10 Tennis Shots That Prove Serena Williams Is Queen

To celebrate Serena Williams' birthday, we’re counting down her top tennis shots that show why she's the greatest women's tennis player of all time.

Serena Williams
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Serena Williams of the US smiles during the awards ceremony after her victory against Venus Williams of the US in the women's singles final on day 13 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 28, 2017. / AFP / WILLIAM WEST / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE (Photo credit should read WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)

Serena Williams

It seemed not so long ago that Richard Williams, proud father, was on TV, extolling the talents of his daughters, 11-year-old Serena and 12-year-old Venus. Both of his girls were future champions, he claimed. And he specifically described Serena as a "pitbull." The majority of attention was on older sister Venus, who would make her professional WTA debut first. But he also said something very telling about Serena and her future:

"She's so strong. And she hits the ball so well with her ground strokes, and her hands are just unreal. Serena will probably be a better player than Venus. That's not to compare my girls, but she will be."

Now here we are, 25 years later, and both women are multiple Grand Slam champions. But Serena's play is next-level. She is the greatest women's tennis player of her generation, and widely considered the greatest women's tennis player of all time. Were it not for Steffi Graf, there wouldn't be a debate.

Pundits wax endlessly about Serena's physical dominance. But that does her a disservice; if physical power was her only upside, someone would have cracked her code by now. What makes Serena exceptional is her mental toughness; she's saved matches, including three Grand Slam wins, that she was one point away from losing.

Creating a top 10 list of her greatest shots is difficult, because Serena is not the type of player who lends herself to lists. She doesn’t pull off miracle plays between the legs or around the net. Her game is based on aggressive, fundamental baseline play, in which she dictates the point before hitting a winner. There are hundreds of plays that are in the running to be her "best." That said, here are 10 standout Serena Williams tennis shots that show why she's queen, in honor of her 37th birthday.

10. Running Forehand

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Opponent: Maria Sharapova

Event: Australian Open (2015)

This is a signature shot, one that Serena has pulled off multiple times in multiple matches: her running, crosscourt forehand. For an amateur, this can be an incredibly difficult shot to execute. Add in the psychological components of of excitement and anticipation, and most players tend to overpower this shot, and/or drive it into the net. 

Serena flicks her wrist just the right amount for the ball to stay in, and she gets an incredible angle that makes its return an impossibility. Even if a player maneuvers Serena off the court, they can still lose.

9. Running Cross Court Passing Attack

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Opponent: Agnieszka Radwańska

Event: BNP Paribas Open (2016)

The proper way for Serena's opponents to anticipate the running crosscourt forehand is to charge the net. They cut off Serena's options; now, her best hope is to hit a passing shot, at a sharp enough angle that it's impossible to return, with enough spin that it doesn't land wide.

It's like threading a needle in a hailstorm, but Serena regularly makes this shot, too. The opponent's strategy was sound, but sometimes, especially with elite players, that doesn't matter.

8. Topspin Lob on the Run

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Opponent: Maria Sharapova

Event: Brisbane International (2014)

The other option when the opponent charges the net is to hit the ball over the opponent's head. But to make this viable, you have to put a lot of topspin on the ball, which makes it more difficult to chase down and return.

Maria Sharapova is the closest thing Serena has to a career rival, even though Sharapova has lost 19 out of her 21 matches to her. Despite this, Sharapova is a great player who, in another era, would have many more Grand Slam titles to her name. But she lives in Serena's era, and thus, we get highlight shots like this one.

7. Backhand Topspin Lob

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Opponent: Simona Halep

Event: Miami Open (2015)

The topspin lob is usually performed on the forehand side; a backhand topspin lob can be one of the most challenging shots in tennis, because it's more difficult to generate topspin and power off the weaker side. But it is possible. Here's a clip of Serena running the same strategy as in the previous slide, but from her two-handed backhand instead of her forehand. Lots of players rely on the backhand as a consistent set-up shot. It takes a special player, like a Martina Hingis or a Serena Williams, to make it into a reliable offensive weapon.

