The Decade Series is back! This time, we'll count down the Top 10 Athletes of the Decade (give or take a couple...). Stay tuned to RSS over the next couple weeks as we'll count down from 10 to 1. Our trusty committee takes into account the big picture of these athlete's accomplishments on and off the field. How does the resume of these elite few stack up against the thousands and thousands of athletes playing sports this decade? Why do they stand out from the crowd? And what is their lasting impact? We start our countdown with Venus & Serena Williams.
Resume:
Venus:
-7 Grand Slam Titles (all this decade)
-14 Grand Slam Finals Appearances (13 this decade)
-2000 Olympic Gold Medal Singles Title
-41 Wins (32 this decade)
Serena:
-11 Grand Slam Titles (10 this decade)
-14 Grand Slam Finals Appearances (13 this decade)
-34 Wins (25 this decade)
Doubles:
-10 Grand Slam Titles (8 this decade, 3 this year)
-2000 and 2008 Olympic Gold Medals
The Facts:
-Ranked 1 & 2 on WTA All-Time Money List
-Ranked 1 & 3 among wins for active players (Kim Clijsters #2)
-83 Combined Weeks Ranked #1 (currently Ranked 2 & 3 in the world behind Dinara Safina)
-Most Grand Slam Titles among active players
-Most Grand Slam Titles this decade
Why They Are Here:
-Venus and Serena Williams haven't only dominated women's tennis this decade, they transformed it and made it a mainstream sport. Their resume speaks for itself. With no real stars this decade on the men's side to take over from Sampras and Agassi, these sisters have been the faces of American tennis. They are just as strong at the beginning of the decade as at the end, showing a longevity not seen in the tennis world. Their 3 Doubles titles and 2 Singles titles this year are a testament to that. Venus and Serena will be forever linked together, and they've embraced it. They are simply the most dominant sibling pairing in sports history and we may never see anything like the Williams Sisters again.
Lasting Impact:
-The Williams Sisters' off-court legacy is just as strong as their on-court legacy. The true impact of two black sisters from Compton, CA dominating a country club sport can not be overstated. As the Williams Era began, there was plenty of resistance to these two sisters doing what hadn't been seen before. Remember the ridiculous allegations of match-fixing at Indian Wells in 2001? Since that time these two grew and matured and made their mark, individually and together, on the sports world and beyond. They've traveled down a road that nobody has before, and they've made tennis accessible to millions of young girls and boys, black or white or latino, with their story off the court and their play on the court. Serena's recent meltdown at the US Open aside, they remain an inspiration.
Venus and Serena proved that you can balance off-court and on-court interests. Their growth this decade has been amazing to watch as they have matured throughout the years. The evolution of the Williams Sisters has been a sight to behold. The powerful style of Venus and Serena has revolutionized women's tennis as well. They are two of the very few throughout the history of sports that can truly be transcendent athletes.
Women's tennis became a mainstream sport thanks to the Williamses. The US Open Final was moved to primetime because of these two. They've elevated not only their own sport, but all of women's sports as a whole. Wimbledon now offers equal prize money between men and women, and nobody can argue that the Williams Sisters aren't a major reason why. Their legacy might be greater than maybe any other athlete in our countdown because of who they are, where they've come from, and what they've accomplished.
Here's highlights of the last two Wimbledon finals, featuring the Williams Sisters.
