Serena Williams named Sports Illustrated’s 2015 Sportsperson of the Year

Serena Williams has been named the 2015 SI Sportsperson of the Year, becoming the first active tennis player since Chris Evert in 1976 to earn the distinction. “She was a terrific candidate in a year of terrific candidates”.

The tennis world number one Serena Williams. To many she already is.

But those statistics mask a year that was “all internal discord and quelled revolts; Serena battled her body like never before”, Sports Illustrated said.

Williams, who won three Grand Slam titles this year, is Sports Illustrated’s 2015 Sportsperson of the Year.

“I am disappointed to announce Triple Crown and Grand Slam Champion American Pharoah” – yes, that’s “pharaoh” with an “oa” – “has not been named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year Award for 2015”. In her impressive career she won three major titles, and provided at least one new measure of her tyrannical three-year reign at No. 1. The last grand slam was in 1988 what a job well done. “Her extraordinary accomplishments on and off the court this year made the most deserving candidate for this award and also brought about the ideal opportunity to officially designate it as the Sportsperson of the Year moving forward”.

“As I always say, it takes a village it’s not just one person“, she said. She is the first individual female athlete in 12 years to be given the recognition.

For the cover of the issue, which hits newsstands on December 21, the world’s No.1-ranked tennis player isn’t wearing wearing one of her sporty-chic ensembles with NikeCourt sneakers. I am beyond honored. The first horse to win the Triple Crown in 37 years won that poll in a landslide, garnering almost half of the votes.

Williams joins an elite group to have won the award, including Muhammad Ali (1974), Arthur Ashe (1992), LeBron James (2012), Michael Jordan (1991), Billie Jean King (1972), Joe Montana (1990) and Jack Nicklaus (1978).