section_path: Legacy
section_name: Legacy
paragraph_text: Legacy
  
  Williams is regarded as one of the best female tennis players of all time. In 2017, BBC Sport users selected Williams as the greatest female tennis player of the Open Era. In 2018, a Tennis.com panel arrived at the same conclusion. Many players, commentators, and sports writers regard Williams as the greatest female tennis player of all time. In 2020, the Tennis Channel ranked Williams as the greatest female tennis player in history. In 2018, Roger Federer said the player who probably has the best case for "Greatest Of All Time", man or woman, is Serena Williams. In 2022, McEnroe described Williams as an "icon" and the "GOAT of GOATs". BBC presenter and former French Open Champion Sue Barker has called Williams's serve "without question the greatest ever".
  
  "It all starts with Venus and Serena. The demonstration effect. The power of seeing two African-American girls with braids in the finals of the biggest tournaments in the world in a predominantly white sport. Just a huge impact that really can't be overstated. attracted thousands of girls the sport, not just African-American but all backgrounds and races."
  
  Williams has won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year four times (2003, 2010, 2016, 2018). In December 2019, the Associated Press named her Female Athlete of the Decade for the 2010s. She is the highest-earning woman athlete of all time.
  
  For their first match in March 2019, the members of the United States women's national soccer team each wore a jersey with the name of a woman who inspired them on the back. Crystal Dunn chose Serena Williams. In September 2022, Twitter said that Williams was the most tweeted-about female athlete of all time. She and Venus have been widely credited with increasing diversity within the sport.
  
  Williams is regarded as one of the best female tennis players of all time. In 2017, BBC Sport users selected Williams as the greatest female tennis player of the Open Era. In 2018, a Tennis.com panel arrived at the same conclusion. Many players, commentators, and sports writers regard Williams as the greatest female tennis player of all time. In 2020, the Tennis Channel ranked Williams as the greatest female tennis player in history. In 2018, Roger Federer said the player who probably has the best case for "Greatest Of All Time", man or woman, is Serena Williams. In 2022, McEnroe described Williams as an "icon" and the "GOAT of GOATs". BBC presenter and former French Open Champion Sue Barker has called Williams's serve "without question the greatest ever".
  
  "It all starts with Venus and Serena. The demonstration effect. The power of seeing two African-American girls with braids in the finals of the biggest tournaments in the world in a predominantly white sport. Just a huge impact that really can't be overstated. attracted thousands of girls the sport, not just African-American but all backgrounds and races."
  
  Williams has won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year four times (2003, 2010, 2016, 2018). In December 2019, the Associated Press named her Female Athlete of the Decade for the 2010s. She is the highest-earning woman athlete of all time.
  
  For their first match in March 2019, the members of the United States women's national soccer team each wore a jersey with the name of a woman who inspired them on the back. Crystal Dunn chose Serena Williams. In September 2022, Twitter said that Williams was the most tweeted-about female athlete of all time. She and Venus have been widely credited with increasing diversity within the sport.