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Serena Williams's Hobby Journey
b. 1981
Tennis champion with 23 Grand Slam singles titles; one of the greatest athletes of all timeHobby Timeline
Childhood (Compton, California)
Tennis from age 3 (trained by father Richard Williams on public courts)
Teens / Early Career
Fashion interestBold on-court outfit expression
Peak Career
Fashion design (attended fashion school between Grand Slam victories)Nail art (240-hour certification)Acting (TV and film roles since 2002)Venture capital (Serena Ventures, 2014)Philanthropy (UNICEF, schools in Kenya)
Surprising hobbies
- ✦Literally went to fashion school while being the world's #1 tennis player
- ✦Completed a 240-hour nail technician certification — could professionally do your nails
- ✦Her venture capital firm is a serious investment vehicle, not a celebrity vanity project
How hobbies shaped their career
Serena has said her longevity in tennis stemmed partly from having 'a rich life outside of sports.' Fashion design and nail art gave her creative outlets that prevented burnout during a 25+ year professional career. Her business and fashion interests prepared her for a seamless post-tennis career transition — she launched WYN Beauty in 2024 and was named CFDA Fashion Icon in 2023.
"I love designing dresses and tops. I went to fashion school, and I'm starting to have to do bags and stuff."
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