When it comes to sports, there is a Mount Rushmore of athletes, specifically in our generation, that houses an elite group of high-caliber players. And although most of this list of who-is-who is debatable, we collectively all have a pretty good sense of who these people generally are (usually Nike-signed athletes: LeBron James, Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, Peyton Manning, Mike Tyson...)
I could go on and on.
But people assumed after Tom Brady's recent Super Bowl victory, his seventh to be exact, that the conversation was over—which don't get me wrong, his tenure as an athlete is impressive AF. Buttttttttttttttttttttttt, these same folks have somehow forgot about one little thing: Serena 'Fcking' Williams.
Neale Cousland / Shutterstock.com
And listen, I don't know how all this GOAT talk had somehow skipped over our good sis, but um...the internet got all that together real quick when they started slapping down facts like a joker in a spades game. Mostly because Serena isn't the greatest tennis player of all time, she is the greatest athlete of all time. Period.
And if there's any question (and because she loves art and galleries so much), then you can come take a walk into my 'Serena Williams Museum Of Facts,' because I got all that you need--
Exhibit A: 23 Grand Slams, 358 Wins, 4 Olympic Gold Medals, and more:
Serena has accumulated accolades that most athletes can only dream of. Not bad for a sport where you aren't allowed a bad game (which she has translated into winning 358 times. 358).
Exhibit B: Oh, and she has a hella impressive Trophy Room to back it up:
AD/YouTube
Recently, Serena gave us a tour of her home for the February issue of Architectural Digest. In the article, written by fellow-GOAT, Elaine Welteroth, she flexes up and down the Miami coast in her amazingly stunning home, which she partnered with sister, Venus Williams' interior design company, V Star, to complete.
Exhibit C: Comparisons that don't...compare:
Twitter
*Files nails*
Exhibit D: Battling racism, hate, disadvantages (and more) in a way that *others* never have:
In an interview with Sirius XM's 'Shade 45" show, Williams shared some of the ways that her and Venus experienced racism early on when one of the hosts asked how she was able to focus on winning, despite constant berating.
"I remember when my sister was playing, I could tell when she would win points and when she would lose. The crowd would be really loud if she lost a point, and then there would be almost silence if she won the game or the point."
She adds that this is how she could sometimes tell how her sister was playing when she wasn't able to watch her matches.
"It's just something I had to grow used to. It had to be normal for me…to realize people weren't gonna root for me because I was different and I looked different."
Exhibit E:...and doing it all, while being a mommy:
By far, more than anything in this world, Serena's favorite role she could ever play, is being a mom to her daughter, Olympia.
"I would never have thought that I would be playing as a mom. The plus is that one day your daughter can say she was there. Whether she remembers or not, I'm always going to have pictures. But other than that, it's all minus. I'm not with her, I'm not around her and it's hard. For me, it's hard because I spend a tremendous amount of time with her."
Be still, my heart.
--
Williams is currently playing in the Australian Open, and looking to add another trophy to the case. And now that your 'Serena Williams Museum Of Facts' tour has concluded...anymore questions?
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Jimmie48 Photography / Shutterstock.com
RELATED
I've always had a love-hate relationship with wigs. Sometimes, I struggle to get them to lay flat and don't get me started with the bonding glue process. So when it comes to wearing wigs, I like to keep it nice and breezy around this b--- (word to Katt Williams), especially in the summertime.
That's why I jumped at the chance to try these three versatile wigs from Luvme Hair. Each one offers a unique look and is surprisingly low maintenance, which aligns perfectly with my philosophy that wearing wigs should make life easier. Let’s dive into the three styles below.
Headband Wig
Courtesy
This was the first wig I tried on, and I instantly fell in love with it. So much so that it took me weeks to even consider trying the other two. I’m partial to colored hair, especially blonds, browns, and reds, so I was skeptical about the jet black hair. However, I think the color, combined with the curl pattern, worked surprisingly well for me.
One of the things I really liked about this wig was that I didn’t have to braid my hair down first. I could simply throw it over a low ponytail, which is the epitome of a low-maintenance style. The headband has combs inside and velcro on the ends, ensuring a secure fit.
Half Wig
Courtesy
I had never worn a half wig before, so I faced some challenges. I cornrowed the bottom half of my hair where the wig would sit, but I believe this made it more difficult to use the combs. It might just be me though. I straightened the top part of my hair to blend it with the wig, which looked cute for about five minutes.
Firstly, I have a brown/blonde color mix on the ends of my hair, and the half wig is black. So, I had to hide some of the color (I didn’t have time to dye the wig). Secondly, straightening my hair myself is always a hassle because it never lasts long. Add to that the summer humidity, and you get a hot mess. Despite all this, I managed to get some cute pictures before things got out of control, and that’s all that matters, right?
Would I consider this a low-maintenance hair style? Yes and no. I think it’s unrealistic for me during the summer, especially since I enjoy summer activities. However, when the weather cools down, I’ll definitely rock it, dyed, of course.
Bob
Courtesy
Now, this is the wig I was nervous about. I never had a bob and I didn't think I would like it. But once I put bobiana on, my mind instantly changed. I finally understood why the gworls rave about the bob so much. It was giving boss. It was giving grown woman. It was giving the bob means business. Iykyk. It was the ultimate statement.
I will say when I first put it on, one side of my wig just would not lay flat. It took some trial and error, but I finally managed to get it to look good. With the bob, I highly recommend braiding your hair down first as small as you can so it can lay as flat as possible. I really liked the ash blonde color, which is perfect for summer. The length also makes it a great low-maintenance style for the season, so you don't have to worry about the hair making your neck sweaty.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy