November 2006, Prince opened a nightclub named 3121 in Las Vegas at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino. He performed weekly on Friday and Saturday nights until April 2007, when his contract with the Rio ended. On August 22, 2006, Prince released Ultimate Prince. The double disc set contains one CD of previous hits, and another of extended versions and mixes of material that had largely only previously been available on vinyl record B-sides. Prince wrote and performed a song for the hit 2006 animated film Happy Feet. The song, entitled "The Song of the Heart", appears on the film's soundtrack, which also features a cover of Prince's earlier hit "Kiss", sung by Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. In January 2007, "The Song of the Heart" won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.[77]
2007–10: Super Bowl XLI, Planet Earth and LOtUSFLOW3R



 Prince's stage set for the Earth Tour in 2007
On February 2, 2007, Prince played at the Super Bowl XLI press conference. He and the band played a set comprising Chuck Berry's hit, "Johnny B. Goode", "Anotherloverholenyohead" from Parade and "Get On the Boat" from 3121. Prince performed at the Super Bowl XLI halftime show in Miami, Florida on February 4, 2007. The performance consisted of three Purple Rain tracks ("Let's Go Crazy", "Baby I'm a Star" and the title track), along with cover versions of "We Will Rock You" by Queen, "All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan, the Foo Fighters song "Best of You" and "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Coincidentally, Miami had rain on the day of the Super Bowl, which was lit purple during the performance of "Purple Rain". He played on a large stage shaped as his symbol. The event was carried to 140 million television viewers, the largest audience of his life. On February 4, 2010, Billboard.com ranked the performance as the greatest Super Bowl performance ever.[78]
Prince played 21 concerts in London during the summer of 2007. The Earth Tour included 21 nights at the 20,000 capacity O2 Arena, with Maceo Parker in his band. Tickets for the O2 Arena were capped by Prince at £31.21. The residency at the O2 Arena was increased to 15 nights after all 140,000 tickets for the original seven sold out in just 20 minutes.[79] It was then further extended to 21 nights.[80] On May 10, 2007, Prince performed a "secret" gig at London's KOKO in front of a small crowd of fans and celebrities. A prelude to the forthcoming summer gigs in London, Prince played a relaxed set of hits including ("Kiss", changing the lyric from "You don't have to watch Dynasty" to Desperate Housewives, "Girls & Boys", and "Nothing Compares 2 U") alongside more recent tracks, plus a cover version of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy".
Prince made an appearance at the 2007 ALMA Awards, performing with Sheila E. in June 2007. On June 28, 2007, the UK national newspaper the Mail on Sunday revealed that it had made a deal to give Prince's new album, Planet Earth, away for free with an "imminent" edition of the paper, making it the first place in the world to get the album. This move sparked controversy among music distributors and also led the UK arm of Prince's distributor, Sony BMG, to withdraw from distributing the album in UK stores.[81] The UK's largest high street music retailer, HMV, decided to stock the paper on release day due to the giveaway. Planet Earth is rock-oriented along with disco, and other various music styles. On July 7, 2007, Prince returned to his hometown of Minneapolis to perform three shows in what was unofficially declared Prince Day in Minnesota. He performed concerts at the Macy's Auditorium (to promote his new perfume "3121") on Nicollet Mall, the Target Center arena, and First Avenue.[82] It was the first time he had played at First Avenue (the club appeared in the film Purple Rain) since 1987.[83]



 Prince playing with Maceo Parker in the O2
On April 25, 2008, Prince performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he debuted a new song, "Turn Me Loose". Days after, he headlined the Coachella Festival 2008. Prince was paid more than $5 million for his performance at Coachella, according to Reuters.[84] Prince cancelled a concert, planned at Dublin's Croke Park on June 16, 2008, at just 10 days' notice. In October 2009 promoters MCD Productions went to court to sue Prince for €1.6 million, after paying him $1.5 million, half his agreed fee of $3 million for the concert. MCD claim they had to refund 55,126 tickets purchased and its total losses exceeded $1.66 million. Prince's lawyers argued the MCD claim was "greatly inflated".[85][86] Prince settled the case out of court in February 2010 for $2.95 million.[87][88] During the trial, it was revealed that Prince had been offered $22 million for seven concerts as part of a proposed 2008 European tour.[89] In October 2008, Prince released a live album entitled Indigo Nights, as well as 21 Nights, an accompanying book of poems, lyrics and photos. The book chronicled his record-breaking tenure at London's O2 Arena in 2007, while the album is a collection of songs performed live at aftershows in the IndigO2.



 Prince at the Coachella Festival in 2008
On December 18, 2008, Prince premiered four songs from his new album on LA's Indie rock radio station Indie 103.1.[90] The radio station's programmers Max Tolkoff and Mark Sovel had been invited to Prince's home to hear the new rock-oriented music. Prince then surprised the two by giving them a CD with four songs to premiere on their radio station. The music debuted the next day on Jonesy's Jukebox, hosted by Sex Pistol Steve Jones.[91] The music comprised a cover of "Crimson and Clover" by Tommy James and the Shondells, together with "Colonized Mind", "Wall of Berlin" and "4ever". The same day, another new Prince composition entitled "(There'll Never B) Another Like Me" premiered on the now obsolete and defunct website mplsound.com — replacing a shorter, instrumental version of the song that streamed several days previously.
On January 3, 2009, a new website LotusFlow3r.com was launched, streaming some of the recently aired material ("Crimson and Clover", "(There'll Never B) Another Like Me" and "Here Eye Come") and promising opportunities to listen to and buy music by Prince and guests, watch videos and buy concert tickets for future events. On January 31, Prince released two more songs on LotusFlow3r.com: "Disco Jellyfish", and "Another Boy". "Chocolate Box", "Colonized Mind", and "All This Love" have since been released on the website. Prince released a triple album set containing LOtUSFLOW3R, MPLSoUND, and an album credited to his new protégé, Bria Valente, called Elixer, on March 24, 2009, followed by a physical release on March 29. The release was preceded by performances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. It was released in other countries digitally, with official physical release dates yet to be announced. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and critics' opinions were mixed to positive.
On July 18, 2009, Prince performed two shows at the Montreux Jazz Festival, being backed by the New Power Generation including Rhonda Smith, Renato Neto and John Blackwell. There he played "A Large Room with No Light", which had been in Prince's "vault" for some time. On October 11, 2009, Prince gave two surprise concerts at the glass-and-iron Grand Palais exhibition hall after visiting the landmark Paris building on the banks of the Seine.[92] On October 12, he gave another surprise gig at La Cigale. On October 24, Prince played a concert at his own Paisley Park complex in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[93]
2010–12: 20Ten and The Welcome 2 Tours
In January 2010, Prince wrote a new song, "Purple and Gold", inspired by his visit to a Minnesota Vikings football game against the Dallas Cowboys.[94] The song is a simple, drumline-driven track. The following month, Prince let Minneapolis-area public radio station 89.3 The Current premiere his new song "Cause and Effect" as a gesture in support of independent radio.[95]
In 2010, Prince was listed in TIME magazine's annual ranking of the "100 Most Influential People in the World".[96]
Prince released a new single on Minneapolis radio station 89.3 The Current called "Hot Summer" on June 7, his 52nd birthday. Also in June, Prince appeared on the cover of the July 2010 issue of Ebony,[97] and he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 BET Awards.[98]
Prince released his album 20Ten in July 2010 as a free covermount with publications in the UK, Belgium, Germany, and France.[99] Prince has refused access to the album to digital download services. He also closed his official website, LotusFlow3r.com. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Prince said, "The Internet's completely over. I don't see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won't pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can't get it... Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you."[100]
On July 4, 2010 Prince began his 20Ten Tour, a concert tour in two legs with shows in Europe. The second leg began on October 15[101] and ended with a concert following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 14.[102] The second half of the tour has a new band, John Blackwell, Ida Kristine Nielsen, and Sheila E.[103] Prince let Europe 1 debut the snippet of his new song "Rich Friends" from the "new" album 20Ten Deluxe on October 8, 2010.[104] Prince started the Welcome 2 Tour on December 15, 2010.[105]
Prince was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame on December 7, 2010.[106]
On February 12, 2011, Prince presented Barbra Streisand with an award and donated $1.5 million to charities.[107] On the same day, it was reported that he was unimpressed about Glee covering his hit "Kiss", and that he had not authorised its use.[108]
On the May 18, 2011, it was announced that Prince would be headlining Hop Farm Festival on July 3, 2011, marking his first UK show since 2007 and his first ever UK festival appearance.[109]
Despite having previously rejected the Internet for music distribution, on November 24, 2011, Prince re-released a reworked version of the previously unreleased song "Extraloveable" through both iTunes and Spotify.[110][111][112] Purple Music, a Switzerland-based record label, released a CD single "Dance 4 Me" on December 12, 2011, as part of a club remixes package including Bria Valente CD single "2 Nite" released on February 23, 2012. The CD features club remixes by Jamie Lewis and David Alexander, produced by Prince.[113][114]
2013–present: 3rdeyegirl and return to Warner Bros.
In January 2013, Prince released a lyric video for a new song called "Screwdriver".[115] A couple of months later in April 2013, Prince announced a short West Coast tour with 3rdeyegirl as his backing band.[116] The final two dates of the tour were in Minneapolis where former Revolution drummer Bobby Z. sat in as guest drummer on both shows.[117] In May, Prince announced a deal with Kobalt Music to market and distribute his music.[118]
On August 14, 2013, Prince officially sent his first tweet through the 3RDEYEGIRL Twitter account.[119] The same day, he released a new solo single for exclusive download through the 3RDEYEGIRL.com website.[120] The single "Breakfast Can Wait" received attention for its cover art, featuring comedian Dave Chappelle's notable impersonation of the singer in a sketch on the 2000s Comedy Central series Chappelle's Show.[121]
In February 2014, Prince performed concerts with 3rdeyegirl in London. Beginning with intimate shows, the first was held at the London home of singer Lianne La Havas, followed by two performances of what Prince described as a "sound check" at the Electric Ballroom in Camden,[122] and another at Shepherds Bush Empire.[123]
On April 18, 2014, Prince released a new single entitled "The Breakdown". Along with the surprise release, news came that a new album was in the works, an expanded edition of Purple Rain would be released for the 30th anniversary, and he has re-signed with his former label, Warner Bros. Records after an 18-year split. He also gained the rights to his master recordings from the 1980s, which had been a point of contention for his initial split with the major label.[124]
In May 2015, following the death of Freddie Gray and the subsequent riots, Prince released a song entitled 'Baltimore' in tribute to Gray and in support of the protesters in Baltimore. [125][126][127][128] He also held a surprise tribute concert for Gray at his Paisley Park estate called 'Dance Rally 4 Peace' in which he reportedly encouraged fans to wear the color gray in honor of Freddie Gray.[129]
Personal life
Prince resides near Minneapolis, Minnesota.[130] Over the years Prince has been romantically linked with many celebrities, including Kim Basinger, Madonna, Vanity, Sheila E., Carmen Electra, Susanna Hoffs, Anna Fantastic,[11] Sherilyn Fenn,[131] and Susan Moonsie of Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6.[14] Prince was engaged to Susannah Melvoin in 1985.[132] He married his backup singer and dancer, Mayte Garcia, on Valentine's Day, 1996. They had a son, Boy Gregory (born October 16, 1996), who was born with Pfeiffer syndrome and died a week after birth.[133] Prince and Mayte divorced in 1999. In 2001, Prince married Manuela Testolini in a private ceremony. Testolini filed for divorce in May 2006.[134] He also had a short-term relationship with protégée Bria Valente in 2007.[100]
Prince became a member of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2001 following a two-year-long debate with friend and fellow Jehovah's Witness, musician Larry Graham. Prince said he didn't consider it a conversion, but a "realization"; "It's like Morpheus and Neo in The Matrix," he explained. He attends meetings at a local Kingdom Hall and occasionally knocks on people's doors to discuss his faith.[135] Prince has reportedly needed double-hip-replacement surgery since 2005 but won't undergo the operation unless it is a bloodless surgery because Jehovah's Witnesses do not accept blood transfusions.[136] The condition is rumored to be aggravated by repeated onstage dancing in high-heeled boots.[137] However, when Prince was interviewed in 2010, journalist Peter Willis said he believed the rumors of Prince needing double hip surgery to be unfounded and untrue as Prince appeared to be agile.[100]
Prince is vegan.[138] The liner notes for his album Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic featured a message about the cruelty involved in wool production.[139]
Since 2008, Prince has been managed by UK-based Kiran Sharma.[140]
Speaking about her relationship with Prince in an interview with Norwegian station NRK in November 2014, Sinead O'Connor said that Prince had summoned her to his house after "Nothing Compares 2U". O'Connor said "I made it without him. I'd never met him. He summoned me to his house—and it's foolish to do this to an Irish woman—he said he didn't like me saying bad words in interviews. So I told him to fuck off." O'Connor alleged the row became physical. "He got quite violent. I had to escape out of his house at 5 in the morning. He packed a bigger punch than mine."[141] "Nothing Compares 2U" is the song Prince penned which later became a worldwide hit for O'Connor in 1990.
Multi-instrumental abilities


 This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living people that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately. (December 2014)
In addition to his singing abilities (which encompass a wide range from falsetto to baritone and rapid, flamboyant shifts of register, as well as diverse characterisation) Prince is one of pop music's most prominent multi-instrumentalists. The precise number of instruments he is capable of playing remains obscure, partly due to the active mythologizing of his abilities and working practices (such as the claim that he had played "all 27 instruments" on his debut album, which appears to have included various different kinds of guitar, keyboard and synthesizer in the total).
As a live performer he tends to focus on guitar, piano, lead vocals and occasional harmonica. On recordings he has also played assorted keyboards and synthesizers, bass guitar, drums, various percussion instruments and saxophone, as well as mastering both drum and synthesizer programming. Prince has mentioned learning and performing simple parts on particular instruments that he does not otherwise play (such as concert harp) in order to serve song arrangements on albums.
Stage names
In 1993, during negotiations regarding the release of The Gold Experience, a legal battle ensued between Warner Bros. and Prince over the artistic and financial control of his musical output. During the lawsuit, he appeared in public with the word "slave" written on his cheek. Prince explained his name change as follows:

The first step I have taken toward the ultimate goal of emancipation from the chains that bind me to Warner Bros. was to change my name from Prince to the Love Symbol. Prince is the name that my mother gave me at birth. Warner Bros. took the name, trademarked it, and used it as the main marketing tool to promote all of the music that I wrote. The company owns the name Prince and all related music marketed under Prince. I became merely a pawn used to produce more money for Warner Bros...
I was born Prince and did not want to adopt another conventional name. The only acceptable replacement for my name, and my identity, was the Love Symbol, a symbol with no pronunciation, that is a representation of me and what my music is about. This symbol is present in my work over the years; it is a concept that has evolved from my frustration; it is who I am. It is my name.[142]
Prince is a trademark owned by Paisley Park Enterprises Inc. It was initially filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2005 in the categories of printed materials, clothing, electronic commerce, and entertainment services based on first commercial in 1978.[143] Various searches to the USPTO did not find any registrations or transfers of "Prince" or related names by Warner Bros. In 1991, PRN Music Corporation assigned the trademarks Prince, The Time, Paisley Park, New Power Generation, and Prince and the Revolution to Paisley Park Enterprises.[144]
Prince has used pseudonyms to separate himself from the music (either his own or that of others) for which he has had input; "I was just getting tired of seeing my name," he said, "If you give away an idea, you still own that idea. In fact, giving it away strengthens it. Why do people feel they have to take credit for everything they do? Ego, that's the only reason."[145] These pseudonyms include: Jamie Starr and The Starr Company (for the songs he wrote for the Time and many other artists from 1981–1984),[146][147] Joey Coco (for many unreleased Prince songs in the late 1980s, as well as songs written for Sheena Easton & Kenny Rogers),[148] Paisley Park (occasionally used in the early 1990s for his production credits on songs, including those written for Martika and Kid Creole),[149] Alexander Nevermind (for writing the 1984 song "Sugar Walls" by Sheena Easton),[150] and Christopher (used for his song writing credit of "Manic Monday" for the Bangles).[151]
Copyright issues
On September 14, 2007, Prince announced that he was going to sue YouTube and eBay because they "are clearly able [to] filter porn and pedophile material but appear to choose not to filter out the unauthorized music and film content which is core to their business success." Web Sheriff, the international Internet policing company he hired, told Reuters: "The problem is that one can reduce it to zero and then the next day there will be 100 or 500 or whatever. This carries on ad nauseam at Prince's expense."[152][153]
In October 2007, Stephanie Lenz filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Publishing Group, claiming they were abusing copyright law, after the music publisher had YouTube take down Lenz's home movie in which the Prince song "Let's Go Crazy" played faintly in the background.[154]
On November 5, 2007, several fan sites of Prince formed "Prince Fans United" to fight back against legal requests they claim Prince made to cease and desist all use of photographs, images, lyrics, album covers and anything linked to Prince's likeness.[155] While Prince's lawyers claimed that the use of such representations constituted copyright infringement, the Prince Fans United claimed that the legal actions were "attempts to stifle all critical commentary about Prince." A few days later, Prince released a statement denying the fansites' claims, stating "The action taken earlier this week was not to shut down fansites, or control comment in any way. The issue was simply to do with in regards to copyright and trademark of images and only images, and no lawsuits have been filed." The statement from AEG, Prince's promoter, asserted that the only "offending items" on the three fansites were live shots from Prince's 21 nights in London at the O2 Arena earlier in the year.[156]
On November 8, 2007, Prince Fans United received a song named "PFUnk", providing a kind of "unofficial answer" to their movement. The song, originally debuted on the PFU main site,[157] was retitled "F.U.N.K." and is available on iTunes.
On November 14, 2007, it was reported that the satirical website b3ta.com had pulled their "image challenge of the week" devoted to Prince after legal threats from the star under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. B3ta co-founder Rob Manuel wrote on the site: "Under threat of legal action from Prince's legal team of 'potential closure of your web site' – We have removed the Prince image challenge and B3ta apologizes unreservedly to AEG / NPG and Prince for any offence caused. We also ask our members to avoid photoshopping Prince and posting them on our boards."[158]
At the 2008 Coachella Music Festival, Prince performed a cover of Radiohead's "Creep", but immediately after he forced YouTube and other sites to remove footage that fans had taken of the performance, despite Radiohead's demand for it to remain on the website.[159] Days later, YouTube reinstated the videos, while Radiohead claimed "it's our song, let people hear it." In 2009, Prince put the video of that Coachella performance on his then-official website LotusFlow3r.com.
In 2013, the Electronic Frontier Foundation granted to Prince the inaugural "Raspberry Beret Lifetime Aggrievement Award",[160] a reference to resentment of parties who allege unfair treatment and misuse of copyright claims by the artist and his lawyers.[161]
In January 2014, Prince filed a lawsuit titled Prince v. Chodera against 22 online users for direct copyright infringement, unauthorized fixation, and contributory copyright infringement and bootlegging.[162] Several of the users were fans who had shared links to bootlegged versions of several Prince concerts through social media websites like Facebook.[163][164]
Discography
Main articles: Prince albums discography and Prince singles discography
Studio albums
##For You (1978)
##Prince (1979)
##Dirty Mind (1980)
##Controversy (1981)
##1999 (1982)
##Purple Rain (1984)
##Around the World in a Day (1985)
##Parade (1986)
##Sign o' the Times (1987)
##Lovesexy (1988)
##Batman (1989)
##Graffiti Bridge (1990)
##Diamonds and Pearls (1991)
##Love Symbol Album Prince logo.svg (1992)
##Come (1994)
##The Black Album (1994)
##The Gold Experience (1995)
##Chaos and Disorder (1996)
##Emancipation (1996)
##Crystal Ball (1998)
##Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999)
##The Rainbow Children (2001)
##One Nite Alone... (2002)
##Xpectation (2003)
##N.E.W.S (2003)
##The Chocolate Invasion (2004)
##The Slaughterhouse (2004)
##Musicology (2004)
##3121 (2006)
##Planet Earth (2007)
##Lotusflow3r / MPLSound (2009)
##20Ten (2010)
##Plectrumelectrum (2014)
##Art Official Age (2014)
Filmography

Year
Film
Role

1984 Purple Rain The Kid
1986 Under the Cherry Moon Christopher Tracy
1987 Sign o' the Times Himself
1990 Graffiti Bridge The Kid

Tours
##Prince Tour (1979–80)
##Dirty Mind Tour (1980–81)
##Controversy Tour (1981–82)
##1999 Tour (1982–83)
##Purple Rain Tour (1984–85)
##Parade Tour (1986)
##Sign o' the Times Tour (1987)
##Lovesexy Tour (1988–89)
##Nude Tour (1990)
##Diamonds and Pearls Tour (1992)
##Act I and II (1993)
##The Ultimate Live Experience (1995)
##Gold Tour (1996)
##Love 4 One Another Charities Tour (1997)
##Jam of the Year Tour (1997–98)
##New Power Soul Tour/Festival (1998)
##Hit n Run Tour (2000–01)
##A Celebration (2001)
##One Nite Alone... Tour (2002)
##2003–2004 World Tour (2003–04)
##Musicology Live 2004ever (2004)
##Per4ming Live 3121 (2006–07)
##21 Nights in London: The Earth Tour (2007)
##20Ten Tour (2010)
##Welcome 2 (2010–12)
##Live Out Loud Tour w/3rdeyegirl (2013)
Awards and nominations
Grammy Awards
Earning 33 nominations, Prince has won seven Grammys. He also has had two albums − 1999 and Purple Rain − awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame Award.

