If this U.S. Open is the finale of Serena Williams' pace-setting career, there's nowhere better for her to say goodbye than at Flushing Meadows, where she gave notice in 1999 that she was unlike anyone women's tennis had ever seen.
Not quite 18, wearing an air of ferocity and white beads in her braided hair, she brought a potent blend of power and aggressiveness to the court. It wasn't that she served big, she served to win the point, not to set up a rally. She hit hard, and with a purpose.
Williams beat top-ranked Martina Hingis in the final to win the first of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles. At her peak she was invincible, surpassing her idol, older sister Venus. In going from ragged courts in Compton to the top of the posh tennis world, they opened doors to a sport that had been hostile to the few Black players who preceded them. They advocated for equal pay for women and rewrote the unofficial rules.
