Serena Williams Makes Her Debut on Forbes' Most Powerful Women List

Serena Williams: tennis court legend, new wife and mom, designer, all-around pro. And Forbes seems to think so, too: For the first time, Williams has been honored by making it to their 2018 list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

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(Image credit: Presley Ann)

Serena Williams: Tennis court pro, new wife and mom, designer, all-around badass. And Forbes seems to think so, too. For the first time, Williams has been honored by making it to their 2018 list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Coming in at number 79, the player was one of 20 newcomers to the list. She was honored for her career, including her 23 Grand Slam wins and $18.1 million in earnings in 2017, "thanks to an endorsement portfolio unmatched among women in sports."

The article references the challenging couple years she's had, including a recent altercation at the U.S. Open and complications during the birth of her daughter Olympia. Yet, Williams has bounced back quickly, and even "had considered defending her Australian Open title just five months later."

This comes just after Williams became GQ's "Woman" of the Year—which generated a bit of controversy, due to the quotations. But Williams herself is clearly continuing to shine, both on the court and off.

Also on Forbes' illustrious list: Shonda Rimes, Oprah, Queen Elizabeth II, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Priyanka Chopra, who thanked Forbes for her second appearance on the list on Instagram:

So Williams is in very good company. Right now, she's currently at Art Basel 2018, with a pop-up store from now through December 29 promoting her new clothing line. Hopefully she has a moment off from her crazy schedule to celebrate.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York TimesParentsInStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLEHarper’s BazaarSeventeenGood Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeanshow sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.

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