Year
Nominated work
Award category
Result
1984 "International Lover" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
1985 Purple Rain Album of the Year Nominated
Purple Rain Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Won
Purple Rain Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Won
"I Feel for You" Best R&B Song Won
1987 "Kiss" Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Won
"Kiss" Best R&B Song Nominated
1988 Sign "O" the Times Album of the Year Nominated
"U Got the Look" Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
"U Got the Look" Best R&B Song Nominated
1990 Batman Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Nominated
"Batdance" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
1991 "Nothing Compares 2 U" Song of the Year Nominated
1992 "Gett Off" Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
1993 "Diamonds and Pearls" Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
1995 "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Nominated
1996 "Eye Hate U" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
The Gold Experience Best R&B Album Nominated
2004 N.E.W.S. Best Pop Instrumental Album Nominated
2005 "Cinnamon Girl" Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Nominated
"Call My Name" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Won
"Call My Name" Best R&B Song Nominated
"Musicology" Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance Won
Musicology Best R&B Album Nominated
2007 "Black Sweat" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
"Beautiful, Loved and Blessed" Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
"3121" Best Urban/Alternative Performance Nominated
"Black Sweat" Best R&B Song Nominated
3121 Best R&B Album Nominated
2008 "Future Baby Mama" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Won
"The Song of the Heart" Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Nominated
2010 "Dreamer" Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance Nominated
MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) is an award show by cable network MTV to honor the top music videos of the year. It was first held in September 1984 and was originally meant as an alternative to the Grammy Awards in the video category. Prince has won four awards from 12 nominations throughout his career.

Year
Nominated work
Award category
Result
1985 "When Doves Cry" Best Choreography in a Video Nominated
1986 "Raspberry Beret" Best Choreography in a Video Won
1988 "U Got the Look" Best Male Video Won
Best Stage Performance in a Video Won
Best Choreography in a Video Nominated
Best Editing in a Video Nominated
1989 "I Wish U Heaven" Best Special Effects in a Video Nominated
1990 "Batdance" Best Video from a Film Nominated
1992 "Cream" Best Dance Video Won
1993 "7" Best R&B Video Nominated
2004 "Musicology" Best Male Video Nominated
2006 "Black Sweat" Best Cinematography in a Video Nominated
Academy Awards

Year
Nominated work
Award category
Result
1985 "Purple Rain" Best Original Song Score Won
See also
Book icon Book: Prince

##List of best-selling music artists
##List of best-selling music artists in the United States
##Unreleased Prince projects
References
1.Jump up ^ Bream, Jon (March 4, 2015). "The real story behind Prince's junior high basketball photo". StarTribune.
2.Jump up ^ Misani (April 12, 2011). "Prince brings early Valentine's Day gift to NYC". New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
3.Jump up ^ "Grammy search database". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
4.Jump up ^ "Golden Globe Awards". goldenglobes.org. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
5.Jump up ^ "Nominees & Winners for the 57th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
6.Jump up ^ "Tavis Smiley". pbs.org. April 27, 2009.
7.^ Jump up to: a b Thompson, Ahmir (March 24, 2004). "100 Greatest Artists". Rolling Stone.
8.^ Jump up to: a b "I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon - Touré". 2013-03-19.
9.Jump up ^ Smolenyak, Megan. "Huffington Post". Hey, Prince, Your Roots Are Showing. Retrieved February 12, 2013.
10.Jump up ^ Prince: Inside the Purple Reign. Retrieved February 11, 2007.
11.^ Jump up to: a b Hahn 2004.
12.Jump up ^ Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists who Revolutionized Rhythm. Greenwood Publishing. p. 483. ISBN 0-313-34046-3.
13.Jump up ^ Lynch, Jason (April 28, 2009). "Prince Talks about His Struggle with Epilepsy". People.
14.^ Jump up to: a b Nilsen, Per (2003). Dance Music Sex Romance: Prince: The First Decade. SAF. p. 19. ISBN 0-946719-64-0.
15.^ Jump up to: a b c Obituary: John Nelson. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
16.Jump up ^ "André Cymone". Retrieved December 11, 2010.
17.Jump up ^ Myers 2010, p. 17.
18.Jump up ^ Tevlin, Jon (March 13, 2004). "The quiet one: A high school classmate recalls the Artist as a young man". Minneapolis Star Tribune.
19.Jump up ^ Uptown, 2004, p. 19
20.Jump up ^ Dave Hill, Prince: A Pop Life, London: Faber and Faber, 1989.
21.Jump up ^ "BMI | Repertoire Search". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
22.Jump up ^ "Profile for Controversy Music". Ascap.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
23.Jump up ^ Examples include the album For You and its title track; "I Feel for You" on Prince; and "When You Were Mine" from Dirty Mind.
24.Jump up ^ Moss, Corey (November 13, 2002). "Y Kant Artists Spell? Christina, Jimmy Jam, K-Ci Explain". MTV.com. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
25.Jump up ^ "CNN – World Beat Biography – Prince – December 20, 1999". CNN. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
26.Jump up ^ Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides Ltd. p. 819. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0.
27.Jump up ^ "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum". Retrieved February 27, 2010.
28.Jump up ^ Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists who Revolutionized Rhythm. Greenwood Press. p. 419. ISBN 0-313-34044-7.
29.Jump up ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time", November 18, 2003, at RollingStone.com. Retrieved September 9, 2006.
30.Jump up ^ "The All-Time 100 Albums by ''Time'' magazine". Time. November 13, 2006. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
31.Jump up ^ Siegel, Robert. "Tipper Gore and Family Values : NPR Music". Npr.org. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
32.Jump up ^ Macdonald, Cameron (January 23, 2006). "Treating Dandruff by Decapitation". Stylus.
33.Jump up ^ "Filthy Fifteen contain 2 Prince's compositions and 1 of his protege Vanity occupying the top 3". Nndb.com. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
34.Jump up ^ "Golden Raspberry Award Winners". Factacular. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
35.^ Jump up to: a b Draper, pp. 76–78.
36.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 80.
37.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Sign 'O' the Times". Billboard. Retrieved March 3, 2009.[dead link]
38.^ Jump up to: a b c d "Artist Chart History — Prince". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
39.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 81.
40.^ Jump up to: a b c Draper, pp. 86–87.
41.^ Jump up to: a b Hahn 2004, p. 118.
42.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 90
43.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 92
44.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 91
45.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, pp. 121–122.
46.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 93
47.Jump up ^ "Lovesexy". Billboard magazine. Retrieved January 13, 2009.[dead link]
48.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 94.
49.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, pp. 152–153.
50.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 95.
51.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, pp. 155–156.
52.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 96
53.Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Batman". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2009.[dead link]
54.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, p. 157.
55.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, p. 166.
56.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 104.
57.Jump up ^ "Graffiti Bridge". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2001. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)[dead link]
58.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 105.
59.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, p. 177.
60.^ Jump up to: a b "Discography (more) – Prince — Sign 'O' the Times". Billboard. May 9, 1987. Retrieved July 18, 2009.[dead link]
61.Jump up ^ Prince & The New Power Generation Discography. Discogs. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
62.^ Jump up to: a b Carter, Andrew (June 23, 1999). "The People Formerly Known as Fans". City Pages. Retrieved December 12, 2007.
63.Jump up ^ "Billboard Chart positions for Prince". Retrieved May 29, 2010.
64.^ Jump up to: a b Hahn 2004, p. 187.
65.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, pp. 192–193.
66.Jump up ^ "Prince The Artist BIO, Biography". Angelfire.com. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
67.Jump up ^ "ASCAP profile for Emancipated Music". Ascap.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
68.Jump up ^ "Chart history for 'One Of Us'". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
69.Jump up ^ "BMI credits for "Betcha By Golly Wow!"". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
70.Jump up ^ "BMI credits for "I Can't Make You Love Me"". Ascap.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
71.Jump up ^ "BMI credits for "La-La Means I Love You"". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
72.Jump up ^ "Prince Tops Frontmen Poll". Contactmusic.com. July 27, 2004. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
73.Jump up ^ "Prince crowned 'top music earner'". BBC. February 9, 2005.
74.Jump up ^ D'Angelo, Joe (May 28, 2004). "Billboard Sours On Prince's Musicology Sales Experiment: Magazine changes policy on tallying albums sold with tickets". MTV.
75.Jump up ^ "So What the Fuss credits". Discog.
76.Jump up ^ Finn, Natalie (July 12, 2006). "Prince Site Fades to Black". E!.
77.Jump up ^ "Golden Globe Awards". goldenglobes.org.
78.Jump up ^ Dave Hoekstra (February 5, 2007). "Purple rain turned super". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
79.Jump up ^ "Prince shows sell out in minutes". NME. UK. May 11, 2007. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
80.Jump up ^ "Prince extends tour". Yahoo! Music News. June 11, 2007. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
81.Jump up ^ Allen, Katie (June 29, 2007). "Music industry attacks Sunday newspaper's free Prince CD". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved July 18, 2009.
82.Jump up ^ DeRusha, Jason (July 7, 2007). "Prince Thrills Fans With 3 Minneapolis Shows". wcco.com.
83.Jump up ^ "Prince plays 3 shows in his hometown". USA Today. July 8, 2007.
84.Jump up ^ Sulugiuc, Gelu (April 28, 2008). "Prince reigns at California music festival". Reuters.
85.Jump up ^ Mary Carolan (October 13, 2009). "No solid reason given for Prince no-show, court told". The Irish TImes. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
86.Jump up ^ Mary Carolan (December 9, 2009). "Prince told to furnish documents in MCD case". The Irish TImes. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
87.Jump up ^ "Prince settles cancelled Dublin gig case". BBC. February 26, 2010.
88.Jump up ^ Pogatchnik, Shawn (March 26, 2010). "Prince ordered to pay Irish promoter $3 million". Associated Press.[dead link]
89.Jump up ^ "Singer Prince Settles Lawsuit Over Axed Dublin Gig". The New York Times. February 26, 2010.[dead link]
90.Jump up ^ Prince Premieres Four New Songs On L.A.'s Indie 103; New Album On the Way | Music News. Rolling Stone (December 18, 2008). Retrieved on April 16, 2012.
91.Jump up ^ Powers, Ann (December 19, 2008). "103.1 debuts new Prince tracks". Los Angeles Times.
92.Jump up ^ Tickets to Prince's Paris shows sell out in 77 minutes, AFP, October 8, 2009.
93.Jump up ^ Anthony, Steven (October 26, 2009). "All Day, All Night – How I Spent My Weekend At Paisley Park". The Musictionary.
94.Jump up ^ "Prince Releases Minnesota Vikings Song". myfox9.com. January 21, 2010.
95.Jump up ^ Kreps, Daniel (February 26, 2010). "Prince Gives New "Cause and Effect" to Minnesota Public Radio". Rolling Stone.
96.Jump up ^ "Full List – The 2010 TIME 100". Time. April 29, 2010. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
97.Jump up ^ "Prince Covers Ebony's July 2010 Issue". Entertainment Rundown. June 7, 2010.
98.Jump up ^ "Prince To Be Honored By BET". Billboard. September 14, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
99.Jump up ^ "Prince To Release '20Ten' For Free In Europe". Billboard. September 14, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
100.^ Jump up to: a b c Willis, Peter (May 7, 2010). "Prince- World Exclusive Interview: Peter Willis Goes Inside The Star's Secret World". Daily Mirror (London).
101.Jump up ^ Bream, Jon (October 5, 2010). "Prince postpones concert in Helsinki". Star Tribune.
102.Jump up ^ Sever, Brooke (September 28, 2010). "Kanye West and Prince join F1 line-up". digitalproductionme.
103.Jump up ^ "Official PRINCE Tour Announcement". Drfunkenberry.com. September 30, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
104.Jump up ^ "New Prince Song Snippet!~ "Rich Friends" Listen Now". Drfunkenberry.com. October 8, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
105.Jump up ^ "Prince Rocks Opening Night Of His "Welcome 2 America" Tour at the Izod". Drfunkenberry.com. December 16, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
106.Jump up ^ "PRINCE & The Revolution's "Purple Rain" Get Grammy Induction + My Thoughts". Drfunkenberry.com. December 7, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
107.Jump up ^ "Prince Presents Barbra Streisand With Award; Gives Away 1.5 million To Charities". Drfunkenberry.com. February 12, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
108.Jump up ^ "Exclusive! Prince Not Happy With "Glee" Over Use Of "Kiss"". Drfunkenberry.com. February 12, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
109.Jump up ^ Lee, Ann (March 30, 2012), "Prince to join Morrissey and Brandon Flowers at Hop Farm Festival 2011". Metro. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
110.Jump up ^ "Prince released new song "extraloveable"". Drfunkenberry.com. November 23, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
111.Jump up ^ "Extraloveable on iTunes". Apple. November 24, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
112.Jump up ^ "Extraloveable on Spotify". Apple. November 24, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
113.Jump up ^ [1][dead link]
114.Jump up ^ "Bria Valente". Purplemusic.ch. February 23, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
115.Jump up ^ "Video: Prince Posts Clip for New Song 'Screwdriver'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
116.Jump up ^ "3rdeyegirl tour dates". Drfunkenberry.com. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
117.Jump up ^ "Bobby Z. Will Play "Purple Rain" With PRINCE At The Myth!". Drfunkenberry.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
118.Jump up ^ "PRINCE & Kobalt Make Marketing & Distribution Deal Official". Drfunkenberry.com. May 20, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
119.Jump up ^ "Testing 1 2 PRINCE Starts Tweeting! Uh Seriously!". Drfunkenberry.com. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
120.Jump up ^ "3RDEYEGIRL - PLECTRUMELECTRUM". New Album - PLECTRUMELECTRUM. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
121.Jump up ^ "Dave Chappelle and Prince, together at last! (Sort of)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
122.Jump up ^ "Prince to charge $10 for live shows". BBC News (BBC). February 5, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
123.Jump up ^ "Prince's band release live footage of Shepherds Bush Empire gig", NME.
124.Jump up ^ "Prince Fans Prepare for the Deluge". NPR (BBC). April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
125.Jump up ^ "Prince records tribute to Baltimore and Freddie Gray". Guardian. 1 May 2015.
126.Jump up ^ "Prince to release song dedicated to Baltimore". Baltimore Sun. 2 May 2015.
127.Jump up ^ Steve Forrest; Ben Brumfield (1 May 2015). "CNN Exclusive: Prince records ode to Baltimore after Freddie Gray protests". CNN.
128.Jump up ^ Jess Denham (1 May 2015). "Baltimore riots: Prince records tribute song after Freddie Gray dies in police custody". The Independent.
129.Jump up ^ Alex Young (4 May 2015). "Prince holds dance party in tribute to Freddie Gray". Consequence of Sound.
130.Jump up ^ Bryan, Victoria (October 14, 2010). "Prince considering move to Europe". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
131.Jump up ^ Daly, Steven (December 1990). "Sherilyn Fenn – Is she the sexiest woman on television?". The Face.
132.Jump up ^ Elan, Priya (September 20, 2008). "Purple Reign". The Guardian (London).
133.Jump up ^ Kennedy, Dana; Sinclair, Tom (December 20, 1996). "Prince's Saddest Song". Entertainment Weekly.
134.Jump up ^ Levy, Daniel S. (July 27, 2006). "Prince's Wife, Manuela (Partner of five years), Filed for Divorce". People.
135.Jump up ^ Hoffman, Claire (November 24, 2008). "Soup With Prince". The New Yorker.
136.Jump up ^ Freedom du Lac, J. (June 11, 2009). "Prince Hips the World to His Jehovah's Witness". The Washington Post.
137.Jump up ^ Forder, Rachel (October 19, 2005). "When Hip Gives Way to Hip Replacement". The Daily Telegraph (London).
138.Jump up ^ Faber, Judy (May 22, 2006). "Prince Is Voted 'Sexiest Vegetarian'". CBS News.
139.Jump up ^ Jet. June 12, 2006. p. 35. Missing or empty |title= (help)
140.Jump up ^ "Prince's Manager Shortlisted For Asian Woman Of Achievement Award". Mtv.co.uk. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
141.Jump up ^ Kelly, Aoife (November 18, 2014). "'I told him to f*** off' - Sinead O'Connor reveals she had punch-up with Prince". Irish Independent (Dublin). Retrieved December 1, 2014.
142.Jump up ^ Heatley, Michael (2008). Where Were You... When the Music Played? 120 Unforgettable Moments in Music History. Penguin Books. p. 191. ISBN 978-0-7621-0988-3.
143.Jump up ^ United States Patent and Trademark Office. Serial Number: 78561384; Registration Number: 3128896
144.Jump up ^ US Patent and Trade Office. Reel/Frame: 0805/0848 and 0805/0880.
145.Jump up ^ Coryat, Karl (November 1999). "His Highness Gets Down!". Bass Player.
146.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Jamie Starr". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
147.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to The Starr Company". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
148.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Joey Coco". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
149.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Paisley Park". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
150.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Alexander Nevermind". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
151.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Christopher". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
152.Jump up ^ "Prince To Sue YouTube, eBay Over Unauthorized Content". Billboard. 2007.
153.Jump up ^ Hamilton, Fiona (September 13, 2007). "Prince takes on YouTube over clips". The Times (London).
154.Jump up ^ Francescani, Chris (October 26, 2007). "The Home Video Prince Doesn't Want You to See". ABC News.
155.Jump up ^ Gibson, Owen (November 7, 2007). "Prince threatens to sue his fans over online images". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved July 18, 2009.
156.Jump up ^ "Prince 'not suing fans': Singer hits back at fansite claims". NME. November 9, 2007.
157.Jump up ^ Kreps, Daniel (November 9, 2007). "Prince Releases Diss Track As Battle With Fans Gets Funky". Rolling Stone.
158.Jump up ^ Kiss, Jemima (November 15, 2007). "B3ta bates Prince". The Guardian (London).
159.Jump up ^ "Prince Is Being A “Creep,” Radiohead Tell Him He’s A Loser - Stereogum". StereoGum. May 30, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
160.Jump up ^ "The Raspberry Beret Lifetime Aggrievement Award". Eff.org. May 7, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
161.Jump up ^ "Prince Inducted Into Takedown Hall of Shame With New Lifetime Aggrievement Award | Electronic Frontier Foundation". Eff.org. May 7, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
162.Jump up ^ "Prince v. Chodera - Scribd". Scribd.com. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
163.Jump up ^ "Prince Files Lawsuit Against Facebook Fans Over Bootlegged Concerts". TIME.com. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
164.Jump up ^ Michaels, Sean. "Prince sues internet users for total of $22m over alleged bootleg recordings". The Guardian. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
Further reading
##Draper, Jason (2008). Prince: Life & Times. Jawbone Press. ISBN 978-1-906002-18-3.
##Hahn, Alex (2004). Possessed: The Rise And Fall Of Prince. Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7749-7.
##Jones, Liz (1998). Purple Reign: The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Birch Lane Press. ISBN 978-1-55972-448-7.
##Uptown (2004). The Vault – The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince. Nilsen Publishing. ISBN 91-631-5482-X.
External links
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Prince (musician) (category)

