Serene Serena

She’ll touch 41 and retiring. Practically unbelievable for some (including me) who grew up with her. Hers is a story of class outshining and, when combined with grit, is timeless. But to me, hers is a story of breaking barriers.

The first that she overcame was well within her household. Venus, her elder sister, was always the more preferred and privileged. First to be coached. First, to own any new asset. First to be showcased. She lived as the underdog everywhere right till early teens.

Then as an Afro-American woman. With all that one has to endure. Athea Gibson in the late ’50s had won 5 slams – and not one before or after had won any. Serena not just got there but did that with aplomb (23 slams). Only Margaret Court did one better; she won 11/24 at the Australian when the best in the world didn’t quite like to tour “down under”.

Then as a competing mother. With everyone expecting her to fizzle out. In Sep 2017, she had her baby. But she came back in 9 months to reach 4 slam finals within 2 years, losing to unfavored outsiders each time. It’s melancholic that she could never really get to Court’s record or join the hallowed band of 3 mothers who had won slams (Court, Goolagong and Clijsters).

Then the barrier of pain, both mental and physical. The murder of her half-sister Yetunde in 2003. The pulmonary embolism and blood clots in 2011 that almost took her away from us. And the pre and post-pregnancy issues that she fought through in 2017.

And lastly, all the deriding criticism she had around her looks.

But all this and more is forgotten once she is on the court; she the true master of her craft as we watch with awe.

The ability to break through multiple barriers is rare. We at OfBusiness, look for it earnestly in all around us and whence in the rarest of moments that we spot it, we know we have a champion amongst us.

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