Making Serena

Making

WBEZ Chicago

Society & Culture

4.6 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 13 October 2022

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Serena Williams is a household name. The recently retired tennis legend has won 23 Grand Slam titles – more than any player in the Open era. But before becoming one of the most dominant athletes of all-time, Serena was a girl from Compton with a dream. In the Season 4 premiere of WBEZ’s Making podcast, host Brandon Pope revisits the years before anyone knew Serena’s name. Hear from the people in the room and on the court during her evolution to tennis prodigy, including her sister Isha Price, former tennis pro Chanda Rubin, and childhood coach Rick Macci.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I grew up watching her fast the reason why I play tennis.
0:04.3	You've touched our hearts and minds to use our voices to dream big.
0:11.8	One of the greatest champions that our country has ever produced in any sport to one of the
0:15.2	most important players that any sport has ever had.
0:18.3	There's a reason why she's the goat because she's the greatest full-time.
0:21.5	And guess what, you're just beginning!
0:28.8	From WBEZ Chicago, this is Making.
0:33.2	I'm Brandon Pope.
0:34.5	Today, Making Serena.
0:45.8	Serena Williams has won 23 grand slam titles, more than any other tennis player in the open
0:52.5	era.
0:53.5	She holds a joint record of 186 consecutive weeks at number one.
0:59.3	But more than the stats, Serena Williams has become a cultural icon that's bigger than
1:04.9	the game.
1:05.9	Very few players ever have an impact beyond their sport.
1:09.2	Serena and her sister Venus, as much as anyone that I can think of at any sport, walked
1:13.5	in a door that might not have otherwise exited, they built the door.
1:17.5	From Compton, California to goat status, what were the making here that defines
1:23.4	Serena Williams as one of the greatest athletes of all time?
1:27.7	I went on the courts with just a ball and a racket and a hope, and that's all I had.
1:36.2	Making is supported by Neil Gerber Eisenberg, a Chicago law firm committed to a diverse
1:41.2	and inclusive work environment where different people with different perspectives collaborate
	...

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