## Quotations related to Prince (musician) at Wikiquote
##Prince at the Internet Movie Database
##Prince at AllMusic
##Prince at Billboard.com


[show] 
Prince






























































































Wikipedia book




































































































































































































































































[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Academy Award for Best Original Score





































































































[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2004




















Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 79167493 ·
 LCCN: n84079379 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0001 2096 4892 ·
 GND: 118866060 ·
 SELIBR: 209581 ·
 SUDOC: 027754596 ·
 BNF: cb13898683x (data) ·
 ULAN: 500354776 ·
 MusicBrainz: 070d193a-845c-479f-980e-bef15710653e ·
 NDL: 00621318
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: Prince (musician)
1958 births
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American singers
21st-century American singers
Male actors from Minneapolis, Minnesota
African-American male dancers
American male film actors
African-American film directors
African-American guitarists
African-American male singers
African-American rock musicians
American funk musicians
American funk singers
American Jehovah's Witnesses
American multi-instrumentalists
American rhythm and blues guitarists
American rock guitarists
Arista Records artists
Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners
Brit Award winners
Columbia Records artists
Converts to Jehovah's Witnesses
Funk rock
Grammy Award winners
Keytarists
Living people
Musicians from Minneapolis, Minnesota
People with epilepsy
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
Songwriters from Minnesota
The New Power Generation members
The Revolution (band) members
Warner Bros. Records artists
Paisley Park Records artists
Universal Records artists
EMI Records artists
African-American male actors
American male singer-songwriters
Film directors from Minnesota
American funk guitarists
American soul guitarists
American funk drummers
American rock keyboardists
American pianists
American record producers
American funk bass guitarists
American rock bass guitarists
American rhythm and blues bass guitarists
American soul bass guitarists
Lead guitarists


























Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

View source

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
العربية
Bikol Central
Български
Català
Čeština
Cymraeg
Dansk
Deutsch
Eesti
Español
Esperanto
Euskara
فارسی
Français
Galego
한국어
Hrvatski
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
ქართული
Kiswahili
Latviešu
Lëtzebuergesch
Lietuvių
Magyar
മലയാളം
मराठी
Nederlands
日本語
Norsk bokmål
Occitan
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Simple English
Slovenčina
Српски / srpski
Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски
Suomi
Svenska
ไทย
Türkçe
Українська
Tiếng Việt
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 21 May 2015, at 16:22.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_(musician)








Page semi-protected

Prince (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Prince
Prince at Coachella 001.jpg
Prince performing in 2008

Background information

Birth name
Prince Roger Nelson [1]
Also known as
Jamie Starr ·
 Christopher ·
 Alexander Nevermind ·
 The Purple One ·
 Joey Coco ·
 Prince logo.svg ·
 The artist formerly known as Prince
 
Born
June 7, 1958 (age 56)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Genres
Funk ·
 R&B ·
 rock ·
 pop ·
 new wave ·
 Minneapolis sound ·
 synthpop
 
Occupation(s)
Singer-songwriter ·
 multi-instrumentalist ·
 record producer ·
 dancer ·
 actor ·
 film director
 
Instruments
Vocals ·
 guitar ·
 keyboards ·
 Linn Drum
 
Years active
1976–present
Labels
Warner Bros. ·
 Paisley Park ·
 NPG ·
 EMI ·
 Columbia ·
 Arista ·
 Universal
 
Associated acts
The Revolution ·
 Wendy & Lisa ·
 The New Power Generation ·
 The Time ·
 Morris Day ·
 Sheila E. ·
 Vanity 6 ·
 Apollonia 6 ·
 Mazarati ·
 The Family ·
 94 East ·
 Madhouse ·
 Andy Allo ·
 3rdeyegirl
 
Prince Roger Nelson (born June 7, 1958), known by his mononym Prince, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actor. A major figure in popular music for over three decades, Prince is renowned as an innovator and is widely-known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence and wide vocal range. Widely regarded as the pioneer of Minneapolis sound, Prince's music combines rock, R&B, soul, funk, hip hop, disco, psychedelia, jazz, and pop.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince developed an interest in music at an early age, writing his first song at age seven. After recording songs with his cousin's band 94 East, 19-year-old Prince recorded several unsuccessful demo tapes before releasing his debut album, For You, in 1978 under the guidance of Manager Owen Husney. His 1979 album, Prince, went platinum due to the success of the singles "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". His next three records, Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981) and 1999 (1982), continued his success, showcasing Prince's trademark of prominently sexual lyrics and incorporation of elements of funk, dance and rock music. In 1984, he began referring to his backup band as the Revolution and released Purple Rain, which served as the soundtrack to his film debut of the same name.
After releasing the albums Around the World in a Day (1985) and Parade (1986), The Revolution disbanded and Prince released the critically acclaimed double album Sign "O" the Times (1987) as a solo artist. He released three more solo albums before debuting The New Power Generation band in 1991. After changing his stage name to an unpronounceable symbol (Prince logo.svg), also known as the "Love Symbol", in 1993, he began releasing new albums at a faster pace to remove himself from contractual obligations to Warner Bros; he released five records between 1994 and 1996 before signing with Arista Records in 1998. In 2000, he began referring to himself as "Prince" once again. He has released fourteen albums since then, including his latest, Art Official Age, released on September 30, 2014.
Prince has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time.[2] He has won seven Grammy Awards[3] a Golden Globe,[4] and an Academy Award.[5] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the first year of his eligibility.[6] Rolling Stone has ranked Prince at number 27 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[7]


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Career 2.1 1975–84: Beginnings and breakthrough
2.2 1984–87: The Revolution, Purple Rain and subsequent releases
2.3 1987–91: Solo again, Sign "O" the Times and spiritual rebirth
2.4 1991–94: The New Power Generation, Diamonds and Pearls and name change
2.5 1994–2000: Increased output and The Gold Experience
2.6 2000–06: Turnaround, Musicology, label change and 3121
2.7 2007–10: Super Bowl XLI, Planet Earth and LOtUSFLOW3R
2.8 2010–12: 20Ten and The Welcome 2 Tours
2.9 2013–present: 3rdeyegirl and return to Warner Bros.
3 Personal life
4 Multi-instrumental abilities
5 Stage names
6 Copyright issues
7 Discography
8 Filmography
9 Tours
10 Awards and nominations 10.1 Grammy Awards
10.2 MTV Video Music Awards
10.3 Academy Awards
11 See also
12 References
13 Further reading
14 External links

Early life
Prince was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Mattie Della (Shaw) and John Lewis Nelson.[8] His parents were both African-American[8] and his family ancestry is centered in Louisiana, with all four of his grandparents hailing from the state.[9][10] Prince's father was a pianist and songwriter and his mother was a jazz singer. Prince was named after his father, whose stage name was Prince Rogers, and who performed with a jazz group called the Prince Rogers Trio. In a 1991 interview with A Current Affair, Prince's father said that "I named my son Prince because I wanted him to do everything I wanted to do".[11] Prince's childhood nickname was Skipper.[12]
In a PBS interview, Prince told Tavis Smiley that he was "born epileptic" and "used to have seizures" when he was young. During the interview, he also said: "My mother told me one day I walked in to her and said, 'Mom, I'm not going to be sick anymore,' and she said, 'Why?' and I said, 'Because an angel told me so'."[13]
Prince's sister Tika Evene (usually called Tyka) was born in 1960.[14] Both siblings developed a keen interest in music, and this was encouraged by their father.[15] Prince wrote his first tune, "Funk Machine", on his father's piano when he was seven.[15] When Prince was ten years old, his parents separated. Following the separation, Prince constantly switched homes, sometimes living with his father, and sometimes with his mother and stepfather.[15] Finally he moved into the home of neighbors, the Andersons, and befriended their son, Andre Anderson, who later became known as André Cymone.[16]
Prince and Anderson joined Prince's cousin, Charles Smith, in a band called Grand Central while they were attending Minneapolis's Central High School. Smith was later replaced by Morris Day on the drums. Prince played piano and guitar for the band which performed at clubs and parties in the Minneapolis area. Grand Central later changed its name to Champagne and started playing original music influenced by Sly & the Family Stone, James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Miles Davis, Parliament-Funkadelic, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and Todd Rundgren.[17] Prince also played basketball in high school.[18]
Career
1975–84: Beginnings and breakthrough
In 1975, Pepe Willie, the husband of Prince's cousin, Shauntel, formed the band 94 East with Marcy Ingvoldstad and Kristie Lazenberry. Willie hired André Cymone and Prince to record tracks with 94 East. Those songs were written by Willie and Prince contributed guitar tracks. Prince also co-wrote, with Willie, the 94 East song, "Just Another Sucker". The band recorded tracks which later became the album Minneapolis Genius – The Historic 1977 Recordings. Prince also recorded, but never released, a song written by Willie, "If You See Me" (also known as, "Do Yourself a Favor"). In 1995, Willie released the album 94 East featuring Prince, Symbolic Beginning, which included original recordings by Prince and Cymone.
In 1976, Prince created a demo tape with producer Chris Moon in Moon's Minneapolis studio. Unable to secure a recording contract, Moon brought the tape to Owen Husney, a Minneapolis businessman. Husney signed Prince, at the age of 17, to a management contract and helped Prince create a demo recording at Sound 80 Studios in Minneapolis using producer/engineer David Z. The demo recording, along with a press kit produced at Husney's ad agency, resulted in interest from several record companies including Warner Bros. Records, A&M Records, and Columbia Records.
With the help of Husney, Prince signed a recording contract with Warner Bros.. The record company agreed to give Prince creative control for three albums and ownership of the publishing rights.[citation needed] Husney and Prince then left Minneapolis and moved to Sausalito, California where Prince's first album, For You, was recorded at Record Plant Studios. Subsequently, the album was mixed in Los Angeles and released in on April 7, 1978.[19] According to the For You album notes, Prince produced, arranged, composed and played all 27 instruments on the recording. The album was written and performed by Prince, except for the song "Soft and Wet" which had lyrics co-written by Moon. The cost of recording the album was twice Prince's initial advance. Prince used the Prince's Music Co. to publish his songs. "Soft and Wet" reached No. 12 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 92 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song "Just as Long as We're Together" reached No. 91 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.



 Ticket to Prince's first performance with his band in January 1979
In 1979, Prince created a band that included André Cymone on bass, Dez Dickerson on guitar, Gayle Chapman and Doctor Fink on keyboards, and Bobby Z. on drums. Their first show was at the Capri Theater on January 5, 1979. Warner Bros. executives attended the show but decided that Prince and the band needed more time to develop his music.[20] In October 1979, Prince released a self-titled album, Prince, which was No. 4 on the Billboard Top R&B/Black Albums charts, and No. 22 on the Billboard 200, going platinum. It contained two R&B hits: "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". "I Wanna Be Your Lover" sold over a million copies, and reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 for two weeks on the Hot Soul Singles chart. Prince performed both these songs on January 26, 1980, on American Bandstand. On this album, Prince used Ecnirp Music – BMI.[21]
In 1980, Prince released the album, Dirty Mind, which he recorded in his own studio. The album was certified gold and the attendant single "Uptown" reached No. 5 on the Billboard Dance chart and No. 5 on the Hot Soul Singles charts. Prince was also the opening act for Rick James' 1980 Fire It Up tour. Dirty Mind contained sexually explicit material, including the title song, "Head", and the song "Sister". In February 1981, Prince made his first appearance on Saturday Night Live, performing "Partyup". In October 1981, Prince released the album, Controversy. He played several dates in support of it, at first as one of the opening acts for the Rolling Stones, who were then on tour in the US. He began 1982 with a small tour of college towns where he was the headlining act. The songs on Controversy were published by Controversy Music[22] – ASCAP, a practice he continued until the Emancipation album in 1996. Controversy also marked the introduction of Prince's use of abbreviated spelling, such as spelling the words you as U, to as 2, and for as 4, as indicated by the inclusion of the track "Jack U Off". (His earlier song titles had used conventional spelling.)[23] By 2002, MTV.com noted that "[n]ow all of his titles, liner notes and Web postings are written in his own shorthand spelling, as seen on 1999's Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, which featured 'Hot Wit U.'"[24]
In 1981, Prince formed a side project band called the Time. The band released four albums between 1981 and 1990, with Prince writing and performing most of the instrumentation and backing vocals, with lead vocals by Morris Day.[citation needed] In late 1982, Prince released a double album, 1999, which sold over three million copies.[25] The title track was a protest against nuclear proliferation and became his first top ten hit in countries outside the US. Prince's "Little Red Corvette" was one of the first two videos by a black artist played in heavy rotation on MTV, along with Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean".[26] The song "Delirious" also placed in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1984–87: The Revolution, Purple Rain and subsequent releases
During this period Prince referred to his band as the Revolution. The band's name was also printed, in reverse, on the cover of 1999 inside the letter "I" of the word "Prince". The band consisted of Lisa Coleman and Doctor Fink on keyboards, Bobby Z. on drums, Brown Mark on bass, and Dez Dickerson on guitar. Jill Jones, a backing singer, was also part of The Revolution line up for the 1999 album and tour. Following the 1999 Tour, Dickerson left the group for religious reasons. In the 2003 book Possessed: The Rise and Fall of Prince, author Alex Hahn says that Dickerson was reluctant to sign a three-year contract and wanted to pursue other musical ventures. Dickerson was replaced by Wendy Melvoin, a childhood friend of Coleman. At first the band was used sparsely in the studio but this gradually changed during the mid-1980s.[citation needed]
Prince's 1984 album Purple Rain sold more than 13 million copies in the US and spent 24 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The film of the same name won an Academy Award and grossed more than $80 million in the US.[27]



 Prince performing in Brussels during the Hit N Run Tour in 1986
Songs from the film were hits on pop charts around the world, while "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy" reached No. 1 and the title track reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. At one point in 1984, Prince simultaneously had the No. 1 album, single, and film in the US; it was the first time a singer had achieved this feat.[28] Prince won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain, and the album is ranked 72nd Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[29] The album is included on the list of Time magazine's All-Time 100 Albums.[30] After Tipper Gore heard her 12-year-old daughter Karenna listening to Prince's song "Darling Nikki", she founded the Parents Music Resource Center.[31] The center advocates the mandatory use of a warning label ("Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics") on the covers of records that have been judged to contain language or lyrical content unsuitable for minors. The recording industry later voluntarily complied with this request.[32] Of what is considered the Filthy Fifteen Prince's compositions appear no. 1 and no. 2, with the fourth position occupied by his protégée Vanity.[33]
In 1985, Prince announced that he would discontinue live performances and music videos after the release of his next album. His subsequent recording Around the World in a Day held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for three weeks. In 1986 his album Parade reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the R&B charts. The first single, "Kiss", with the video choreographed by Louis Falco, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was originally written for a side project called Mazarati. That same year the song "Manic Monday", which was written by Prince and recorded by The Bangles, reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart. The album Parade served as the soundtrack for Prince's second film, Under the Cherry Moon. Prince directed and starred in the movie, which also featured Kristin Scott Thomas. He received the Golden Raspberry Award for his efforts in acting and directing.[34]
In 1986, Prince began a series of sporadic live performances called the Hit n Run – Parade Tour. After the tour Prince abolished The Revolution, fired Wendy & Lisa and replaced Bobby Z. with Sheila E. Brown Mark quit the band while keyboardist Doctor Fink remained. Prince then recruited new band members Miko Weaver on guitar, Atlanta Bliss on trumpet, Eric Leeds on saxophone, Boni Boyer on keyboards, Levi Seacer, Jr. on bass and dancer Cat Glover.[citation needed]
1987–91: Solo again, Sign "O" the Times and spiritual rebirth
Prior to the disbanding of The Revolution, Prince was working on two separate projects, The Revolution album Dream Factory and a solo effort, Camille.[35] Unlike the three previous band albums, Dream Factory included significant input from the band members and even featured a number of songs with lead vocals by Wendy & Lisa,[35] while the Camille project saw Prince create a new persona primarily singing in a speeded-up, female-sounding voice. With the dismissal of The Revolution, Prince consolidated material from both shelved albums, along with some new songs, into a three-LP album to be titled Crystal Ball.[36] However, Warner Bros. forced Prince to trim the triple album to a double album and Sign "O" the Times was released on March 31, 1987.[37]
The album peaked at No.6 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.[37] The first single, "Sign o' the Times", would chart at No. 3 on the Hot 100.[38] The follow-up single, "If I Was Your Girlfriend" charted poorly at No. 67 on the Hot 100, but went to No.12 on R&B chart.[38] The third single, a duet with Sheena Easton, "U Got the Look" charted at No. 2 on the Hot 100, No. 11 on the R&B chart,[38] and the final single "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" finished at No.10 on Hot 100 and No.14 on the R&B chart.[38]
Despite receiving the greatest critical acclaim of any album in Prince's career, including being named the top album of the year by the Pazz & Jop critics' poll, and eventually selling 3.2 million copies, album sales steadily declined.[39] In Europe, however, it performed well and Prince promoted the album overseas with a lengthy tour. Putting together a new backing band from the remnants of The Revolution, Prince added bassist Levi Seacer, Jr., Boni Boyer on keyboards, and dancer/choreographer Cat Glover to go with new drummer Sheila E. and holdovers Miko Weaver, Doctor Fink, Eric Leeds, Atlanta Bliss, and the Bodyguards (Jerome, Wally Safford, and Greg Brooks) for the Sign o' the Times Tour.
The tour was a success overseas, with Warner Bros. and Prince's managers wanting to bring it to the US to resuscitate sagging sales of Sign "O" the Times;[40][41] however, Prince balked at a full US tour, as he was ready to produce a new album.[40] As a compromise the last two nights of the tour were filmed for release in movie theaters. The film quality was deemed subpar and reshoots were performed at his Paisley Park studios.[40] The film Sign o' the Times was released on November 20, 1987. Much like the album, the film garnered more critical praise than the previous year's Under the Cherry Moon; however, its box-office receipts were minimal, and it quickly left theaters.[41]
The next album intended for release was to be The Black Album.[42] More instrumental and funk and R&B themed than recent releases,[43] The Black Album also saw Prince experiment with hip hop music on the songs "Bob George" and "Dead on It". Prince was set to release the album with a monochromatic black cover with only the catalog number printed, but after 500,000 copies had been pressed,[44] Prince had a spiritual epiphany that the album was evil and had it recalled.[45] It would later be released by Warner Bros. as a limited edition album in 1994. Prince went back in the studio for eight weeks and recorded Lovesexy.
Released on May 10, 1988, Lovesexy serves as a spiritual opposite to the dark The Black Album.[46] Every song is a solo effort by Prince, with exception of "Eye No" which was recorded with his backing band at the time, dubbed the "Lovesexy Band" by fans. Lovesexy would reach No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the R&B albums chart.[47] The lead single, "Alphabet St.", peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 100 and No. 3 on the R&B chart,[37] but finished with only selling 750,000 copies.[48]
Prince again took his post-Revolution backing band (minus the Bodyguards) on a three leg, 84-show Lovesexy World Tour; although the shows were well received by huge crowds, they lost money due to the expensive sets and incorporated props.[49][50]



