Serena Williams Makes Her Debut on Forbes' Most Powerful Women List
Serena Williams: tennis court legend, new wife and mom, designer, all-around pro. And Forbes seems to think so, too: For the first time, Williams has been honored by making it to their 2018 list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

Serena Williams: Tennis court pro, new wife and mom, designer, all-around badass. And Forbes seems to think so, too. For the first time, Williams has been honored by making it to their 2018 list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Coming in at number 79, the player was one of 20 newcomers to the list. She was honored for her career, including her 23 Grand Slam wins and $18.1 million in earnings in 2017, "thanks to an endorsement portfolio unmatched among women in sports."
The article references the challenging couple years she's had, including a recent altercation at the U.S. Open and complications during the birth of her daughter Olympia. Yet, Williams has bounced back quickly, and even "had considered defending her Australian Open title just five months later."
This comes just after Williams became GQ's "Woman" of the Year—which generated a bit of controversy, due to the quotations. But Williams herself is clearly continuing to shine, both on the court and off.
Also on Forbes' illustrious list: Shonda Rimes, Oprah, Queen Elizabeth II, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Priyanka Chopra, who thanked Forbes for her second appearance on the list on Instagram:
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So Williams is in very good company. Right now, she's currently at Art Basel 2018, with a pop-up store from now through December 29 promoting her new clothing line. Hopefully she has a moment off from her crazy schedule to celebrate.
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Katherine’s a Boston-based contributor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle—from “Clueless” to Everlane to news about Lizzo. She’s been a freelancer for 11 years and has had roles with Cosmopolitan and Bustle, with bylines in Parents, Seventeen, and elsewhere. It’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.
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