Seeing Serena: New Book Details Williams’ Historic Slam Chase

Serena Williams’ quest for major history—and the personal challenges amid her pursuit—is the subject of a new book.

Seeing Serena by New Yorker tennis writer Gerald Marzorati brings readers courtside, tracking Serena Williams pivotal and tumultuous return to tennis as she chases an elusive 24^th Grand Slam title. 

Williams’ quest to match Margaret Court’s all-time record is a unique stress test. Marzorati walks readers through pivotal matches and tournaments in Serena’s career—weaving in her 2019-2020 tournaments with important elements from her life—as well as cultural context key to understanding the significance of the tournaments as they unfolded.

Seeing Serena brings Serena Williams into focus by zeroing in on who she was when she returned to tennis in 2018—after dominating for decades and becoming a parent for the first time—then tracking her play closely across 2019 & 2020 using matches in Melbourne, Indian Wells, Miami, Rome, Paris, Wimbledon and the US Open to tell the larger story of how Serena Williams arrived at this point in her career. With access to Serena, her sister, her coach, and her competitors, Marzorati is able to use the narrow window of Serena’s 2019 season to tell the larger story of Serena Williams behind the façade.

The book aims to give readers insight into the four-time Olympic gold-medal champion’s struggles against age, injuries, and opponents almost twenty years her junior, all while juggling her responsibilities as a new parent.

Seeing Serena goes on sale on June 15th.