 Prince performing during his Nude Tour in 1990
In 1989, Prince appeared on Madonna's studio album Like a Prayer, co-writing and singing the duet "Love Song" and playing electric guitar (uncredited) on the songs "Like a Prayer", "Keep It Together", and "Act of Contrition". He also began work on a number of musical projects, including Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic and early drafts of his Graffiti Bridge film,[51][52] but both were put on hold when he was asked by Batman director Tim Burton to record several songs for the upcoming live-action adaptation. Prince went into the studio and produced an entire nine-track album that Warner Bros. released on June 20, 1989. Batman peaked at No.1 on the Billboard 200,[53] selling 4.3 million copies.[54] The single "Batdance" topped the Billboard and R&B charts.[37]
Additionally, the single "The Arms of Orion" with Sheena Easton charted at No. 36, and "Partyman" (also featuring the vocals of Prince's then-girlfriend, nicknamed Anna Fantastic) charted at No. 18 on the Hot 100 and at No. 5 on the R&B chart, while the love ballad "Scandalous!" went to No. 5 on the R&B chart.[37] However, he did have to sign away all publishing rights to the songs on the album to Warner Bros. as part of the deal to do the soundtrack.
In 1990, Prince went back on tour with a revamped band for his stripped down, back-to-basics Nude Tour. With the departures of Boni Boyer, Sheila E., the horns, and Cat, Prince brought in Rosie Gaines on keys, drummer Michael Bland, and dancing trio The Game Boyz (Tony M., Kirky J., and Damon Dickson). The European and Japanese tour was a financial success with its short, greatest hits setlist.[55] As the year progressed, Prince finished production on his fourth film, Graffiti Bridge, and the album of the same name. Initially, Warner Bros. was reluctant to fund the film, but with Prince's assurances it would be a sequel to Purple Rain as well as the involvement of the original members of The Time, the studio greenlit the project.[56] Released on August 20, 1990, the album reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and R&B albums chart.[57] The single "Thieves in the Temple" reaching No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on the R&B chart.[37] Also from that album, "Round and Round" placed at No. 12 on the US charts and No. 2 on the R&B charts. The song featured the teenage Tevin Campbell (who also had a role in the film) on lead vocals. The film, released on November 20, 1990, was a critical and box-office flop, grossing just $4.2 million.[58] After the release of the film and album, the last remaining members of The Revolution, Miko Weaver and Doctor Fink, left Prince's band.
1991–94: The New Power Generation, Diamonds and Pearls and name change



 Prince's Yellow Cloud Guitar at the Smithsonian Castle. Prince can be seen playing this guitar in the "Gett Off" video.
1991 marked the debut of Prince's new band, the New Power Generation. With guitarist Miko Weaver and long-time keyboardist Doctor Fink gone, Prince added bass player Sonny T., Tommy Barbarella on keyboards, and a brass section known as the Hornheads to go along with Levi Seacer (taking over on guitar), Rosie Gaines, Michael Bland, and the Game Boyz. With significant input from his band members, Diamonds and Pearls was released on October 1, 1991. Reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart,[59] Diamonds and Pearls saw four hit singles released in the United States. "Gett Off" peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100 and No. 6 on the R&B charts, followed by "Cream", which gave Prince his fifth US No. 1 single. The title track "Diamonds and Pearls" became the album's third single, reaching No. 3 on the Hot 100 and the top spot on the R&B charts. "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" peaked at No. 23 and No. 14 on the Hot 100 and R&B charts respectively.[60]
1992 saw Prince and The New Power Generation release his 12th album, Love Symbol Album,[61] bearing only an unpronounceable symbol on the cover (later copyrighted as Love Symbol #2).[62] The album, generally referred to as the Love Symbol Album, would peak at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.[63] While the label wanted "7" to be the first single, Prince fought to have "My Name Is Prince" as he "felt that the song's more hip-hoppery would appeal to the same audience" that had purchased the previous album.[64] Prince got his way but "My Name Is Prince" only managed to reach No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 23 on the R&B chart. The follow-up single "Sexy MF" fared worse, charting at No. 66 on the Hot 100 and No. 76 on the R&B chart. The label's preferred lead single choice "7" would be the album's lone top ten hit, reaching No. 7.[60] 'Love Symbol Album' would go on to sell 2.8 million copies worldwide.[64]

Logo. Hollow circle above downward arrow crossed with a curlicued horn-shaped symbol and then a short bar

 The unpronounceable symbol (later dubbed "Love Symbol #2")
After two failed attempts in 1990 and 1991,[65] Warner Bros. finally released a greatest hits compilation with the three-disc The Hits/The B-Sides in 1993. The first two discs were also sold separately as The Hits 1 and The Hits 2. In addition to featuring the majority of Prince's hit singles (with the exception of "Batdance" and other songs that appeared on the Batman soundtrack), The Hits includes an array of previously hard-to-find recordings, notably B-sides spanning the majority of Prince's career, as well as a handful of previously unreleased tracks such as the Revolution-recorded "Power Fantastic" and a live recording of "Nothing Compares 2 U" with Rosie Gaines. Two new songs, "Pink Cashmere" and "Peach", were chosen as promotional singles to accompany the compilation album.
1993 also marked the year in which Prince changed his stage name to the Love Symbol (see left), which was explained as a combination of the symbols for male (♂) and female (♀).[62] In order to use the symbol in print media, Warner Bros. had to organize a mass mailing of floppy disks with a custom font.[66] Because the symbol had no stated pronunciation, he was often referred to as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince", TAFKAP, and "The Artist".
1994–2000: Increased output and The Gold Experience
In 1994, Prince's attitude towards his artistic output underwent a notable shift. He began to view releasing albums in quick succession as a means of ejecting himself from his contractual obligations to Warner Bros. The label, he believed, was intent on limiting his artistic freedom by insisting that he release albums more sporadically. He also blamed Warner Bros. for the poor commercial performance of the Love Symbol Album, claiming that it was insufficiently marketed by Warner. It was out of these developments that the aborted The Black Album was officially released, approximately seven years after its initial recording and near-release. The "new" release, which was already in wide circulation as a bootleg, sold relatively poorly.
Following that disappointing venture, Warner Bros. succumbed to Prince's wishes to release an album of new material, to be entitled Come. When Come was eventually released, it confirmed all of Warner's fears. It became Prince's poorest-selling album to date, struggling to even shift 500,000 copies. Even more frustrating was the fact that Prince insisted on crediting the album to "Prince 1958–1993".
Prince pushed to have his next album The Gold Experience released simultaneously with Love Symbol-era material. Warner Bros. allowed the single "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" to be released via a small, independent distributor, Bellmark Records, in February 1994. The release was successful, reaching No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 in many other countries, but it would not prove to be a model for subsequent releases. Warner Bros. still resisted releasing The Gold Experience, fearing poor sales and citing "market saturation" as a defense. When eventually released in September 1995, The Gold Experience failed to sell well, although it reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 initially, and many reviewed it as Prince's best effort since Sign "O" the Times. The album is now out-of-print. Chaos and Disorder, released in 1996, was Prince's final album of new material for Warner Bros., as well as one of his least commercially successful releases. Prince attempted a major comeback later that year when, free of any further contractual obligations to Warner Bros., he released Emancipation, a 36-song, 3-CD set (each disc was exactly 60 minutes long). The album was released via his own NPG Records with distribution through EMI. To publish his songs on Emancipation, Prince did not use Controversy Music – ASCAP, which he had used for all his records since 1981, but rather used Emancipated Music Inc.[67] – ASCAP.
Certified Platinum by the RIAA, Emancipation is the first record featuring covers by Prince of songs of other artists: Joan Osborne's top ten hit song of 1995 "One of Us";[68] "Betcha by Golly Wow!" (written by Thomas Randolf Bell and Linda Creed);[69] "I Can't Make You Love Me" (written by James Allen Shamblin II and Michael Barry Reid);[70] and "La-La (Means I Love You)" (written by Thomas Randolf Bell and William Hart).[71]
Prince released Crystal Ball, a five-CD collection of unreleased material, in 1998. The distribution of this album was disorderly, with some fans pre-ordering the album on his website up to a year before it was eventually shipped to them; these pre-orders were eventually delivered months after the record had gone on sale in retail stores. The retail edition has only four discs, as it is missing the Kamasutra disc. There are also two different packaging editions for retail, one being in a four-disc sized jewel case with a simple white cover and the Love Symbol in a colored circle; the other is all four discs in a round translucent snap jewel case. The discs are the same, as is the CD jacket. The Newpower Soul album released three months later failed to make much of an impression on the charts. His collaboration on Chaka Khan's Come 2 My House, and Larry Graham's GCS2000, both released on the NPG Records label around the same time as Newpower Soul met with the same fate, despite heavy promotion and live appearances on Vibe with Sinbad, and the NBC Today show's Summer Concert Series.
In 1999, Prince once again signed with a major label, Arista Records, to release a new record, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic. In an attempt to make his new album a success, Prince easily gave more interviews than at any other point in his career, appearing on MTV's Total Request Live (with his album cover on the front of the Virgin Megastore, in the background on TRL throughout the whole show), Larry King Live (with Larry Graham) and other media outlets. Nevertheless, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic failed to perform well commercially. A few months earlier, Warner Bros. had also released The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale, a collection of unreleased material recorded by Prince throughout his career, and his final recording commitment on his contract with Warner Bros. The greatest success he had during the year was with the EP 1999: The New Master, released in time for Prince to collect a small portion of the sales dollars Warner Bros. had been seeing for the album and singles of the original 1999.
The pay-per-view concert, Rave Un2 the Year 2000, was broadcast on December 31, 1999 and consisted of footage from the December 17 and 18 concerts of his 1999 tour. The concert featured appearances by many guest musicians including Lenny Kravitz, George Clinton, Jimmy Russell, and The Time. It was released to home video the following year. A remix album, Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic (as opposed to "Un2") was released exclusively through Prince's NPG Music Club in April 2000.
2000–06: Turnaround, Musicology, label change and 3121
On May 16, 2000, Prince ceased using the Love Symbol moniker and returned to using "Prince" again, after his publishing contract with Warner/Chappell expired. In a press conference, he stated that, after being freed from undesirable relationships associated with the name "Prince", he would formally revert to using his real name. Prince still frequently uses the symbol as a logo and on album artwork and continues to play a Love Symbol-shaped guitar. For several years following the release of Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, Prince primarily released new music through his Internet subscription service, NPGOnlineLtd.com (later NPGMusicClub.com). Two albums that show substantive jazz influence were available commercially at record stores: 2001's The Rainbow Children, and the 2003 instrumental record N.E.W.S which was nominated for a Best Pop Instrumental Album Grammy Award. Another album of largely jazz-influenced music, Xpectation, was released via download in 2003 to members of the NPGMusicClub. Xpectation is jazz themed along with new age and atmospheric themes.
In 2002, Prince released his first live album, One Nite Alone... Live!, which features performances from the One Nite Alone...Tour. The 3-CD box set, which also includes a disc of "aftershow" music entitled It Ain't Over!, failed to chart. During this time, Prince sought to engage more effectively with his fan base via the NPG Music Club, pre-concert sound checks, and at yearly "celebrations" at Paisley Park, his music studios. Fans were invited into the studio for tours, interviews, discussions and music-listening sessions. Some of these fan discussions were filmed for an unreleased documentary, directed by Kevin Smith. Smith discusses what happened during those days at length in his An Evening with Kevin Smith DVD. Performances were also arranged to showcase Prince's talents, as well as to collaborate with popular and well-established artists and guests including Alicia Keys, the Time, Erykah Badu, Nikka Costa, George Clinton, and Norah Jones.
On February 8, 2004, Prince appeared at the Grammy Awards with Beyoncé Knowles. In a performance that opened the show, Prince and Knowles performed a medley of "Purple Rain", "Let's Go Crazy", "Baby I'm a Star", and Knowles' "Crazy in Love". The following month, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The award was presented to him by Alicia Keys along with Big Boi and André 3000 of OutKast. As well as performing a trio of his own hits during the ceremony, Prince also participated in a tribute to fellow inductee George Harrison in a rendering of Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", playing a long guitar solo that ended the song. In addition he performed "Red House" on the album Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix. On February 19, The Tavis Smiley Show broadcast included a performance of "Reflection" from Prince's Musicology album. Prince was accompanied by Wendy Melvoin, formerly of The Revolution.
In April 2004, Prince released Musicology through a one-album agreement with Columbia Records. The album rose as high as the top five on a number of international charts (including the US, UK, Germany and Australia). The US chart success was assisted by the CD being included as part of the concert ticket purchase, and each CD thereby qualifying (as chart rules then stood) towards US chart placement. Musicology is R&B and soul-themed along with funk, pop, quiet storm, and rock. Three months later, Spin named him the greatest frontman of all time.[72] That same year, Rolling Stone magazine named Prince as the highest-earning musician in the world, with an annual income of $56.5 million,[73] largely due to his Musicology Tour, which Pollstar named as the top concert draw among musicians in US. The artist played an impressive run of 96 concerts; the average ticket price for a show was US$61. Further highlighting the success of the album, Prince's Musicology went on to receive two Grammy wins, for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Call My Name" and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for the title track. Musicology was also nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Album, while "Cinnamon Girl" was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. The album became the artist's most commercially successful since Diamonds and Pearls, partly due to a radical scheme devised which included in Billboard′s sales figures those that were distributed to each customer during ticket sales for the Musicology tour, with concert figures accounting for 25% of the total album sales.[74] Rolling Stone magazine has ranked Prince No. 27 on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[7]
In April 2005, Prince played guitar (along with En Vogue singing backing vocals) on Stevie Wonder's single "So What the Fuss", Wonder's first since 1999.[75] In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the city of New Orleans on August 29, 2005, Prince offered a personal response by recording two new songs, "S.S.T." and the instrumental "Brand New Orleans", at Paisley Park in the early hours of September 2. Prince again performed all instrumental and vocal parts. These recordings were quickly dispersed to the public via Prince's NPG Music Club, and "S.S.T." was later picked up by iTunes, where it reached No. 1 on the store's R&B chart. On October 25, Sony Records released a version of the single on CD.
In late 2005, Prince signed with Universal Records to release his album, 3121, on March 21, 2006 (3/21). The first single was the Latin-tinged "Te Amo Corazón", the video for which was directed by actress Salma Hayek and filmed in Marrakech, Morocco, featuring Argentine actress and singer Mía Maestro. The video for the second single, "Black Sweat", was nominated at the MTV VMAs for Best Cinematography. The immediate success of 3121 gave Prince his first No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 with the album. To promote the new album, Prince was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on February 4, 2006, 17 years after his last SNL appearance on the 15th anniversary special and nearly 25 years since his first appearance on a regular episode in 1981, making Prince the only SNL musical guest to have that long of a gap between appearances. He performed two songs from the album, "Fury" and "Beautiful, Loved & Blessed", with Támar. Prince also held a contest to win a trip to see a 'Purple Ticket Concert' at his private residence in Hollywood, California. Seven winning tickets were placed inside 3121 CD packages in the US, and other tickets were given away in various contests on the Internet and around the world. On May 6, 2006, 24 prizewinners (with a guest each) attended a star-studded private party and performance at Prince's home.
On June 12, 2006, Prince received a Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his "visionary" use of the Internet; Prince was the first major artist to release an entire album, 1997's Crystal Ball, exclusively on the Internet (although he did take phone orders for it as well...1-800-NEW-FUNK).
Only weeks after winning a Webby Award, Prince abruptly shut down his then-official NPG Music Club website on July 4, 2006, after more than five years of operation.[citation needed] On the day of the music club's shutdown, a lawsuit was filed against Prince by the British company HM Publishing (owners of the Nature Publishing Group, also NPG). Despite these events occurring on the same day, Prince's attorney has called it pure coincidence and stated that the site did not close due to the trademark dispute.[76] Prince appeared at multiple award ceremonies in 2006. On February 15, 2006, Prince performed at the BRIT Awards along with Wendy & Lisa and Sheila E. He played "Te Amo Corazón" and "Fury" from 3121 and "Purple Rain" and "Let's Go Crazy" from Purple Rain. On June 27, 2006, Prince appeared at the BET Awards, where he was awarded Best Male R&B Artist. In addition to receiving his award, Prince performed a medley of Chaka Khan songs for Khan's BET Lifetime Award. Prince had previously written and performed several songs with the singer.
In November 2006, Prince was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame, appearing to collect his award but not performing. Also in November 2006, Prince opened a nightclub named 3121 in Las Vegas at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino. He performed weekly on Friday and Saturday nights until April 2007, when his contract with the Rio ended. On August 22, 2006, Prince released Ultimate Prince. The double disc set contains one CD of previous hits, and another of extended versions and mixes of material that had largely only previously been available on vinyl record B-sides. Prince wrote and performed a song for the hit 2006 animated film Happy Feet. The song, entitled "The Song of the Heart", appears on the film's soundtrack, which also features a cover of Prince's earlier hit "Kiss", sung by Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. In January 2007, "The Song of the Heart" won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.[77]
2007–10: Super Bowl XLI, Planet Earth and LOtUSFLOW3R



