Serena Williams named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year

Williams was ranked number one every week for the second consecutive year, and her three successive grand slam wins to start 2015 lifted her within one of Steffi Graf’s record 22 singles titles in the professional era.

Sandberg said Williams tucked her two children, 10 and 8, into bed and told them stories “about her life and about trying and the times it was hard-and what she wants for them”. “This is not just an accomplishment for me, but for my whole team”.

I keep emphasizing that because there is a bit of an uproar over Sports Illustrated’s decision to give the honor to Serena.

Sports Illustrated said American Pharoah, the first Triple Crown champion since 1978, won 47% of the online readers’ vote when the poll closed the evening of December 12. The horsey crowd was outraged. That makes her the third woman to ever receive the title and the first in 32 years… since track athlete Mary Decker won in 1983.

It’s no secret that Williams has had an unbelievably successful career-she has won 66 doubles championships. Shot by photographer Yu Tsai, the sexy cover sees Serena flaunting her incredibly long, toned legs in a lacy black bodysuit while sitting casually on a golden throne – how appropriate! She is the fourth tennis player to win the award.

On and off the court, 2015 seemed to be the year of Serena Williams. In recognizing her feats, Sports Illustrated named the younger of the Williams sisters the 2015 Sportsperson of the Year.

It’s a cover that inspires the question: Should a woman whose athletic prowess is virtually unmatched be glamorized nearly exclusively for her body – especially given the long, tortured history of black women’s bodies in media?

US tennis icon Serena Williams was selected Monday by Sports Illustrated to be its Sportsperson of the Year. Despite an overwhelming victory in the fan vote by American Pharoah, maybe this sad announcement should come as no real surprise.

Although many of us grew up watching Mr. Ed, the people at Sports Illustrated likely figured Serena would be an easier interview than a horse.