Tennis player Serena Williams named as Sports Person of the Year 2015

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.

The announcement also marks a major departure from tradition in terms of the name of the title: Sports Illustrated always called their winners Sportsman or Sportswoman of the Year, but they’ve officially changed it to “Sportsperson”, so they are at least striving for some equality. She is the youngest of five daughters in her family, including her sister, professional tennis star, Venus Williams.

Implicit in the discussion about who deserved to win the award is the disconcerting comparison between a black woman and a horse. A devastating upset loss at the U.S. Open in early September dashed hopes of the first calendar year Grand Slam.

“This year was spectacular”, Williams said in a statement. “The way she won her events; the fact that she’s done this for so many years at such a high level”, declared SI editor Paul Fichtenbaum.

Compare to Sports Illustrated’s case for naming Williams.

As the Sports Illustrated article points out, Williams has crossed over from the sports world, into the world of celebrity, too.

She thanked Sports Illustrated for recognizing her hard work and determination.

American Pharoah won Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. “I am beyond honored”. Race was used as a cudgel against Williams at Indian Wells in 2001, and she returned the blow with a 14-year self-exile from the tournament. Williams came in 11 in the reader survey, with 5,520 votes.

Williams didn’t get almost as much of the vote as American Pharoah, but it looks like popularity amongst Sports Illustrated readers was not the only thing taken into consideration in awarding the title.

Serena is the first active female athlete to win the award since the World Cup-winning US Women’s National Team in 1999.