 Prince's stage set for the Earth Tour in 2007
On February 2, 2007, Prince played at the Super Bowl XLI press conference. He and the band played a set comprising Chuck Berry's hit, "Johnny B. Goode", "Anotherloverholenyohead" from Parade and "Get On the Boat" from 3121. Prince performed at the Super Bowl XLI halftime show in Miami, Florida on February 4, 2007. The performance consisted of three Purple Rain tracks ("Let's Go Crazy", "Baby I'm a Star" and the title track), along with cover versions of "We Will Rock You" by Queen, "All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan, the Foo Fighters song "Best of You" and "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Coincidentally, Miami had rain on the day of the Super Bowl, which was lit purple during the performance of "Purple Rain". He played on a large stage shaped as his symbol. The event was carried to 140 million television viewers, the largest audience of his life. On February 4, 2010, Billboard.com ranked the performance as the greatest Super Bowl performance ever.[78]
Prince played 21 concerts in London during the summer of 2007. The Earth Tour included 21 nights at the 20,000 capacity O2 Arena, with Maceo Parker in his band. Tickets for the O2 Arena were capped by Prince at £31.21. The residency at the O2 Arena was increased to 15 nights after all 140,000 tickets for the original seven sold out in just 20 minutes.[79] It was then further extended to 21 nights.[80] On May 10, 2007, Prince performed a "secret" gig at London's KOKO in front of a small crowd of fans and celebrities. A prelude to the forthcoming summer gigs in London, Prince played a relaxed set of hits including ("Kiss", changing the lyric from "You don't have to watch Dynasty" to Desperate Housewives, "Girls & Boys", and "Nothing Compares 2 U") alongside more recent tracks, plus a cover version of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy".
Prince made an appearance at the 2007 ALMA Awards, performing with Sheila E. in June 2007. On June 28, 2007, the UK national newspaper the Mail on Sunday revealed that it had made a deal to give Prince's new album, Planet Earth, away for free with an "imminent" edition of the paper, making it the first place in the world to get the album. This move sparked controversy among music distributors and also led the UK arm of Prince's distributor, Sony BMG, to withdraw from distributing the album in UK stores.[81] The UK's largest high street music retailer, HMV, decided to stock the paper on release day due to the giveaway. Planet Earth is rock-oriented along with disco, and other various music styles. On July 7, 2007, Prince returned to his hometown of Minneapolis to perform three shows in what was unofficially declared Prince Day in Minnesota. He performed concerts at the Macy's Auditorium (to promote his new perfume "3121") on Nicollet Mall, the Target Center arena, and First Avenue.[82] It was the first time he had played at First Avenue (the club appeared in the film Purple Rain) since 1987.[83]



 Prince playing with Maceo Parker in the O2
On April 25, 2008, Prince performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he debuted a new song, "Turn Me Loose". Days after, he headlined the Coachella Festival 2008. Prince was paid more than $5 million for his performance at Coachella, according to Reuters.[84] Prince cancelled a concert, planned at Dublin's Croke Park on June 16, 2008, at just 10 days' notice. In October 2009 promoters MCD Productions went to court to sue Prince for €1.6 million, after paying him $1.5 million, half his agreed fee of $3 million for the concert. MCD claim they had to refund 55,126 tickets purchased and its total losses exceeded $1.66 million. Prince's lawyers argued the MCD claim was "greatly inflated".[85][86] Prince settled the case out of court in February 2010 for $2.95 million.[87][88] During the trial, it was revealed that Prince had been offered $22 million for seven concerts as part of a proposed 2008 European tour.[89] In October 2008, Prince released a live album entitled Indigo Nights, as well as 21 Nights, an accompanying book of poems, lyrics and photos. The book chronicled his record-breaking tenure at London's O2 Arena in 2007, while the album is a collection of songs performed live at aftershows in the IndigO2.



 Prince at the Coachella Festival in 2008
On December 18, 2008, Prince premiered four songs from his new album on LA's Indie rock radio station Indie 103.1.[90] The radio station's programmers Max Tolkoff and Mark Sovel had been invited to Prince's home to hear the new rock-oriented music. Prince then surprised the two by giving them a CD with four songs to premiere on their radio station. The music debuted the next day on Jonesy's Jukebox, hosted by Sex Pistol Steve Jones.[91] The music comprised a cover of "Crimson and Clover" by Tommy James and the Shondells, together with "Colonized Mind", "Wall of Berlin" and "4ever". The same day, another new Prince composition entitled "(There'll Never B) Another Like Me" premiered on the now obsolete and defunct website mplsound.com — replacing a shorter, instrumental version of the song that streamed several days previously.
On January 3, 2009, a new website LotusFlow3r.com was launched, streaming some of the recently aired material ("Crimson and Clover", "(There'll Never B) Another Like Me" and "Here Eye Come") and promising opportunities to listen to and buy music by Prince and guests, watch videos and buy concert tickets for future events. On January 31, Prince released two more songs on LotusFlow3r.com: "Disco Jellyfish", and "Another Boy". "Chocolate Box", "Colonized Mind", and "All This Love" have since been released on the website. Prince released a triple album set containing LOtUSFLOW3R, MPLSoUND, and an album credited to his new protégé, Bria Valente, called Elixer, on March 24, 2009, followed by a physical release on March 29. The release was preceded by performances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. It was released in other countries digitally, with official physical release dates yet to be announced. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and critics' opinions were mixed to positive.
On July 18, 2009, Prince performed two shows at the Montreux Jazz Festival, being backed by the New Power Generation including Rhonda Smith, Renato Neto and John Blackwell. There he played "A Large Room with No Light", which had been in Prince's "vault" for some time. On October 11, 2009, Prince gave two surprise concerts at the glass-and-iron Grand Palais exhibition hall after visiting the landmark Paris building on the banks of the Seine.[92] On October 12, he gave another surprise gig at La Cigale. On October 24, Prince played a concert at his own Paisley Park complex in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[93]
2010–12: 20Ten and The Welcome 2 Tours
In January 2010, Prince wrote a new song, "Purple and Gold", inspired by his visit to a Minnesota Vikings football game against the Dallas Cowboys.[94] The song is a simple, drumline-driven track. The following month, Prince let Minneapolis-area public radio station 89.3 The Current premiere his new song "Cause and Effect" as a gesture in support of independent radio.[95]
In 2010, Prince was listed in TIME magazine's annual ranking of the "100 Most Influential People in the World".[96]
Prince released a new single on Minneapolis radio station 89.3 The Current called "Hot Summer" on June 7, his 52nd birthday. Also in June, Prince appeared on the cover of the July 2010 issue of Ebony,[97] and he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 BET Awards.[98]
Prince released his album 20Ten in July 2010 as a free covermount with publications in the UK, Belgium, Germany, and France.[99] Prince has refused access to the album to digital download services. He also closed his official website, LotusFlow3r.com. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Prince said, "The Internet's completely over. I don't see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won't pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can't get it... Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you."[100]
On July 4, 2010 Prince began his 20Ten Tour, a concert tour in two legs with shows in Europe. The second leg began on October 15[101] and ended with a concert following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 14.[102] The second half of the tour has a new band, John Blackwell, Ida Kristine Nielsen, and Sheila E.[103] Prince let Europe 1 debut the snippet of his new song "Rich Friends" from the "new" album 20Ten Deluxe on October 8, 2010.[104] Prince started the Welcome 2 Tour on December 15, 2010.[105]
Prince was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame on December 7, 2010.[106]
On February 12, 2011, Prince presented Barbra Streisand with an award and donated $1.5 million to charities.[107] On the same day, it was reported that he was unimpressed about Glee covering his hit "Kiss", and that he had not authorised its use.[108]
On the May 18, 2011, it was announced that Prince would be headlining Hop Farm Festival on July 3, 2011, marking his first UK show since 2007 and his first ever UK festival appearance.[109]
Despite having previously rejected the Internet for music distribution, on November 24, 2011, Prince re-released a reworked version of the previously unreleased song "Extraloveable" through both iTunes and Spotify.[110][111][112] Purple Music, a Switzerland-based record label, released a CD single "Dance 4 Me" on December 12, 2011, as part of a club remixes package including Bria Valente CD single "2 Nite" released on February 23, 2012. The CD features club remixes by Jamie Lewis and David Alexander, produced by Prince.[113][114]
2013–present: 3rdeyegirl and return to Warner Bros.
In January 2013, Prince released a lyric video for a new song called "Screwdriver".[115] A couple of months later in April 2013, Prince announced a short West Coast tour with 3rdeyegirl as his backing band.[116] The final two dates of the tour were in Minneapolis where former Revolution drummer Bobby Z. sat in as guest drummer on both shows.[117] In May, Prince announced a deal with Kobalt Music to market and distribute his music.[118]
On August 14, 2013, Prince officially sent his first tweet through the 3RDEYEGIRL Twitter account.[119] The same day, he released a new solo single for exclusive download through the 3RDEYEGIRL.com website.[120] The single "Breakfast Can Wait" received attention for its cover art, featuring comedian Dave Chappelle's notable impersonation of the singer in a sketch on the 2000s Comedy Central series Chappelle's Show.[121]
In February 2014, Prince performed concerts with 3rdeyegirl in London. Beginning with intimate shows, the first was held at the London home of singer Lianne La Havas, followed by two performances of what Prince described as a "sound check" at the Electric Ballroom in Camden,[122] and another at Shepherds Bush Empire.[123]
On April 18, 2014, Prince released a new single entitled "The Breakdown". Along with the surprise release, news came that a new album was in the works, an expanded edition of Purple Rain would be released for the 30th anniversary, and he has re-signed with his former label, Warner Bros. Records after an 18-year split. He also gained the rights to his master recordings from the 1980s, which had been a point of contention for his initial split with the major label.[124]
In May 2015, following the death of Freddie Gray and the subsequent riots, Prince released a song entitled 'Baltimore' in tribute to Gray and in support of the protesters in Baltimore. [125][126][127][128] He also held a surprise tribute concert for Gray at his Paisley Park estate called 'Dance Rally 4 Peace' in which he reportedly encouraged fans to wear the color gray in honor of Freddie Gray.[129]
Personal life
Prince resides near Minneapolis, Minnesota.[130] Over the years Prince has been romantically linked with many celebrities, including Kim Basinger, Madonna, Vanity, Sheila E., Carmen Electra, Susanna Hoffs, Anna Fantastic,[11] Sherilyn Fenn,[131] and Susan Moonsie of Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6.[14] Prince was engaged to Susannah Melvoin in 1985.[132] He married his backup singer and dancer, Mayte Garcia, on Valentine's Day, 1996. They had a son, Boy Gregory (born October 16, 1996), who was born with Pfeiffer syndrome and died a week after birth.[133] Prince and Mayte divorced in 1999. In 2001, Prince married Manuela Testolini in a private ceremony. Testolini filed for divorce in May 2006.[134] He also had a short-term relationship with protégée Bria Valente in 2007.[100]
Prince became a member of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2001 following a two-year-long debate with friend and fellow Jehovah's Witness, musician Larry Graham. Prince said he didn't consider it a conversion, but a "realization"; "It's like Morpheus and Neo in The Matrix," he explained. He attends meetings at a local Kingdom Hall and occasionally knocks on people's doors to discuss his faith.[135] Prince has reportedly needed double-hip-replacement surgery since 2005 but won't undergo the operation unless it is a bloodless surgery because Jehovah's Witnesses do not accept blood transfusions.[136] The condition is rumored to be aggravated by repeated onstage dancing in high-heeled boots.[137] However, when Prince was interviewed in 2010, journalist Peter Willis said he believed the rumors of Prince needing double hip surgery to be unfounded and untrue as Prince appeared to be agile.[100]
Prince is vegan.[138] The liner notes for his album Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic featured a message about the cruelty involved in wool production.[139]
Since 2008, Prince has been managed by UK-based Kiran Sharma.[140]
Speaking about her relationship with Prince in an interview with Norwegian station NRK in November 2014, Sinead O'Connor said that Prince had summoned her to his house after "Nothing Compares 2U". O'Connor said "I made it without him. I'd never met him. He summoned me to his house—and it's foolish to do this to an Irish woman—he said he didn't like me saying bad words in interviews. So I told him to fuck off." O'Connor alleged the row became physical. "He got quite violent. I had to escape out of his house at 5 in the morning. He packed a bigger punch than mine."[141] "Nothing Compares 2U" is the song Prince penned which later became a worldwide hit for O'Connor in 1990.
Multi-instrumental abilities


 This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living people that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately. (December 2014)
In addition to his singing abilities (which encompass a wide range from falsetto to baritone and rapid, flamboyant shifts of register, as well as diverse characterisation) Prince is one of pop music's most prominent multi-instrumentalists. The precise number of instruments he is capable of playing remains obscure, partly due to the active mythologizing of his abilities and working practices (such as the claim that he had played "all 27 instruments" on his debut album, which appears to have included various different kinds of guitar, keyboard and synthesizer in the total).
As a live performer he tends to focus on guitar, piano, lead vocals and occasional harmonica. On recordings he has also played assorted keyboards and synthesizers, bass guitar, drums, various percussion instruments and saxophone, as well as mastering both drum and synthesizer programming. Prince has mentioned learning and performing simple parts on particular instruments that he does not otherwise play (such as concert harp) in order to serve song arrangements on albums.
Stage names
In 1993, during negotiations regarding the release of The Gold Experience, a legal battle ensued between Warner Bros. and Prince over the artistic and financial control of his musical output. During the lawsuit, he appeared in public with the word "slave" written on his cheek. Prince explained his name change as follows:

The first step I have taken toward the ultimate goal of emancipation from the chains that bind me to Warner Bros. was to change my name from Prince to the Love Symbol. Prince is the name that my mother gave me at birth. Warner Bros. took the name, trademarked it, and used it as the main marketing tool to promote all of the music that I wrote. The company owns the name Prince and all related music marketed under Prince. I became merely a pawn used to produce more money for Warner Bros...
I was born Prince and did not want to adopt another conventional name. The only acceptable replacement for my name, and my identity, was the Love Symbol, a symbol with no pronunciation, that is a representation of me and what my music is about. This symbol is present in my work over the years; it is a concept that has evolved from my frustration; it is who I am. It is my name.[142]
Prince is a trademark owned by Paisley Park Enterprises Inc. It was initially filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2005 in the categories of printed materials, clothing, electronic commerce, and entertainment services based on first commercial in 1978.[143] Various searches to the USPTO did not find any registrations or transfers of "Prince" or related names by Warner Bros. In 1991, PRN Music Corporation assigned the trademarks Prince, The Time, Paisley Park, New Power Generation, and Prince and the Revolution to Paisley Park Enterprises.[144]
Prince has used pseudonyms to separate himself from the music (either his own or that of others) for which he has had input; "I was just getting tired of seeing my name," he said, "If you give away an idea, you still own that idea. In fact, giving it away strengthens it. Why do people feel they have to take credit for everything they do? Ego, that's the only reason."[145] These pseudonyms include: Jamie Starr and The Starr Company (for the songs he wrote for the Time and many other artists from 1981–1984),[146][147] Joey Coco (for many unreleased Prince songs in the late 1980s, as well as songs written for Sheena Easton & Kenny Rogers),[148] Paisley Park (occasionally used in the early 1990s for his production credits on songs, including those written for Martika and Kid Creole),[149] Alexander Nevermind (for writing the 1984 song "Sugar Walls" by Sheena Easton),[150] and Christopher (used for his song writing credit of "Manic Monday" for the Bangles).[151]
Copyright issues
On September 14, 2007, Prince announced that he was going to sue YouTube and eBay because they "are clearly able [to] filter porn and pedophile material but appear to choose not to filter out the unauthorized music and film content which is core to their business success." Web Sheriff, the international Internet policing company he hired, told Reuters: "The problem is that one can reduce it to zero and then the next day there will be 100 or 500 or whatever. This carries on ad nauseam at Prince's expense."[152][153]
In October 2007, Stephanie Lenz filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Publishing Group, claiming they were abusing copyright law, after the music publisher had YouTube take down Lenz's home movie in which the Prince song "Let's Go Crazy" played faintly in the background.[154]
On November 5, 2007, several fan sites of Prince formed "Prince Fans United" to fight back against legal requests they claim Prince made to cease and desist all use of photographs, images, lyrics, album covers and anything linked to Prince's likeness.[155] While Prince's lawyers claimed that the use of such representations constituted copyright infringement, the Prince Fans United claimed that the legal actions were "attempts to stifle all critical commentary about Prince." A few days later, Prince released a statement denying the fansites' claims, stating "The action taken earlier this week was not to shut down fansites, or control comment in any way. The issue was simply to do with in regards to copyright and trademark of images and only images, and no lawsuits have been filed." The statement from AEG, Prince's promoter, asserted that the only "offending items" on the three fansites were live shots from Prince's 21 nights in London at the O2 Arena earlier in the year.[156]
On November 8, 2007, Prince Fans United received a song named "PFUnk", providing a kind of "unofficial answer" to their movement. The song, originally debuted on the PFU main site,[157] was retitled "F.U.N.K." and is available on iTunes.
On November 14, 2007, it was reported that the satirical website b3ta.com had pulled their "image challenge of the week" devoted to Prince after legal threats from the star under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. B3ta co-founder Rob Manuel wrote on the site: "Under threat of legal action from Prince's legal team of 'potential closure of your web site' – We have removed the Prince image challenge and B3ta apologizes unreservedly to AEG / NPG and Prince for any offence caused. We also ask our members to avoid photoshopping Prince and posting them on our boards."[158]
At the 2008 Coachella Music Festival, Prince performed a cover of Radiohead's "Creep", but immediately after he forced YouTube and other sites to remove footage that fans had taken of the performance, despite Radiohead's demand for it to remain on the website.[159] Days later, YouTube reinstated the videos, while Radiohead claimed "it's our song, let people hear it." In 2009, Prince put the video of that Coachella performance on his then-official website LotusFlow3r.com.
In 2013, the Electronic Frontier Foundation granted to Prince the inaugural "Raspberry Beret Lifetime Aggrievement Award",[160] a reference to resentment of parties who allege unfair treatment and misuse of copyright claims by the artist and his lawyers.[161]
In January 2014, Prince filed a lawsuit titled Prince v. Chodera against 22 online users for direct copyright infringement, unauthorized fixation, and contributory copyright infringement and bootlegging.[162] Several of the users were fans who had shared links to bootlegged versions of several Prince concerts through social media websites like Facebook.[163][164]
Discography
Main articles: Prince albums discography and Prince singles discography
Studio albums
##For You (1978)
##Prince (1979)
##Dirty Mind (1980)
##Controversy (1981)
##1999 (1982)
##Purple Rain (1984)
##Around the World in a Day (1985)
##Parade (1986)
##Sign o' the Times (1987)
##Lovesexy (1988)
##Batman (1989)
##Graffiti Bridge (1990)
##Diamonds and Pearls (1991)
##Love Symbol Album Prince logo.svg (1992)
##Come (1994)
##The Black Album (1994)
##The Gold Experience (1995)
##Chaos and Disorder (1996)
##Emancipation (1996)
##Crystal Ball (1998)
##Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999)
##The Rainbow Children (2001)
##One Nite Alone... (2002)
##Xpectation (2003)
##N.E.W.S (2003)
##The Chocolate Invasion (2004)
##The Slaughterhouse (2004)
##Musicology (2004)
##3121 (2006)
##Planet Earth (2007)
##Lotusflow3r / MPLSound (2009)
##20Ten (2010)
##Plectrumelectrum (2014)
##Art Official Age (2014)
Filmography

Year
Film
Role

1984 Purple Rain The Kid
1986 Under the Cherry Moon Christopher Tracy
1987 Sign o' the Times Himself
1990 Graffiti Bridge The Kid

Tours
##Prince Tour (1979–80)
##Dirty Mind Tour (1980–81)
##Controversy Tour (1981–82)
##1999 Tour (1982–83)
##Purple Rain Tour (1984–85)
##Parade Tour (1986)
##Sign o' the Times Tour (1987)
##Lovesexy Tour (1988–89)
##Nude Tour (1990)
##Diamonds and Pearls Tour (1992)
##Act I and II (1993)
##The Ultimate Live Experience (1995)
##Gold Tour (1996)
##Love 4 One Another Charities Tour (1997)
##Jam of the Year Tour (1997–98)
##New Power Soul Tour/Festival (1998)
##Hit n Run Tour (2000–01)
##A Celebration (2001)
##One Nite Alone... Tour (2002)
##2003–2004 World Tour (2003–04)
##Musicology Live 2004ever (2004)
##Per4ming Live 3121 (2006–07)
##21 Nights in London: The Earth Tour (2007)
##20Ten Tour (2010)
##Welcome 2 (2010–12)
##Live Out Loud Tour w/3rdeyegirl (2013)
Awards and nominations
Grammy Awards
Earning 33 nominations, Prince has won seven Grammys. He also has had two albums − 1999 and Purple Rain − awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame Award.

