A black American woman who took the tennis court & made it her own. Along with her sister Venus she dominated the white game for two decades. She announced her retirement last week.
She won 23 grand slams, more than any male or female player in the Open era. The term ‘Serena Slam’ was coined for her. Dropping a game was no big issue, she could come back with a force of her own.
She transformed the world of tennis. Children of colour would line up to see her play. They would wait for her & get autographs. Tennis courts sprang up in Harlem, New York – a bastion of African American life, culture & heritage. Naomi Osaka, the former world number one, bi- racial herself, points to Serena as her idol.
Menaka Guruswamy says, Serena taught me that you have to revel in your difference & enjoy the mastery of your skills. As you do so, you raise important questions that need to be discussed. Guruswamy is a senior advocate in Supreme court of India.
I loved the way she dressed. Bright colours or new patterns were made her own. Reflecting on myself I realised we unnecessarily give too much thought to what a colour would look like! She was confident in carrying off any colour & any cut!
I looked forward to what she would choose to wear in the US open. Wimbledon has the white dress code. Most elegant but the other tournaments were more flashy.
I just hope to see more players like her. God bless.
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