She is one slam away from tying Steffi Graf, and I truly believe this year she will pass Graf and then will be the greatest player of all time.
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I know this is a shocking hot take from me, and one that will make people furious. I am with you, team. “I am beyond honored”. The horsey crowd was outraged. From red carpets rubbing shoulders with Hollywood’s elite, to President Obama saying he watches her, to J.K. Rowling coming to her defense, she has had a star worthy year all around.
At an age when most of her peers are well into retirement, the 34-year-old won the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon in succession for the first time in her storied career. She finished with a 53-3 record, a 94.6 winning percentage, and won three of the four tennis Grand Slam events despite battling illness and injuries at multiple turns. Serena Williams or American Pharoah? Chris Evert won the first woman to win the award outright. She failed to put the cherry on top of her year by winning the 2015 U.S. Open for a calendar-year Grand Slam, but the magazine’s cover story focused on her impressive season leading up to that point.
The announcement of Williams’ title also marks a change to the name of the SI award – past recipients were given the title Sportsman or Sportswoman of the Year.
Sports Illustrated has named its 2015 Sportsperson of the Year, and that person is…
“She was a terrific candidate in a year of terrific candidates”, he added.
“2016? #letsdoit”, she wrote on her Instagram account while unveiling the magazine cover.
Who is more deserving of the award?
Others, however, said Williams had earned the award no matter what the reader poll said.
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Serena joins an elite group to have won the award, including Muhammad Ali (1974), Arthur Ashe (1992), LeBron James (2012), Michael Jordan (1991), Billie Jean King (1972), Joe Montana (1990) and Jack Nicklaus (1978).
