Why Serena Williams Isn't The Greatest Tennis Player Ever

She is not a man – that's why.

- Saloni Maheshwari

Serena Williams is the greatest female tennis player of all time. The 35-year-old Women’s Tennis Association legend has won 38 major titles and 22 in singles. Her dominance has extended across two decades. She has got a tremendous serve, her groundstrokes are extraordinary, and she can play from net to baseline.

She’s also a woman.

That’s why, says Serena, she isn’t in the conversation for greatest tennis player of all time. “I think if I were a man, I would have been in that conversation a long time ago.”

Williams told rapper Common on ESPN: “I think being a woman is just a whole new set of problems from society that you have to deal with, as well as being black, so it’s a lot to deal with – and especially lately. I’ve been able to speak up for women’s rights because I think that gets lost in color, or gets lost in cultures. Women make up so much of this world, and, yeah, if I were a man, I would have 100 per cent been considered the greatest ever a long time ago….It’s very challenging because sometimes when things are blatantly wrong and blatantly unfair and blatantly racist or sexist, I just have to go and put on a brave smile and not let anyone know how I feel on the inside so they don’t get that satisfaction even though on the inside I would be dying.”

The Washington Post celebrated this: “Her game is based on power and so is her life.”

Michael Jordan is often considered the greatest athlete of all time. He is not the greatest male athlete, or the greatest NBA athlete. He is just the greatest – gender not included.