World’s number one female tennis player, Serena Williams, has been named the Sportsperson of the Year by Sports Illustrated magazine.
The Group Editor, Paul Fichtenbaum, said Serena’s performances in winning 3 grand slams in 2015 made a very strong case for her before describing her as the greatest tennis player of her generation.
The 21-time grand slam champion joins an elite group to have won the award, including Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Billie Jean King, Joe Montana and Jack Nicklaus.
Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova has beaten Madison Keys in an exhibition match organised to bring professional tennis to the city of Los Angeles in the United States.
In her singles match, the five-time grand slam champion came back from a set down to beat her American rival 6-7, 6-1, 11-9, while in the men’s singles, Mardy Fish trashed former world number one Andy Roddick 7-6, 4-6, 12-10.