Serena Williams Takes Out Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson Of The Year

Serena Williams Takes Out Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson Of The Year

Tennis superstar Serena Williams has been awarded the Sportsperson of the Year (formerly sportsman of the year) by Sports Illustrated, Williams is the first woman to be recognised with the honour as an individual since Mary Decker in 1983.

Sports Illustrated honors her dominance in 2015, when she won 53 of her 56 matches, three of the four Grand Slam events and built the most yawning ranking points gap between her and her closest competitor in tennis history.

“We honor her, too, for a career of excellence, her stranglehold on the game’s No. 1 ranking and her 21 Grand Slam titles, a total that has her on the brink of Steffi Graf’s Open Era Slam record, which Williams will likely eclipse by mid-summer,” Sports Illustrated said in its feature article on Serena.

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“Serena has made a very strong case as not only the greatest tennis player of her generation but of all time, and after the string of performances she put together in 2015, she is one of the most dominant athletes playing today,” said Sports Illustrated group editor Paul Fichtenbaum.

The magazine also honoured her influence off the court; including her impact on issues of race in America,  gender equality and equal access to education.

“This year was spectacular for me,” Williams wrote on Instagram. “For Sports Illustrated to recognize my hard work, my dedication and my sheer determination gives me hope to continue on and do better. As I always say, it takes a village, it’s not just one person. This is not just an accomplishment for me, but for my whole team. I am beyond honored.”

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A small minority of people are disappointed that a horse American Pharoah didn’t take out the award. The horse is the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years and he was won the online poll for the award.  




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