Australian Open: Serena Williams all set to conquer Rod Laver Arena

Serena Williams will bid for her 22nd grand slam title against Angelique Kerber at the Australian Open (Source: Reuters)

Factbox on American Serena Williams, who will bid for her 22nd grand slam title against Angelique Kerber at the Australian Open on Saturday:

Born in Michigan on September 26, 1981. (Age: 34)

Seed: 1

GRAND SLAM CAREER: 21 – Australian Open (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015); French Open (2002, 2013, 2015); Wimbledon (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015); U.S. Open (1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014)

MAKING HER NAME

Learned to play the game with older sister Venus in Compton. Both were coached by their father Richard.
Turned professional in September 1995.

Won her first WTA Tour title in Paris in 1999, beating Amelie Mauresmo in the final.

Beats Martina Hingis in the U.S. Open final in 1999, becoming the first African-American woman to win a grand slam singles title since Althea Gibson in 1958.

TENNIS CAREER

Failed to make another grand slam final until 2001 when she lost in the U.S. Open final to older sister Venus.

Missed the 2002 Australian Open with injury then embarked on an incredible run that included winning five of the next six grand slams while losing in the semi-finals of the 2003 French open.

Career is affected by injury over the next four years, winning two Australian Open titles in 2005 and 2007 but failing to advance beyond the quarter-finals at the other three.

Wins U.S. Open in 2008 to break the grand slam drought, having not won a major title since the 2007 Australian Open.

At the 2009 U.S. Open, Williams was fined $175,000 and placed on a two-year probation for unsportsmanlike behaviour in her semi-final loss to Kim Clijsters.

Joins Billie-Jean King on all-time grand slam list in sixth with 12th grand slam title at 2010 Australian Open.

She missed the U.S. Open in 2010 because of medical complications after cutting her foot on glass while celebrating her win at Wimbledon.

In 2011, she underwent surgery after a life-threatening blood clot was detected on her lung. She made the U.S. Open final but lost to Australia’s Sam Stosur.

Wins Wimbledon title in 2012 and follows that up with Olympic gold medal on the same grass courts just over a month later, beating top seed Victoria Azarenka in semi-finals and third seed Maria Sharapova in final.

Wins fourth U.S. Open title in 2012, beating Azarenka in the final.

Crashes out to teenage compatriot Sloane Stephens in Australian Open quarter-final in 2013 but rebounds to claim her second Roland Garros title, one of 10 titles she wins that year as she reclaims top ranking.

Crashes out again early in 2014 Australian Open, but claims seven titles, including her sixth U.S. Open, which is her third in succession, to join compatriots Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18 grand slam titles.

Puts some poor early season form behind her to win her sixth Australian Open title and then goes on to win at Roland Garros and Wimbledon setting up an opportunity at U.S. Open to clinch first calendar grand slam since Steffi Graf in 1988.

Loses in U.S. Open semi-finals to Roberta Vinci and decides to take rest of the year off to recover from injuries and deal with loss of potential grand slam.

Finished 2015 with a 53-3 record and was named as Sports Illustrated magazine’s Sportsperson of the Year, becoming just the third woman since its inception in 1956 to win the award.

PATH TO FINAL- 1st round – bt Camila Giorgi (Italy) 6-4 7-5 2nd round – bt Hsieh Su-wei (Taiwan) 6-1 6-2 3rd round – bt Daria Kasatkina (Russia) 6-1 6-1 4th round – bt Margarita Gasparyan (Russia) 6-2 6-1 QF – bt 5-Maria Sharapova (Russia) 6-4 6-1 SF – bt 4-Agniezska Radwanska (Poland) 6-0 6-4