By Kelly Jad'on

Within this last week we’ve seen a side of Serena Williams that’s been long forgotten emerge from the dark side of international competition.  Though hotly criticized, it pales in comparison to Mike Tyson’s ear-biting episode against Evander Holyfield or the attack on Nancy Kerrigan by Tonya Harding’s ex-husband’s friends.

Williams, a tough competitor on the line, apologized and will return another day to battle it out on the court. 

Serena has fought against difficult days in her past as well.  Usually she bites her tongue, staves off anger and calls upon her inner strength and faith to see her way through a game.

The youngest of five daughters, Serena found her way onto the tennis court, propelled by her father, encouraged by her mother, and trailing her older sisters.  The entire family coalesced on the courts, practicing daily.   Venus and Serena really excelled, and were finally allowed to participate in tournaments after Venus was able to beat her father at the tender age of 10.  Experiencing the “tug and pull” of competing against your own sister, the two girls began to move up in the rankings.  Serena writes in her new memoir On The Line, (Grand Central Publishing/ Sep 2009) “People would say we’d set up our matches and figure out beforehand which one of us would win, but that’s absurd.  It’s enraging, really.  I bristle every time I hear something like that, but what can you do?  People are going to believe what they want to believe and say what they want to say.”

Serena Williams overcame the early celebrity of her older sister Venus’s success by knowing that her day would come.  Positive reinforcement from her father, mother, and even Venus too, backed this up.  Serena keeps Match Book Entries from her games, which she’s written to herself.  It’s not humble pie.  It’s the stuff of champions, the idea that one must believe in herself to overcome any odds.

A sample:

Fear will hold U back.  Champions fear nothing.  Only fear God and give Him glory. Fear no man (woman).  Use those legs.  God gave them to U for a reason.  Put your gifts to work.  Take the ball on the rise.  Attack the short ball—it’s waiting for U!!!  Show no emotion.  U R black and U can endure anything.  Endure.  Persevere.  Stand tall. 

A firm Jehovah Witness, this champ grew up with an obligation to Kingdom Hall first and tennis second.

An inspiration to not only herself during trying times, but to all women around the world, no matter black or white, Serena Williams, though not perfect, is one of the most decorated players in the history of women’s tennis.  She is also the top-earning female athlete of all time.  In 2009, she won the Australian Open, and completed her tenth Grand Slam championship. Ranked at number one for the third time in her career, Serena Williams has also won two Olympic gold medals.

What's next for Serena?  She's traveling to Beijing for the China Open and then on to Doha, Qatar to compete in the Sony Ericsson Championships.

An unusual young woman with incredible talent which has not gone to the sidelines, Serena Williams has used her international status to create the Serena Williams Foundation which supports higher education. She also supports: The S.E. Tennis and Learning Center, in Washington, D.C.; the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund; Race for the Homeless, Stop the Violence, the Special Olympics, and the Arthur Ashe Foundation.

What goes into the making of a champion?  Courage.  Commitment.  Caring.  Consistency.  On The Line is a remarkable look into the life and mind of Serena Williams. 

On The Line was written by Serena Williams with Daniel Paisner.  Paisner has collaborated with many athletes, actors, politicians, and business leaders on their autobiographies and memoirs. 

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