6. Mixing Up the Shot Selection

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Opponent: Venus Williams

Event: US Open (2002)

Serena has played lots of doubles matches with sister Venus as her partner, but the two sisters have also faced each other many times. This clip highlights one of Serena's underrated strengths: her shot selection. It's subtle if you don't know what you're looking for. 

Notice how Serena and Venus begin the rally by hitting topspin groundstrokes back and forth. But midway through, Serena mixes things up. She hits two forehand slices, which lull Venus into a slower pace. Serena then hits a flat, blazing forehand, and now, Venus is on the defensive; she eventually drives the ball into the net. More than the highlight reel shots, it's these little timing changes, designed to get into a player's head, that win titles.

5. Pushing Them Back, Then Reeling Them In

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Opponent: Justine Henin

Event: Wimbledon (2003)

Here's another understated play which shows off Serena's tactical skills. First, she pushes Henin behind the line with a deep shot. Then, she does a soft slice over the net to draw Henin into the midcourt. Henin has already lost the point; she should either be at the net for the volley or at the baseline for the rally. Serena takes full advantage, hitting a forehand down the line for a winner.

4. Payback Time

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Opponent: Olga Savchuk, Oksana Kalashnikova

Event: Wimbledon (2014)

In women's doubles, the team of Williams/Williams has earned 22 titles. That's the benefit of playing with someone you know inside and out. Serena uses her doubles matches to enhance her singles matches—they give her the chance to experiment with and polish her serve and volley tactics, which don't come as naturally to her as her bread-and-butter baseline strategies.

In this doubles exchange from Wimbledon, Serena shows her competitive edge. Kalashnikova hits the ball directly at Serena—a technically legal move, but one that, in the etiquette-driven world of tennis, is considered poor form. And so, a couple of hits later, Serena returns the favor and hits a massive swing volley, out of the air, directly into her opponent's body. Don't start anything you aren't ready to finish.

3. GOAT Versus GOAT

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Opponent: Steffi Graf

Event: Indian Wells (1999)

Most of the shots on this list are from the later part of Serena's career. But this one is from 1999, where we see a young Serena still on the rise, taking on the legendary Steffi Graf. At this point in her career, Graf was suffering from constant pain as a result of knee and back injuries, which would force her to retire later that year. But Graf still had something left in the tank at Indian Wells. And Serena was showing glimpses of her later brilliance.

This approach shot is textbook; she takes the ball early, hits it wide, and charges the net. Even if Graf managed to return it, Serena would be there for the finishing volley. But Graf didn't, and Serena would go on to win the match.

2. Four Aces in a Row

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Opponent: Agnieszka Radwańska

Event: Wimbledon (2012)

We've gone over how difficult it is for a player to beat Serena once the ball is in play—even if she has perfect shot selection, and even if she does everything right. But sometimes, Serena doesn't even let her opponent touch the ball.

In this clip from Wimbledon, Serena hits four aces in a row. 15-0. 30-0. 40-0. Game. Radwańska just stares; there's no answer for that sort of consistency, power, and ball placement.

1. Returning Serve

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Opponent: Numerous

Event: Numerous

Lastly, we get to one of the most celebrated parts of Serena's game: her service returns. 

Generally speaking, servers are supposed to have an advantage; they hit the first shot, which gives them the opportunity to dictate and control the point. But Serena has made a habit out of catching the opponent's serve early, and driving it with all her strength for a winner. These rallies end in two shots, sometimes three. On the off-chance the opponent gets the ball back, Serena smashes or volleys it for an easy win.

This is why players never want to hit their slower second serve against Serena; she will make them pay. That knowledge turns into anxiety, and that anxiety turns into more service faults, more second serves, and more monster returns. 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Serena Williams is the queen. All hail.

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