I sit here speechlessly in awe of a spectacular career, struggling to express my emotions on keys with scatters of tears spread across the surface. My role model and arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, Serena Williams, has walked off the court for the very last time after an astonishing battle in her final tournament run. 

It’s easy to understand that on paper, Serena Williams is one of the most dominant players to ever set foot on the court, but what people don’t see on that paper, and perhaps the part of her that is the most influential to her game, is her passion. There is not a single athlete with more drive and excitement to win than she has. She is a born competitor and a joy to watch. Her matches consist of laughter, sudden leaps into the air, thunderous cheering, intense fist pumps and most important, jubilant smiles. I consider myself more than lucky to have ridden the rollercoaster of emotions experienced at a live Serena match as if I were out there on the court alongside her. Her passion is just simply that contagious. 

As a tennis player, I find it easy to look up to Serena as a master of her craft, but my admiration for her extends far deeper than merely that. Serena proved the game to be more than a country club sport, more than a game played with leisure, but a vigorous competition fit for only the toughest, most athletic competitors. She provided me with an outline to base not only my tennis game off of, but the way I attack the rim in basketball or step through a ball in lacrosse. She showed me what an advantage using athleticism and constant dedication has over focusing simply on technical skill. She taught me what it was to play with heart and leave everything out on the court. She changed how the rest of the world perceives women in sports, and I am forever grateful. 

Serena Williams is living proof that dreams really do come true, not based upon luck, fate or waiting for a dream to come to you, but going out into the world and creating it for yourself. She is proud of every obstacle she faced, using them to fuel her journey and never hold her back. She is proud of where she came from and the values she was raised with. Most significant, she is proud of who she is, of course for the fantastic athlete she is, but most important the person she has grown into, and that’s the greatest inspiration. 

Throughout her lengthy career, she has overcome obstacles and injuries as well as triumphed in glory, but most notably she has been a role model for female athletes of all ages and backgrounds to look up to and honor. Her legacy will forever be untouchable.

Photo Credit: “Serena Williams” by mirasha is liscensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)