SerenaWilliams 　　Residence:PalmBeachGardens,Florida,(USA) 　　Birthdate:September26,1981 　　Birthplace:Saginaw,Michigan,USA 　　Height:5'10"(1.78m) 　　Weight:145lbs.(65kg) 　　Plays:Right-handed(two-handedbackhand) 　　SinglesTitles:23 　　DoublesTitles:11 　　FavoriteColor:Pink 　　FavoriteAuthor:MayaAngelou 　　MostMemorableExperience:Receivingan"A"ingeometry 　　Hobbies:Surfing,Skateboarding,WatchingCartoonsandPlayingGuitar 　　FavoriteTennisPlayer:PeteSampras 　　Professionaltennisplayers.BornSeptember26,1981,inSaginaw,Michigan.Withheroldersister,Venus,Williamstookthetennisworldbystormbeginninginthelate1990s.Thesistersharnessedtheirpowerfulgroundstrokesandboomingservestoriseintherankingsinbothwomen鈥檚singlesandwomen鈥檚doublescompetitions.Coachedbytheiroutspokenfather,RichardWilliams,VenusandSerenaWilliamshavebeencreditedwithraisingpublicawarenessoftheirsportandwithbringingthewomen鈥檚tennisgametoawholenewlevelofpowerandathleticism.GrowingupintheLosAngelessuburbofCompton,California,VenusandSerenawerethetwoyoungestoffivedaughtersofRichardandOracene(Brandi)Williams.RichardWilliamsdreamedofraisingtennisstars,andVenusandSerenashowedthemostaptitudeforthegame鈥攂othbeganwinningtournamentswhentheywere10yearsold.In1991,thefamilymovedtoPalmBeachGardens,Florida,whereVenusandSerenatrainedwithRickMacci,whohadworkedwithsuchteenstarsasJenniferCapriati,andforashorttimewithNickBolletieri,thefamedformercoachofAndreAgassiandMonicaSeles.Soon,however,RichardWilliamstookoverthecoaching(andpromotional)dutiesforbothhisprodigiousdaughters,choosingtowithdrawthemcompletelyfromthejuniortenniscircuitsothattheycouldconcentrateontheirstudies.Thiscontroversialdecisionearnedhimamixtureofpraiseandcriticismamongobserversoftennis. 　　After1994,theWorldTennisAssociation(WTA)didnotallow14-year-oldstocompeteinalltourevents,although鈥減hase-in鈥clausesallowedsometoplayinalimitednumberofevents.VenusWilliamsturnedproinOctober1994,beforethenewrulewentintoeffect. 　　Serenaplayedinherfirstprofessional,non-WTAevent,theBellChallengeinVanier,Quebec,inOctober1995.Sheplayedsporadicallyanddidnotmeetwithmuchindividualsuccessuntil1997,whenherrankingshotupfromNo.453to304.AfterSerenabeatMaryPierceandMonicaSelesattheAmeritechCupinChicago,shejumpedtoNo.100intheworld.InJuly1998,shewonthemixeddoublestitleatWimbledonwithMaxMirnyi,andbyAugustshehadimprovedtoNo.21. 　　SerenawonherfirstWTAtoursinglesvictoryinearly1999,attheOpenGazdeFranceinParis.ThatwinbegananincredibleseasonforSerena,inwhichshewonfivesinglestitlesin48matches.InSeptember1999,the17-year-oldSerenadefeatedHingisinthefinalsoftheU.S.Open,becomingthefirstAfrican-AmericanwomantocaptureaGrandSlamsinglestitlesinceGibson,whowonfiveSlameventsinthelate1950s.Thefollowingday,SerenaandVenus(whoreachedthesemifinalsofthesinglesdrawbeforelosingtoHingis)teameduptowinthedoublestitle.BothvictoriestookplaceattheArthurAsheStadiuminFlushingMeadows,NewYork,namedforthelastAfri