Year
Nominated work
Award category
Result
1984 "International Lover" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
1985 Purple Rain Album of the Year Nominated
Purple Rain Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Won
Purple Rain Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Won
"I Feel for You" Best R&B Song Won
1987 "Kiss" Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Won
"Kiss" Best R&B Song Nominated
1988 Sign "O" the Times Album of the Year Nominated
"U Got the Look" Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
"U Got the Look" Best R&B Song Nominated
1990 Batman Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Nominated
"Batdance" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
1991 "Nothing Compares 2 U" Song of the Year Nominated
1992 "Gett Off" Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
1993 "Diamonds and Pearls" Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
1995 "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Nominated
1996 "Eye Hate U" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
The Gold Experience Best R&B Album Nominated
2004 N.E.W.S. Best Pop Instrumental Album Nominated
2005 "Cinnamon Girl" Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Nominated
"Call My Name" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Won
"Call My Name" Best R&B Song Nominated
"Musicology" Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance Won
Musicology Best R&B Album Nominated
2007 "Black Sweat" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
"Beautiful, Loved and Blessed" Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
"3121" Best Urban/Alternative Performance Nominated
"Black Sweat" Best R&B Song Nominated
3121 Best R&B Album Nominated
2008 "Future Baby Mama" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Won
"The Song of the Heart" Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Nominated
2010 "Dreamer" Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance Nominated
MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) is an award show by cable network MTV to honor the top music videos of the year. It was first held in September 1984 and was originally meant as an alternative to the Grammy Awards in the video category. Prince has won four awards from 12 nominations throughout his career.

Year
Nominated work
Award category
Result
1985 "When Doves Cry" Best Choreography in a Video Nominated
1986 "Raspberry Beret" Best Choreography in a Video Won
1988 "U Got the Look" Best Male Video Won
Best Stage Performance in a Video Won
Best Choreography in a Video Nominated
Best Editing in a Video Nominated
1989 "I Wish U Heaven" Best Special Effects in a Video Nominated
1990 "Batdance" Best Video from a Film Nominated
1992 "Cream" Best Dance Video Won
1993 "7" Best R&B Video Nominated
2004 "Musicology" Best Male Video Nominated
2006 "Black Sweat" Best Cinematography in a Video Nominated
Academy Awards

Year
Nominated work
Award category
Result
1985 "Purple Rain" Best Original Song Score Won
See also
Book icon Book: Prince

##List of best-selling music artists
##List of best-selling music artists in the United States
##Unreleased Prince projects
References
1.Jump up ^ Bream, Jon (March 4, 2015). "The real story behind Prince's junior high basketball photo". StarTribune.
2.Jump up ^ Misani (April 12, 2011). "Prince brings early Valentine's Day gift to NYC". New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
3.Jump up ^ "Grammy search database". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
4.Jump up ^ "Golden Globe Awards". goldenglobes.org. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
5.Jump up ^ "Nominees & Winners for the 57th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
6.Jump up ^ "Tavis Smiley". pbs.org. April 27, 2009.
7.^ Jump up to: a b Thompson, Ahmir (March 24, 2004). "100 Greatest Artists". Rolling Stone.
8.^ Jump up to: a b "I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon - Touré". 2013-03-19.
9.Jump up ^ Smolenyak, Megan. "Huffington Post". Hey, Prince, Your Roots Are Showing. Retrieved February 12, 2013.
10.Jump up ^ Prince: Inside the Purple Reign. Retrieved February 11, 2007.
11.^ Jump up to: a b Hahn 2004.
12.Jump up ^ Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists who Revolutionized Rhythm. Greenwood Publishing. p. 483. ISBN 0-313-34046-3.
13.Jump up ^ Lynch, Jason (April 28, 2009). "Prince Talks about His Struggle with Epilepsy". People.
14.^ Jump up to: a b Nilsen, Per (2003). Dance Music Sex Romance: Prince: The First Decade. SAF. p. 19. ISBN 0-946719-64-0.
15.^ Jump up to: a b c Obituary: John Nelson. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
16.Jump up ^ "André Cymone". Retrieved December 11, 2010.
17.Jump up ^ Myers 2010, p. 17.
18.Jump up ^ Tevlin, Jon (March 13, 2004). "The quiet one: A high school classmate recalls the Artist as a young man". Minneapolis Star Tribune.
19.Jump up ^ Uptown, 2004, p. 19
20.Jump up ^ Dave Hill, Prince: A Pop Life, London: Faber and Faber, 1989.
21.Jump up ^ "BMI | Repertoire Search". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
22.Jump up ^ "Profile for Controversy Music". Ascap.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
23.Jump up ^ Examples include the album For You and its title track; "I Feel for You" on Prince; and "When You Were Mine" from Dirty Mind.
24.Jump up ^ Moss, Corey (November 13, 2002). "Y Kant Artists Spell? Christina, Jimmy Jam, K-Ci Explain". MTV.com. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
25.Jump up ^ "CNN – World Beat Biography – Prince – December 20, 1999". CNN. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
26.Jump up ^ Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides Ltd. p. 819. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0.
27.Jump up ^ "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum". Retrieved February 27, 2010.
28.Jump up ^ Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists who Revolutionized Rhythm. Greenwood Press. p. 419. ISBN 0-313-34044-7.
29.Jump up ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time", November 18, 2003, at RollingStone.com. Retrieved September 9, 2006.
30.Jump up ^ "The All-Time 100 Albums by ''Time'' magazine". Time. November 13, 2006. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
31.Jump up ^ Siegel, Robert. "Tipper Gore and Family Values : NPR Music". Npr.org. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
32.Jump up ^ Macdonald, Cameron (January 23, 2006). "Treating Dandruff by Decapitation". Stylus.
33.Jump up ^ "Filthy Fifteen contain 2 Prince's compositions and 1 of his protege Vanity occupying the top 3". Nndb.com. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
34.Jump up ^ "Golden Raspberry Award Winners". Factacular. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
35.^ Jump up to: a b Draper, pp. 76–78.
36.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 80.
37.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Sign 'O' the Times". Billboard. Retrieved March 3, 2009.[dead link]
38.^ Jump up to: a b c d "Artist Chart History — Prince". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
39.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 81.
40.^ Jump up to: a b c Draper, pp. 86–87.
41.^ Jump up to: a b Hahn 2004, p. 118.
42.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 90
43.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 92
44.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 91
45.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, pp. 121–122.
46.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 93
47.Jump up ^ "Lovesexy". Billboard magazine. Retrieved January 13, 2009.[dead link]
48.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 94.
49.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, pp. 152–153.
50.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 95.
51.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, pp. 155–156.
52.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 96
53.Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Batman". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2009.[dead link]
54.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, p. 157.
55.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, p. 166.
56.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 104.
57.Jump up ^ "Graffiti Bridge". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2001. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)[dead link]
58.Jump up ^ Draper, p. 105.
59.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, p. 177.
60.^ Jump up to: a b "Discography (more) – Prince — Sign 'O' the Times". Billboard. May 9, 1987. Retrieved July 18, 2009.[dead link]
61.Jump up ^ Prince & The New Power Generation Discography. Discogs. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
62.^ Jump up to: a b Carter, Andrew (June 23, 1999). "The People Formerly Known as Fans". City Pages. Retrieved December 12, 2007.
63.Jump up ^ "Billboard Chart positions for Prince". Retrieved May 29, 2010.
64.^ Jump up to: a b Hahn 2004, p. 187.
65.Jump up ^ Hahn 2004, pp. 192–193.
66.Jump up ^ "Prince The Artist BIO, Biography". Angelfire.com. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
67.Jump up ^ "ASCAP profile for Emancipated Music". Ascap.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
68.Jump up ^ "Chart history for 'One Of Us'". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
69.Jump up ^ "BMI credits for "Betcha By Golly Wow!"". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
70.Jump up ^ "BMI credits for "I Can't Make You Love Me"". Ascap.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
71.Jump up ^ "BMI credits for "La-La Means I Love You"". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
72.Jump up ^ "Prince Tops Frontmen Poll". Contactmusic.com. July 27, 2004. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
73.Jump up ^ "Prince crowned 'top music earner'". BBC. February 9, 2005.
74.Jump up ^ D'Angelo, Joe (May 28, 2004). "Billboard Sours On Prince's Musicology Sales Experiment: Magazine changes policy on tallying albums sold with tickets". MTV.
75.Jump up ^ "So What the Fuss credits". Discog.
76.Jump up ^ Finn, Natalie (July 12, 2006). "Prince Site Fades to Black". E!.
77.Jump up ^ "Golden Globe Awards". goldenglobes.org.
78.Jump up ^ Dave Hoekstra (February 5, 2007). "Purple rain turned super". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
79.Jump up ^ "Prince shows sell out in minutes". NME. UK. May 11, 2007. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
80.Jump up ^ "Prince extends tour". Yahoo! Music News. June 11, 2007. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
81.Jump up ^ Allen, Katie (June 29, 2007). "Music industry attacks Sunday newspaper's free Prince CD". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved July 18, 2009.
82.Jump up ^ DeRusha, Jason (July 7, 2007). "Prince Thrills Fans With 3 Minneapolis Shows". wcco.com.
83.Jump up ^ "Prince plays 3 shows in his hometown". USA Today. July 8, 2007.
84.Jump up ^ Sulugiuc, Gelu (April 28, 2008). "Prince reigns at California music festival". Reuters.
85.Jump up ^ Mary Carolan (October 13, 2009). "No solid reason given for Prince no-show, court told". The Irish TImes. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
86.Jump up ^ Mary Carolan (December 9, 2009). "Prince told to furnish documents in MCD case". The Irish TImes. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
87.Jump up ^ "Prince settles cancelled Dublin gig case". BBC. February 26, 2010.
88.Jump up ^ Pogatchnik, Shawn (March 26, 2010). "Prince ordered to pay Irish promoter $3 million". Associated Press.[dead link]
89.Jump up ^ "Singer Prince Settles Lawsuit Over Axed Dublin Gig". The New York Times. February 26, 2010.[dead link]
90.Jump up ^ Prince Premieres Four New Songs On L.A.'s Indie 103; New Album On the Way | Music News. Rolling Stone (December 18, 2008). Retrieved on April 16, 2012.
91.Jump up ^ Powers, Ann (December 19, 2008). "103.1 debuts new Prince tracks". Los Angeles Times.
92.Jump up ^ Tickets to Prince's Paris shows sell out in 77 minutes, AFP, October 8, 2009.
93.Jump up ^ Anthony, Steven (October 26, 2009). "All Day, All Night – How I Spent My Weekend At Paisley Park". The Musictionary.
94.Jump up ^ "Prince Releases Minnesota Vikings Song". myfox9.com. January 21, 2010.
95.Jump up ^ Kreps, Daniel (February 26, 2010). "Prince Gives New "Cause and Effect" to Minnesota Public Radio". Rolling Stone.
96.Jump up ^ "Full List – The 2010 TIME 100". Time. April 29, 2010. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
97.Jump up ^ "Prince Covers Ebony's July 2010 Issue". Entertainment Rundown. June 7, 2010.
98.Jump up ^ "Prince To Be Honored By BET". Billboard. September 14, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
99.Jump up ^ "Prince To Release '20Ten' For Free In Europe". Billboard. September 14, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
100.^ Jump up to: a b c Willis, Peter (May 7, 2010). "Prince- World Exclusive Interview: Peter Willis Goes Inside The Star's Secret World". Daily Mirror (London).
101.Jump up ^ Bream, Jon (October 5, 2010). "Prince postpones concert in Helsinki". Star Tribune.
102.Jump up ^ Sever, Brooke (September 28, 2010). "Kanye West and Prince join F1 line-up". digitalproductionme.
103.Jump up ^ "Official PRINCE Tour Announcement". Drfunkenberry.com. September 30, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
104.Jump up ^ "New Prince Song Snippet!~ "Rich Friends" Listen Now". Drfunkenberry.com. October 8, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
105.Jump up ^ "Prince Rocks Opening Night Of His "Welcome 2 America" Tour at the Izod". Drfunkenberry.com. December 16, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
106.Jump up ^ "PRINCE & The Revolution's "Purple Rain" Get Grammy Induction + My Thoughts". Drfunkenberry.com. December 7, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
107.Jump up ^ "Prince Presents Barbra Streisand With Award; Gives Away 1.5 million To Charities". Drfunkenberry.com. February 12, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
108.Jump up ^ "Exclusive! Prince Not Happy With "Glee" Over Use Of "Kiss"". Drfunkenberry.com. February 12, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
109.Jump up ^ Lee, Ann (March 30, 2012), "Prince to join Morrissey and Brandon Flowers at Hop Farm Festival 2011". Metro. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
110.Jump up ^ "Prince released new song "extraloveable"". Drfunkenberry.com. November 23, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
111.Jump up ^ "Extraloveable on iTunes". Apple. November 24, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
112.Jump up ^ "Extraloveable on Spotify". Apple. November 24, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
113.Jump up ^ [1][dead link]
114.Jump up ^ "Bria Valente". Purplemusic.ch. February 23, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
115.Jump up ^ "Video: Prince Posts Clip for New Song 'Screwdriver'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
116.Jump up ^ "3rdeyegirl tour dates". Drfunkenberry.com. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
117.Jump up ^ "Bobby Z. Will Play "Purple Rain" With PRINCE At The Myth!". Drfunkenberry.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
118.Jump up ^ "PRINCE & Kobalt Make Marketing & Distribution Deal Official". Drfunkenberry.com. May 20, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
119.Jump up ^ "Testing 1 2 PRINCE Starts Tweeting! Uh Seriously!". Drfunkenberry.com. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
120.Jump up ^ "3RDEYEGIRL - PLECTRUMELECTRUM". New Album - PLECTRUMELECTRUM. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
121.Jump up ^ "Dave Chappelle and Prince, together at last! (Sort of)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
122.Jump up ^ "Prince to charge $10 for live shows". BBC News (BBC). February 5, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
123.Jump up ^ "Prince's band release live footage of Shepherds Bush Empire gig", NME.
124.Jump up ^ "Prince Fans Prepare for the Deluge". NPR (BBC). April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
125.Jump up ^ "Prince records tribute to Baltimore and Freddie Gray". Guardian. 1 May 2015.
126.Jump up ^ "Prince to release song dedicated to Baltimore". Baltimore Sun. 2 May 2015.
127.Jump up ^ Steve Forrest; Ben Brumfield (1 May 2015). "CNN Exclusive: Prince records ode to Baltimore after Freddie Gray protests". CNN.
128.Jump up ^ Jess Denham (1 May 2015). "Baltimore riots: Prince records tribute song after Freddie Gray dies in police custody". The Independent.
129.Jump up ^ Alex Young (4 May 2015). "Prince holds dance party in tribute to Freddie Gray". Consequence of Sound.
130.Jump up ^ Bryan, Victoria (October 14, 2010). "Prince considering move to Europe". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
131.Jump up ^ Daly, Steven (December 1990). "Sherilyn Fenn – Is she the sexiest woman on television?". The Face.
132.Jump up ^ Elan, Priya (September 20, 2008). "Purple Reign". The Guardian (London).
133.Jump up ^ Kennedy, Dana; Sinclair, Tom (December 20, 1996). "Prince's Saddest Song". Entertainment Weekly.
134.Jump up ^ Levy, Daniel S. (July 27, 2006). "Prince's Wife, Manuela (Partner of five years), Filed for Divorce". People.
135.Jump up ^ Hoffman, Claire (November 24, 2008). "Soup With Prince". The New Yorker.
136.Jump up ^ Freedom du Lac, J. (June 11, 2009). "Prince Hips the World to His Jehovah's Witness". The Washington Post.
137.Jump up ^ Forder, Rachel (October 19, 2005). "When Hip Gives Way to Hip Replacement". The Daily Telegraph (London).
138.Jump up ^ Faber, Judy (May 22, 2006). "Prince Is Voted 'Sexiest Vegetarian'". CBS News.
139.Jump up ^ Jet. June 12, 2006. p. 35. Missing or empty |title= (help)
140.Jump up ^ "Prince's Manager Shortlisted For Asian Woman Of Achievement Award". Mtv.co.uk. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
141.Jump up ^ Kelly, Aoife (November 18, 2014). "'I told him to f*** off' - Sinead O'Connor reveals she had punch-up with Prince". Irish Independent (Dublin). Retrieved December 1, 2014.
142.Jump up ^ Heatley, Michael (2008). Where Were You... When the Music Played? 120 Unforgettable Moments in Music History. Penguin Books. p. 191. ISBN 978-0-7621-0988-3.
143.Jump up ^ United States Patent and Trademark Office. Serial Number: 78561384; Registration Number: 3128896
144.Jump up ^ US Patent and Trade Office. Reel/Frame: 0805/0848 and 0805/0880.
145.Jump up ^ Coryat, Karl (November 1999). "His Highness Gets Down!". Bass Player.
146.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Jamie Starr". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
147.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to The Starr Company". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
148.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Joey Coco". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
149.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Paisley Park". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
150.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Alexander Nevermind". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
151.Jump up ^ "Songs credited to Christopher". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
152.Jump up ^ "Prince To Sue YouTube, eBay Over Unauthorized Content". Billboard. 2007.
153.Jump up ^ Hamilton, Fiona (September 13, 2007). "Prince takes on YouTube over clips". The Times (London).
154.Jump up ^ Francescani, Chris (October 26, 2007). "The Home Video Prince Doesn't Want You to See". ABC News.
155.Jump up ^ Gibson, Owen (November 7, 2007). "Prince threatens to sue his fans over online images". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved July 18, 2009.
156.Jump up ^ "Prince 'not suing fans': Singer hits back at fansite claims". NME. November 9, 2007.
157.Jump up ^ Kreps, Daniel (November 9, 2007). "Prince Releases Diss Track As Battle With Fans Gets Funky". Rolling Stone.
158.Jump up ^ Kiss, Jemima (November 15, 2007). "B3ta bates Prince". The Guardian (London).
159.Jump up ^ "Prince Is Being A “Creep,” Radiohead Tell Him He’s A Loser - Stereogum". StereoGum. May 30, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
160.Jump up ^ "The Raspberry Beret Lifetime Aggrievement Award". Eff.org. May 7, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
161.Jump up ^ "Prince Inducted Into Takedown Hall of Shame With New Lifetime Aggrievement Award | Electronic Frontier Foundation". Eff.org. May 7, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
162.Jump up ^ "Prince v. Chodera - Scribd". Scribd.com. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
163.Jump up ^ "Prince Files Lawsuit Against Facebook Fans Over Bootlegged Concerts". TIME.com. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
164.Jump up ^ Michaels, Sean. "Prince sues internet users for total of $22m over alleged bootleg recordings". The Guardian. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
Further reading
##Draper, Jason (2008). Prince: Life & Times. Jawbone Press. ISBN 978-1-906002-18-3.
##Hahn, Alex (2004). Possessed: The Rise And Fall Of Prince. Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7749-7.
##Jones, Liz (1998). Purple Reign: The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Birch Lane Press. ISBN 978-1-55972-448-7.
##Uptown (2004). The Vault – The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince. Nilsen Publishing. ISBN 91-631-5482-X.
External links
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Prince (musician) (category)

