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Posts tagged as “African-American female tennis players”

Serena Williams to Have Building Named in her Honor at Nike's World Headquarters

By goodblacknews on December 7, 2017
 
Nike Headquarters (l); Serena Williams (r) [photos via nike.com and thefamouspeople.com)
by Melissa Minton via teenvogue.com
Serena Williams, undoubtedly one of the most important athletes of all time, has certainly had an extraordinary year. Aside from her many professional accomplishments, the tennis player has gotten married and given birth. And now she will lend her name to something totally unexpected: a building in Nike‘s Beaverton, Oregon, world headquarters. The company announced Wednesday that four new structures will open in 2019 as part of its campus expansion. Two buildings will be named after athletes, Serena Williams and former track-and-field star Sebastian Coe, while a fitness center will be named after Mike Krzyzewski, better known as Coach K, of Duke University.
When completed, the Serena Williams building will be the largest structure at the headquarters (deserving), spanning more than 1 million square feet and nearly three city blocks. Serena, for her part, was so excited about the development that she took to Instagram to reflect on her year of major accomplishments.


She wrote, “What a year it has been. First a grand slam win followed by a awesome baby… than the most magical wedding. What next? How about a building!!… Nike announced yesterday that one of its new world headquarters buildings will be named after me. It will be the biggest on campus and is scheduled to open in 2019. I am honored and grateful! #TeamNike @nike.” Serena has been a Nike athlete since December 2003, and the company declared her “one of the greatest athletes of all time and one of the most inspiring people in sport” in their recent statement.
To read more, go to: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/serena-williams-nike-headquarters-building

Serena Williams 1st Black Female Athlete to Solo on Cover of Vogue

By goodblacknews on March 24, 2015
Serena Williams, Vogue
International Tennis Champion Serena Williams (VOGUE/Annie Leibovitz)

Game, set, Vogue!
Serena Williams is the first black female athlete to land a solo cover of Vogue, and the tennis pro looks absolutely breathtaking (she last fronted the magazine for the June 2012 issue alongside Ryan Lochte and Hope Solo). Serena sports long natural curls and a slim-fitting blue sheath dress on the cover, finishing her look with minimal makeup and a simple tennis bracelet (natch). Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz shot the stunning spread, which also features tennis star (not to mention Serena’s best friend and top competitor) Caroline Wozniacki.
The tennis maven joins Lupita Nyong’o, Beyoncé, Rihanna and Michelle Obama as high-powered black women to front Vogue in recent years. (One other black athlete has graced the magazine’s cover: LeBron James shared the April 2008 Shape issue with Gisele Bündchen for what became a much-debated spread.)

Serena Williams, Vogue
(VOGUE/Annie Leibovitz)

In the editorial, Serena lets her enviable figure do the talking in a second skin wine-red gown that hugs her body in all the right places. Beyond looking beautiful in couture, the star athlete opens up about the pressure of being top-ranked on the courts. (It’s no surprise that Anna Wintour tapped her for the annual Shape issue—the Vogue editrix is a self-proclaimed tennis enthusiast).
“It’s hard and lonely at the top,” Williams admits in the interview. “That’s why it’s so fun to have Caroline and my sister, too. You’re a target when you’re number one. Everyone wants to beat you. Everyone talks behind your back, and you get a lot more criticism. God forbid I lose. It’s like ‘Why?’ Well, I am human.”

Serena Williams, Vogue, Instagram
(Photo: Instagram)

Williams announced her Vogue cover in a sexy bikini snapshot on Instagram (why not?), which shows the star athlete kicking back with a copy of the issue. (Really, though, that body!)
Vogue‘s April issue hits newsstands on March 25.
article by Nicole Adlman via eonline.com

Serena Williams Wins French Open, Beats Maria Sharapova in Final

By goodblacknews on June 8, 2013
Serena Williams of United States of America poses with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen after victory in the Women's Singles Final match against Maria Sharapova of Russia during day fourteen of French Open at Roland Garros on June 8, 2013 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Serena Williams of United States of America poses with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen after victory in the Women’s Singles Final match against Maria Sharapova of Russia during day fourteen of French Open at Roland Garros on June 8, 2013 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Then the national anthem played for the first American singles champion at Roland Garros since Williams’ previous title. Williams whacked 10 aces, including three in the final game, and the last came on match point at 123 mph — her hardest serve of the day. She then sank to her knees, screamed at the sky and buried her face in the clay.
The victory completed her rebound from a shocking loss to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano in the first round at the French Open a year ago. Since that defeat she’s 74-3, including titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the London Olympics and the season-ending WTA Championships.