1981: Born September 26 in Saginaw, Michigan.

1995: Turns professional in September. Loses first professional match - as a wild card in Quebec - to Annie Miller 6-1, 6-1.

1997: Reaches first major semi-final, in Chicago.

1998: Wins Wimbledon and US Open mixed doubles title with Max Mirnyi.

1999: Aged 17, wins first Grand Slam at US Open. Also takes singles victories at Paris Indoors, Indian Wells and Los Angeles. Serena and sister Venus become the first sisters to meet in a WTA Tour final, Venus winning in Miami. Joins forces with Venus to become the first sisters in the 20th century to win a Grand Slam doubles title at US Open. Named in the United States' Fed Cup team.

2000: Wins Olympic gold with Venus in doubles, the first sisters to do so. In singles clinches victories at Hannover, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Seals first Wimbledon title, the doubles alongside Venus - but loses to her sister in singles semi-final.

2001: Wins Australian Open doubles with Venus. Wins the WTA season-ending championships and takes titles at Indian Wells and the Canadian Open, but loses US Open final to her sister.

2002: Wins French Open and also takes titles at Miami, Scottsdale and the Italian Open. Establishes herself as world number one for the first time on her way to Wimbledon final against Venus as they become first sisters to contest the final since 1884.

July - Beats Venus in straight sets to become new Wimbledon women's champion and combines with her sister to win doubles title.

Wins US Open, her third consecutive Grand Slam, but is beaten by Kim Clijsters in the WTA Tour finals.

2003: Holds all four Grand Slam titles at same time when she wins the Australian Open, again beating her sister, whom she partners to claim the doubles title. Also wins WTA titles in Paris and Miami.

Her 21-match winning streak is ended by straight-sets defeat to Justin Henin-Hardenne at Charleston in April, with the Belgian also claiming a controversial win in the semi-finals of the French Open, which ended Serena's Grand Slam winning-run at 33 matches.

July - wins Wimbledon for second year in a row with a 4-6 6-4 6-2 defeat of her sister in the final.