## Quotations related to Prince (musician) at Wikiquote
##Prince at the Internet Movie Database
##Prince at AllMusic
##Prince at Billboard.com


[show] 
Prince






























































































Wikipedia book




































































































































































































































































[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Academy Award for Best Original Score





































































































[show]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2004




















Authority control
WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 79167493 ·
 LCCN: n84079379 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0001 2096 4892 ·
 GND: 118866060 ·
 SELIBR: 209581 ·
 SUDOC: 027754596 ·
 BNF: cb13898683x (data) ·
 ULAN: 500354776 ·
 MusicBrainz: 070d193a-845c-479f-980e-bef15710653e ·
 NDL: 00621318
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: Prince (musician)
1958 births
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American singers
21st-century American singers
Male actors from Minneapolis, Minnesota
African-American male dancers
American male film actors
African-American film directors
African-American guitarists
African-American male singers
African-American rock musicians
American funk musicians
American funk singers
American Jehovah's Witnesses
American multi-instrumentalists
American rhythm and blues guitarists
American rock guitarists
Arista Records artists
Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners
Brit Award winners
Columbia Records artists
Converts to Jehovah's Witnesses
Funk rock
Grammy Award winners
Keytarists
Living people
Musicians from Minneapolis, Minnesota
People with epilepsy
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
Songwriters from Minnesota
The New Power Generation members
The Revolution (band) members
Warner Bros. Records artists
Paisley Park Records artists
Universal Records artists
EMI Records artists
African-American male actors
American male singer-songwriters
Film directors from Minnesota
American funk guitarists
American soul guitarists
American funk drummers
American rock keyboardists
American pianists
American record producers
American funk bass guitarists
American rock bass guitarists
American rhythm and blues bass guitarists
American soul bass guitarists
Lead guitarists


























Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

View source

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
العربية
Bikol Central
Български
Català
Čeština
Cymraeg
Dansk
Deutsch
Eesti
Español
Esperanto
Euskara
فارسی
Français
Galego
한국어
Hrvatski
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
ქართული
Kiswahili
Latviešu
Lëtzebuergesch
Lietuvių
Magyar
മലയാളം
मराठी
Nederlands
日本語
Norsk bokmål
Occitan
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Simple English
Slovenčina
Српски / srpski
Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски
Suomi
Svenska
ไทย
Türkçe
Українська
Tiếng Việt
中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 21 May 2015, at 16:22.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_(musician)

























    
The New Yorker

 Sign in 

 Link your subscription
  TNY Store

 F
 T
 G+

Home
News
Culture
Books & Fiction
Science & Tech
Business
Humor
Magazine
Video
Archive
Subscribe






Search



advertisement




      

Home Visit November 24, 2008 Issue 
Soup With Prince

By Claire Hoffman





 Email
 Print

2008_11_24
Table of Contents



Prince
Prince
Credit Tom Bachtell

The thirty-thousand-square-foot Italianate villa, built this century by Vanna White’s ex-husband, looks like many of the other houses in Beverly Park, a gated community in L.A., except for the bright-purple carpet that spills down the front steps to announce its new tenant: Prince. One afternoon just before the election, Prince invited a visitor over. Inside, the place was done up in a generic Mediterranean style, although there were personal flourishes here and there—a Lucite grand piano with a gold-colored “Artist Formerly Known as Prince” symbol suspended over it, purple paisley pillows on a couch. Candles scented the air, and New Age music played in the living room, where a TV screen showed images of bearded men playing flutes. Prince padded into the kitchen, a small fifty-year-old man in yoga pants and a big sweater, wearing platform flip-flops over white socks, like a geisha.
“Would you like something to eat?” he asked, sidling up to the counter. Prince’s voice was surprisingly deep, like that of a much larger man. He picked up a copy of “21 Nights,” a glossy volume of photographs that he had just released. It is his first published book, a collection of highly stylized photographs of him taken during a series of gigs in London last year. “I’m really proud of this,” he said. Short original poems and a CD accompany the photographs. (Sample verse: “Who eye really am only time will tell/ 2 the almighty life 4ce that grows stronger with every chorus/ Yes give praise, lest ye b among . . . the guilty ones.”)



advertisement


Limping slightly, Prince set off on a walk around his new bachelor pad. Glass doors opened onto acres of back yard, and a hot tub bubbled in the sunlight. “I have a lot of parties,” he explained. In the living room, he’d installed purple thrones on either side of a fireplace, and, nearby, along a hallway, he had hung photographs of himself, in a Moroccan villa, in various states of undress. At the end of the hall, a gauzy curtain fluttered in a doorway. “My room,” he said. “It’s private.”
Prince has lived in Los Angeles since last spring, after spending years in Minneapolis, holding court in a complex called Paisley Park, where he made thousands of songs, far away from the big labels. Seven years ago, he became a Jehovah’s Witness. He said that he had moved to L.A. so that he could understand the hearts and minds of the music moguls. “I wanted to be around people, connected to people, for work,” he said. “You know, it’s all about religion. That’s what unites people here. They all have the same religion, so I wanted to sit down with them, to understand the way they see things, how they read Scripture.”
Prince had his change of faith, he said, after a two-year-long debate with a musician friend, Larry Graham. “I don’t see it really as a conversion,” he said. “More, you know, it’s a realization. It’s like Morpheus and Neo in ‘The Matrix.’ ” He attends meetings at a local Kingdom Hall, and, like his fellow-witnesses, he leaves his gated community from time to time to knock on doors and proselytize. “Sometimes people act surprised, but mostly they’re really cool about it,” he said.
Recently, Prince hosted an executive who works for Philip Anschutz, the Christian businessman whose company owns the Staples Center. “We started talking red and blue,” Prince said. “People with money—money like that—are not affected by the stock market, and they’re not freaking out over anything. They’re just watching. So here’s how it is: you’ve got the Republicans, and basically they want to live according to this.” He pointed to a Bible. “But there’s the problem of interpretation, and you’ve got some churches, some people, basically doing things and saying it comes from here, but it doesn’t. And then on the opposite end of the spectrum you’ve got blue, you’ve got the Democrats, and they’re, like, ‘You can do whatever you want.’ Gay marriage, whatever. But neither of them is right.”
When asked about his perspective on social issues—gay marriage, abortion—Prince tapped his Bible and said, “God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’ ”
Later, in the dining room, eating a bowl of carrot soup, he talked about an encounter that he described as a “teaching moment.” “There was this woman. She used to come to Paisley Park and just sit outside on the swings,” he said. “So I went out there one day and I was, like, ‘Hey, all my friends in there say you’re a stalker. And that I should call the police. But I don’t want to do that, so why don’t you tell me what you want to happen. Why are you here? How do you want this to end?’ And she didn’t really have an answer for that. In the end, all she wanted was to be seen, for me to look at her. And she left and didn’t come back.” ♦





 Email

  

Claire Hoffman
All work
 





  

Sign up for our newsletter
  Sign up
 

 

 







Most Popular
1.
A Few Good Reasons to Drop Out of Art School
By Roger White
2.
Patagonia’s Anti-Growth Strategy
By J. B. MacKinnon
3.
What Don Draper Was Thinking in the Final Minutes of “Mad Men”
By John Kenney
4.
Joe Biden Releases Both E-mails Written While Vice-President
By Andy Borowitz
5.
Floyd Mayweather’s Father: “He Didn’t Do Bad”
By Kelefa Sanneh





You Might Like


The New Yorker


The Options and Obligations in the Fight against ISIS
By Dorothy Wickenden

The New Yorker


Juan Rivera and the Dangers of Coercive Interrogation
By Douglas Starr

The New Yorker


Wuvwy Music
By Sarah Larson

The New Yorker


How a Gay-Marriage Study Went Wrong
By Maria Konnikova

 


Jigsaw
Puzzle
Jigsaw Puzzle
Strongbox
Submissions
Strongbox
Goings On
App
Goings On App
About
Us
About Us
Caption
Contest
Caption Contest
The New Yorker
Festival
The New Yorker Festival














































About Us
 FAQ
 Customer Care
 Cartoon Bank
 On The Town
 RSS
 Contact Us
 The New Yorker Store
 Careers
 Reprints/Permissions
 Press
 The New Yorker Media Kit


Condé Nast Digital


Subscribe to a magazine View All Titles - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Allure Architectural Digest Bon Appétit Brides Condé Nast Traveler Details Glamour Golf Digest Golf World GQ Lucky Self Teen Vogue The New Yorker Vanity Fair Vogue W Wired


Other Condé Nast sites - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Allure Architectural Digest Ars Technica Bon Appétit Brides.com Condé Nast Traveler Concierge Details Epicurious Glamour Golf Digest Golf World GQ Hotel Chatter Jaunted Lucky NutritionData Reddit The Scene Self Style Teen Vogue Vanity Fair Vegas Chatter Vogue W Wired

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (effective January 1, 2014) and Privacy Policy (effective January 1, 2014). Your California Privacy Rights The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Ad Choices Ad Choices
 
           
 

            


  
   
















Link your subscription



Already have a login? Sign in









http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/11/24/soup-with-prince#ixzz0WgnOe2m

























    
The New Yorker

 Sign in 

 Link your subscription
  TNY Store

 F
 T
 G+

Home
News
Culture
Books & Fiction
Science & Tech
Business
Humor
Magazine
Video
Archive
Subscribe






Search



advertisement




      

Home Visit November 24, 2008 Issue 
Soup With Prince

By Claire Hoffman






 Email
 Print

2008_11_24
Table of Contents



Prince
Prince
Credit Tom Bachtell

The thirty-thousand-square-foot Italianate villa, built this century by Vanna White’s ex-husband, looks like many of the other houses in Beverly Park, a gated community in L.A., except for the bright-purple carpet that spills down the front steps to announce its new tenant: Prince. One afternoon just before the election, Prince invited a visitor over. Inside, the place was done up in a generic Mediterranean style, although there were personal flourishes here and there—a Lucite grand piano with a gold-colored “Artist Formerly Known as Prince” symbol suspended over it, purple paisley pillows on a couch. Candles scented the air, and New Age music played in the living room, where a TV screen showed images of bearded men playing flutes. Prince padded into the kitchen, a small fifty-year-old man in yoga pants and a big sweater, wearing platform flip-flops over white socks, like a geisha.
“Would you like something to eat?” he asked, sidling up to the counter. Prince’s voice was surprisingly deep, like that of a much larger man. He picked up a copy of “21 Nights,” a glossy volume of photographs that he had just released. It is his first published book, a collection of highly stylized photographs of him taken during a series of gigs in London last year. “I’m really proud of this,” he said. Short original poems and a CD accompany the photographs. (Sample verse: “Who eye really am only time will tell/ 2 the almighty life 4ce that grows stronger with every chorus/ Yes give praise, lest ye b among . . . the guilty ones.”)



advertisement


Limping slightly, Prince set off on a walk around his new bachelor pad. Glass doors opened onto acres of back yard, and a hot tub bubbled in the sunlight. “I have a lot of parties,” he explained. In the living room, he’d installed purple thrones on either side of a fireplace, and, nearby, along a hallway, he had hung photographs of himself, in a Moroccan villa, in various states of undress. At the end of the hall, a gauzy curtain fluttered in a doorway. “My room,” he said. “It’s private.”
Prince has lived in Los Angeles since last spring, after spending years in Minneapolis, holding court in a complex called Paisley Park, where he made thousands of songs, far away from the big labels. Seven years ago, he became a Jehovah’s Witness. He said that he had moved to L.A. so that he could understand the hearts and minds of the music moguls. “I wanted to be around people, connected to people, for work,” he said. “You know, it’s all about religion. That’s what unites people here. They all have the same religion, so I wanted to sit down with them, to understand the way they see things, how they read Scripture.”
Prince had his change of faith, he said, after a two-year-long debate with a musician friend, Larry Graham. “I don’t see it really as a conversion,” he said. “More, you know, it’s a realization. It’s like Morpheus and Neo in ‘The Matrix.’ ” He attends meetings at a local Kingdom Hall, and, like his fellow-witnesses, he leaves his gated community from time to time to knock on doors and proselytize. “Sometimes people act surprised, but mostly they’re really cool about it,” he said.
Recently, Prince hosted an executive who works for Philip Anschutz, the Christian businessman whose company owns the Staples Center. “We started talking red and blue,” Prince said. “People with money—money like that—are not affected by the stock market, and they’re not freaking out over anything. They’re just watching. So here’s how it is: you’ve got the Republicans, and basically they want to live according to this.” He pointed to a Bible. “But there’s the problem of interpretation, and you’ve got some churches, some people, basically doing things and saying it comes from here, but it doesn’t. And then on the opposite end of the spectrum you’ve got blue, you’ve got the Democrats, and they’re, like, ‘You can do whatever you want.’ Gay marriage, whatever. But neither of them is right.”
When asked about his perspective on social issues—gay marriage, abortion—Prince tapped his Bible and said, “God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’ ”
Later, in the dining room, eating a bowl of carrot soup, he talked about an encounter that he described as a “teaching moment.” “There was this woman. She used to come to Paisley Park and just sit outside on the swings,” he said. “So I went out there one day and I was, like, ‘Hey, all my friends in there say you’re a stalker. And that I should call the police. But I don’t want to do that, so why don’t you tell me what you want to happen. Why are you here? How do you want this to end?’ And she didn’t really have an answer for that. In the end, all she wanted was to be seen, for me to look at her. And she left and didn’t come back.” ♦






 Email

  

Claire Hoffman
All work
 





  

Sign up for our newsletter
  Sign up
 

 

 







Most Popular
1.
A Few Good Reasons to Drop Out of Art School
By Roger White
2.
Patagonia’s Anti-Growth Strategy
By J. B. MacKinnon
3.
What Don Draper Was Thinking in the Final Minutes of “Mad Men”
By John Kenney
4.
Joe Biden Releases Both E-mails Written While Vice-President
By Andy Borowitz
5.
Floyd Mayweather’s Father: “He Didn’t Do Bad”
By Kelefa Sanneh





You Might Like


The New Yorker


The Options and Obligations in the Fight against ISIS
By Dorothy Wickenden

The New Yorker


Juan Rivera and the Dangers of Coercive Interrogation
By Douglas Starr

The New Yorker


Wuvwy Music
By Sarah Larson

The New Yorker


How a Gay-Marriage Study Went Wrong
By Maria Konnikova

 


Jigsaw
Puzzle
Jigsaw Puzzle
Strongbox
Submissions
Strongbox
Goings On
App
Goings On App
About
Us
About Us
Caption
Contest
Caption Contest
The New Yorker
Festival
The New Yorker Festival














































About Us
 FAQ
 Customer Care
 Cartoon Bank
 On The Town
 RSS
 Contact Us
 The New Yorker Store
 Careers
 Reprints/Permissions
 Press
 The New Yorker Media Kit


Condé Nast Digital


Subscribe to a magazine View All Titles - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Allure Architectural Digest Bon Appétit Brides Condé Nast Traveler Details Glamour Golf Digest Golf World GQ Lucky Self Teen Vogue The New Yorker Vanity Fair Vogue W Wired


Other Condé Nast sites - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Allure Architectural Digest Ars Technica Bon Appétit Brides.com Condé Nast Traveler Concierge Details Epicurious Glamour Golf Digest Golf World GQ Hotel Chatter Jaunted Lucky NutritionData Reddit The Scene Self Style Teen Vogue Vanity Fair Vegas Chatter Vogue W Wired

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (effective January 1, 2014) and Privacy Policy (effective January 1, 2014). Your California Privacy Rights The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Ad Choices Ad Choices
 
           
 

            




  
   
















Link your subscription



Already have a login? Sign in









http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/11/24/soup-with-prince#ixzz0WgnOe2m

  







Sign In | Register Now


washingtonpost.com
TODAY'S NEWSPAPER
Subscribe | PostPoints
 


ad_icon 
     

    
 








News















































Politics

































Opinions


























Business



































Local





















































Sports












































Arts & Living




































































Going Out Guide


































Jobs




















Cars




















Real Estate





























Rentals














Classifieds


































SEARCH:





| Search Archives

washingtonpost.com  >  Arts and Living > Music



  
ad_icon
      
 
  

 
Post Rock 
  


Recent Posts
Post Rock is now Click Track
Was Britney the most influential artist of the decade?
Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs: Live last night
Chip Taylor: Live last night
Fanfarlo: Live last night
Stories By Category
Activism
Africa
Amenities
American Idol
Amy Winehouse
Animal Collective
Annoyances
Appreciations
Assignment Desk
Awards
Awards Shows
Banjos
Beef
Blind Item
Bluegrass
Brian Wilson
Business
CMAs
CMJ
Celine Dion
Charts
Chat
Christmas
Commercials
Comps
Concerts
Covers
Crime
Crowds
D.C.
Datebook
Debates
Discographically Speaking
Dylan
Economy
Elton John
Errors
Fakery
Fanaticism
Favorites
Festivals
Flackery
Friday Fall-ies
From the Archives
Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Grammys
Guest Lists
Haiku
Hall of Fame
Hippies
Hold Steady
Hype
Inauguration
Indie Rock
Interviews
Janet Jackson
Jazzfest
Jonas
Journalism
Keith Urban
Kennedy Center Honors
Kurt Vile
Led Zeppelin
Legends
Lists
Live Last Night
Live Last Night, On TV
Local News
Long-Lost Jonases
Lost Bets
Lyrics
Meltdowns
Monthly Bests
Morning Mix
Munchies
Music Business
Neil Young
Nerding Out
New (?) Smell
Old Favorite Thing
On the Road
Passings
Pete Doherty
Pictures
Please Explain
Please Read the Letter
Politics
Posters
Predictions
Prince
Randomness
Rankings
Reading Room
Really Quick Spins
Restrooms
Reunions
Reviews
Ridiculousness
Roadies
Rock the Bells
Rules
Rules Of The Road
SXSW
Say What?
Schedules
Screeds
Set Lists
Silver Jews
Soundtracks
Speculation
Spice Girls
Sports
Springsteen
Steve Martin
Summer Mixtape
TV Music
The Unpopular Argument
Theories
Ticket Madness
Titles
Tours
Twitter
Two-Minute Man
U2
Underwear
Venues
Vices
Virgin Festival
What It Feels Like To ...
Wiggles
XX Merge
Year-End Lists
Stories By Date
Full Story Archive
About this Blog



Subscribe to this Blog

RSS Feed
         
  

Related Links
J. Freedom du Lac archive
Freedom Rock archive
Music

       





  
Prince Hips the World to His Jehovah's Witness Ways; Phil Spector's Streamlined Prison Look
prince460.jpg
Thursday"
Headlines: Prince reportedly needs double-hip-replacement surgery but won't undergo the operation because Jehovah's Witnesses can't accept blood transfusions. ... Trent Reznor, a real rock star in the Twittering class, has decided to end his micro-blogging experiment. Too many haters. ... You wanna battle? Mos Def has challenged Jay-Z to a rap-off to determine whether Hova is, in fact, the greatest rapper alive. The battle royale would by a five-on-five affair, with Mos Def, Black Thought, Nas, MF Doom and Jay Electronica squaring off against Jay-Z's crew. (For the record, Mos Def thinks Rakim and Slick Rick are the best rappers alive.) ... Kanye West, who probably thinks Kanye West is the best rapper alive, is touring with the pop tart Lady Gaga. Huh. Maybe Wale was onto something after all. Also, interviewing Kanye about his book, "Thank You and You're Welcome," can be something of a challenge. ... Black Lips dude Jared Swilley has joined the dogpile forming atop Wavves/Nathan Williams. ... Per state prison regulations, Phil Spector was not allowed to wig out for his California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation mug shot. (But, you know, bald is beautiful, etc.) ... The brilliant George Jones weeper "He Stopped Loving Her Today" was among the 25 sound recordings added by the Librarian of Congress to the National Recording Registry. Among the others: Link Wray's "Rumble," Etta James' "At Last," the Who's "My Generation" and John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen." ... More legal troubles for Michael Jackson. Yawn. ... The Dave Matthews Band has this week's best-seller. ... Van Morrison says he would have quit the music biz if "Astral Weeks" had been a hit upon release, noting: "I am not one who has ever taken well to fame and what that attracts. It's a drag. I just wanted to be a songwriter and a singer. I did not bargain for all the rest of it." ... Selena's killer lost an appeal because it was filed in the wrong court. ... Queen Latifah says she was sexually abused as a child. ... Chris Brown lost a bid to delay his preliminary hearing. ... Best fake news story of the week? "Country singer Rodney Atkins became embroiled in controversy on Monday when a photograph of him exiting the Nashville location of popular organic/health food chain Trader Joe's found its way onto country gossip website Nashville Gab. The post, unassumingly titled Who knew Rodney Atkins had a little hippie in him?, began exciting comment within minutes of its publication." More: "The first comment came from cntryfan93, who wondered: 'OMG, what was Rodney Atkins doing at Trader Joe's? I thought he was a Christian?'" And: "One Michigan radio station sponsored an It's America Smashathon, encouraging listeners to bring their copies of Atkins' latest album to be destroyed."

By J. Freedom du Lac |  June 11, 2009; 8:10 AM ET Morning Mix
 Previous: Jane's Addiction/Nine Inch Nails: Live Last Night | Next: A Slanted Concert Review? No. Way.

Comments
Please email us to report offensive comments.


Reg; Prince Hip surgery and Jehovah's Witnesses no blood transfusion.Google * Jehovah's Witnesses blood transfusion confusion * for facts
Prince or anyone is better off without some else's blood or body parts organs.
 Sometimes you need a new liver,kidney or blood from a donor.
The issue with the Jehovah's Witnesses and their blood transfusion ban is the Watchtower cult that governs JW's has a twisted flip-flopping blood ban that KILLS people and it is all made up by some old men in Brooklyn New York.
 The JW defenders come on like they are the pioneers of bloodless surgery techniques,they are not it's just medical science advancements in part because of blood shortages.

Posted by: jehovahinfo | June 11, 2009 12:58 PM

Prince refusing a blood transfusion for himself is one thing, but as a JW he would also refuse such for any dying children.
 The following website summarizes over 900 court cases and lawsuits affecting children of Jehovah's Witness Parents, including over 400 cases where the JW Parents refused to consent to life-saving blood transfusions for their dying children:
 DIVORCE, BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, AND OTHER LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING CHILDREN OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com

Posted by: JJ2014 | June 11, 2009 1:36 PM

I am a life-long Jehovah's Witness. While we do not accept blood transfusions there are now many medical alternatives. My 89 year old mother easily survived a hip replacement surgery a few months ago with alternative bloodless treatment.
Whatever Prince has decided to do was based on his own conscience. Perhaps he is not aware of the bloodless medical alternatives and the numerous hospitals all over the world that perform bloodless surgery all the time for ALL patients.
For more information from medical professionals about bloodless medicine visit: http://www.noblood.org/
For accurate information about Jehovah's Witnesses and blood please visit the ONLY Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses. http://watchtower.org/e/200608/article_01.htm
Posted by: Rae58 | June 12, 2009 1:41 AM

Here is a top of the line hospital that performs bloodless total hip replacements.
http://pennhealth.com/bloodless/newsletter/fall04/hip.html
Posted by: Rae58 | June 12, 2009 1:50 AM


 Simple fact-The Bible does not prohibit Blood transfusions.If you are bleeding to death it is more dangerous to refuse a blood transfusions than to take one.
 Bloodless surgeries are great if they can be elective.
1/3rd of all trauma deaths are from blood loss.
 Jehovah's Witnesses elders will investigate and disfellowship any Jehovah Witness who takes a blood transfusion,to say the issue is a 'personal conscience matter' is subterfuge to keep the Watchtower out of lawsuits..
 Jehovah's Witnesses children die every year worldwide due to blood transfusion ban.
 FYI
 1) JW's DO USE many parts aka 'fractions' aka components of blood,so if it's 'sacred' to God why the hypocritical contradiction flip-flop?
 2) They USE blood collections that are donated by Red Cross and others but don't donate back,more hypocrisy.
 3) The Watchtower promotes and praises bloodless elective surgeries,this is a great advancement indeed.BUT it's no good to me if I am bleeding to death from a car crash and lose much of my blood volume and need EMERGENCY blood transfusion.
Remember the Jehovah's Witnesses use thousands and thousands of pints of blood donated by others.They use 60% of the blood volume as broken down "fractions" then go on Bible thumping rants about how dangerous and sinful blood transfusions are.
 ( JW do allow organ transplants which has more risk than whole blood transfusions so their arguments of disease transmission is bogus)
 Know this,the reason that JW refuse blood is because of their spin on the 3000 year old Biblical old testament,modern medicine will eventually make blood donations and transfusions a thing of the past.When this technology happens it won't vindicate the Jehovah's Witnesses and all the deaths that have occurred so far.
 The Watchtower's rules against blood transfusions will eventually be abolished (very gradually to reduce wrongful death lawsuit liability) even now most of the blood 'components' are allowed.
--
 Danny Haszard http://www.dannyhaszard.com
Posted by: jehovahinfo | June 12, 2009 2:30 AM

Prince can have hip surgery without blood transfusion but the fact he thinks he can't....
 is telling on how indoctrinated the Jehovah's Witnesses are on the Watchtower society's ever changing blood prohibition.
Posted by: LisaLove1 | June 12, 2009 7:47 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
 
       
 
 
  RSS Feed Subscribe to The Post
  
   
© 2010 The Washington Post Company


   






SEARCH:





| Search Archives


News | Politics | Opinions | Business | Local | Sports | Arts & Living | Going Out Guide
Jobs | Cars | Real Estate | Rentals | Classifieds


washingtonpost.com: Help | Contact Us | Advertisers | Site Index | Site Map | Make Us Your Home Page | mywashingtonpost.com | Work for Us | Mobile | RSS
The Washington Post: Subscribe | Subscriber Services | Advertisers | e-Replica | Online Photo Store |The Washington Post Store
The Washington Post Company: Information and Other Post Co. Websites
© Copyright 1996-2015 The Washington Post Company | User Agreement and Privacy Policy | Reprints and Permissions

    http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postrock/2009/06/prince_hips_the_world_to_his_j.html


  







Sign In | Register Now


washingtonpost.com
TODAY'S NEWSPAPER
Subscribe | PostPoints
 


ad_icon 
     

    
 








News















































Politics

































Opinions


























Business



































Local





















































Sports












































Arts & Living




































































Going Out Guide


































Jobs




















Cars




















Real Estate





























Rentals














Classifieds


































SEARCH:





| Search Archives

washingtonpost.com  >  Arts and Living > Music



  
ad_icon
      
 
  

 
Post Rock 
  


Recent Posts
Post Rock is now Click Track
Was Britney the most influential artist of the decade?
Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs: Live last night
Chip Taylor: Live last night
Fanfarlo: Live last night
Stories By Category
Activism
Africa
Amenities
American Idol
Amy Winehouse
Animal Collective
Annoyances
Appreciations
Assignment Desk
Awards
Awards Shows
Banjos
Beef
Blind Item
Bluegrass
Brian Wilson
Business
CMAs
CMJ
Celine Dion
Charts
Chat
Christmas
Commercials
Comps
Concerts
Covers
Crime
Crowds
D.C.
Datebook
Debates
Discographically Speaking
Dylan
Economy
Elton John
Errors
Fakery
Fanaticism
Favorites
Festivals
Flackery
Friday Fall-ies
From the Archives
Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Grammys
Guest Lists
Haiku
Hall of Fame
Hippies
Hold Steady
Hype
Inauguration
Indie Rock
Interviews
Janet Jackson
Jazzfest
Jonas
Journalism
Keith Urban
Kennedy Center Honors
Kurt Vile
Led Zeppelin
Legends
Lists
Live Last Night
Live Last Night, On TV
Local News
Long-Lost Jonases
Lost Bets
Lyrics
Meltdowns
Monthly Bests
Morning Mix
Munchies
Music Business
Neil Young
Nerding Out
New (?) Smell
Old Favorite Thing
On the Road
Passings
Pete Doherty
Pictures
Please Explain
Please Read the Letter
Politics
Posters
Predictions
Prince
Randomness
Rankings
Reading Room
Really Quick Spins
Restrooms
Reunions
Reviews
Ridiculousness
Roadies
Rock the Bells
Rules
Rules Of The Road
SXSW
Say What?
Schedules
Screeds
Set Lists
Silver Jews
Soundtracks
Speculation
Spice Girls
Sports
Springsteen
Steve Martin
Summer Mixtape
TV Music
The Unpopular Argument
Theories
Ticket Madness
Titles
Tours
Twitter
Two-Minute Man
U2
Underwear
Venues
Vices
Virgin Festival
What It Feels Like To ...
Wiggles
XX Merge
Year-End Lists
Stories By Date
Full Story Archive
About this Blog



Subscribe to this Blog

RSS Feed
         
  

Related Links
J. Freedom du Lac archive
Freedom Rock archive
Music

       





  
Prince Hips the World to His Jehovah's Witness Ways; Phil Spector's Streamlined Prison Look
prince460.jpg
Thursday"
Headlines: Prince reportedly needs double-hip-replacement surgery but won't undergo the operation because Jehovah's Witnesses can't accept blood transfusions. ... Trent Reznor, a real rock star in the Twittering class, has decided to end his micro-blogging experiment. Too many haters. ... You wanna battle? Mos Def has challenged Jay-Z to a rap-off to determine whether Hova is, in fact, the greatest rapper alive. The battle royale would by a five-on-five affair, with Mos Def, Black Thought, Nas, MF Doom and Jay Electronica squaring off against Jay-Z's crew. (For the record, Mos Def thinks Rakim and Slick Rick are the best rappers alive.) ... Kanye West, who probably thinks Kanye West is the best rapper alive, is touring with the pop tart Lady Gaga. Huh. Maybe Wale was onto something after all. Also, interviewing Kanye about his book, "Thank You and You're Welcome," can be something of a challenge. ... Black Lips dude Jared Swilley has joined the dogpile forming atop Wavves/Nathan Williams. ... Per state prison regulations, Phil Spector was not allowed to wig out for his California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation mug shot. (But, you know, bald is beautiful, etc.) ... The brilliant George Jones weeper "He Stopped Loving Her Today" was among the 25 sound recordings added by the Librarian of Congress to the National Recording Registry. Among the others: Link Wray's "Rumble," Etta James' "At Last," the Who's "My Generation" and John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen." ... More legal troubles for Michael Jackson. Yawn. ... The Dave Matthews Band has this week's best-seller. ... Van Morrison says he would have quit the music biz if "Astral Weeks" had been a hit upon release, noting: "I am not one who has ever taken well to fame and what that attracts. It's a drag. I just wanted to be a songwriter and a singer. I did not bargain for all the rest of it." ... Selena's killer lost an appeal because it was filed in the wrong court. ... Queen Latifah says she was sexually abused as a child. ... Chris Brown lost a bid to delay his preliminary hearing. ... Best fake news story of the week? "Country singer Rodney Atkins became embroiled in controversy on Monday when a photograph of him exiting the Nashville location of popular organic/health food chain Trader Joe's found its way onto country gossip website Nashville Gab. The post, unassumingly titled Who knew Rodney Atkins had a little hippie in him?, began exciting comment within minutes of its publication." More: "The first comment came from cntryfan93, who wondered: 'OMG, what was Rodney Atkins doing at Trader Joe's? I thought he was a Christian?'" And: "One Michigan radio station sponsored an It's America Smashathon, encouraging listeners to bring their copies of Atkins' latest album to be destroyed."

By J. Freedom du Lac |  June 11, 2009; 8:10 AM ET Morning Mix
 Previous: Jane's Addiction/Nine Inch Nails: Live Last Night | Next: A Slanted Concert Review? No. Way.

Comments
Please email us to report offensive comments.


Reg; Prince Hip surgery and Jehovah's Witnesses no blood transfusion.Google * Jehovah's Witnesses blood transfusion confusion * for facts
Prince or anyone is better off without some else's blood or body parts organs.
 Sometimes you need a new liver,kidney or blood from a donor.
The issue with the Jehovah's Witnesses and their blood transfusion ban is the Watchtower cult that governs JW's has a twisted flip-flopping blood ban that KILLS people and it is all made up by some old men in Brooklyn New York.
 The JW defenders come on like they are the pioneers of bloodless surgery techniques,they are not it's just medical science advancements in part because of blood shortages.

Posted by: jehovahinfo | June 11, 2009 12:58 PM

Prince refusing a blood transfusion for himself is one thing, but as a JW he would also refuse such for any dying children.
 The following website summarizes over 900 court cases and lawsuits affecting children of Jehovah's Witness Parents, including over 400 cases where the JW Parents refused to consent to life-saving blood transfusions for their dying children:
 DIVORCE, BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, AND OTHER LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING CHILDREN OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com

Posted by: JJ2014 | June 11, 2009 1:36 PM

I am a life-long Jehovah's Witness. While we do not accept blood transfusions there are now many medical alternatives. My 89 year old mother easily survived a hip replacement surgery a few months ago with alternative bloodless treatment.
Whatever Prince has decided to do was based on his own conscience. Perhaps he is not aware of the bloodless medical alternatives and the numerous hospitals all over the world that perform bloodless surgery all the time for ALL patients.
For more information from medical professionals about bloodless medicine visit: http://www.noblood.org/
For accurate information about Jehovah's Witnesses and blood please visit the ONLY Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses. http://watchtower.org/e/200608/article_01.htm
Posted by: Rae58 | June 12, 2009 1:41 AM

Here is a top of the line hospital that performs bloodless total hip replacements.
http://pennhealth.com/bloodless/newsletter/fall04/hip.html
Posted by: Rae58 | June 12, 2009 1:50 AM


 Simple fact-The Bible does not prohibit Blood transfusions.If you are bleeding to death it is more dangerous to refuse a blood transfusions than to take one.
 Bloodless surgeries are great if they can be elective.
1/3rd of all trauma deaths are from blood loss.
 Jehovah's Witnesses elders will investigate and disfellowship any Jehovah Witness who takes a blood transfusion,to say the issue is a 'personal conscience matter' is subterfuge to keep the Watchtower out of lawsuits..
 Jehovah's Witnesses children die every year worldwide due to blood transfusion ban.
 FYI
 1) JW's DO USE many parts aka 'fractions' aka components of blood,so if it's 'sacred' to God why the hypocritical contradiction flip-flop?
 2) They USE blood collections that are donated by Red Cross and others but don't donate back,more hypocrisy.
 3) The Watchtower promotes and praises bloodless elective surgeries,this is a great advancement indeed.BUT it's no good to me if I am bleeding to death from a car crash and lose much of my blood volume and need EMERGENCY blood transfusion.
Remember the Jehovah's Witnesses use thousands and thousands of pints of blood donated by others.They use 60% of the blood volume as broken down "fractions" then go on Bible thumping rants about how dangerous and sinful blood transfusions are.
 ( JW do allow organ transplants which has more risk than whole blood transfusions so their arguments of disease transmission is bogus)
 Know this,the reason that JW refuse blood is because of their spin on the 3000 year old Biblical old testament,modern medicine will eventually make blood donations and transfusions a thing of the past.When this technology happens it won't vindicate the Jehovah's Witnesses and all the deaths that have occurred so far.
 The Watchtower's rules against blood transfusions will eventually be abolished (very gradually to reduce wrongful death lawsuit liability) even now most of the blood 'components' are allowed.
--
 Danny Haszard http://www.dannyhaszard.com
Posted by: jehovahinfo | June 12, 2009 2:30 AM

Prince can have hip surgery without blood transfusion but the fact he thinks he can't....
 is telling on how indoctrinated the Jehovah's Witnesses are on the Watchtower society's ever changing blood prohibition.
Posted by: LisaLove1 | June 12, 2009 7:47 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
 
       
 
 
  RSS Feed Subscribe to The Post
  
   
© 2010 The Washington Post Company


   






SEARCH:





| Search Archives


News | Politics | Opinions | Business | Local | Sports | Arts & Living | Going Out Guide
Jobs | Cars | Real Estate | Rentals | Classifieds


washingtonpost.com: Help | Contact Us | Advertisers | Site Index | Site Map | Make Us Your Home Page | mywashingtonpost.com | Work for Us | Mobile | RSS
The Washington Post: Subscribe | Subscriber Services | Advertisers | e-Replica | Online Photo Store |The Washington Post Store
The Washington Post Company: Information and Other Post Co. Websites
© Copyright 1996-2015 The Washington Post Company | User Agreement and Privacy Policy | Reprints and Permissions

    http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postrock/2009/06/prince_hips_the_world_to_his_j.html