Serena Williams has been given special recognition by Mattel with a Barbie doll inspired by one of the most iconic victories of her career. The toy was unveiled on International Day of the Girl – October 11, and Williams herself responded with a personal message to her daughter.
„Look what's finally here! It's Serena Williams' Barbie doll. My daughter just started playing with Barbie and I can't wait to play with her“, said the American tennis player.
The doll is dressed in the outfit that Williams wore during her triumph at the Australian Open in 2005. In the final in Melbourne, she defeated her compatriot Lindsey Davenport and won her seventh Grand Slam singles title.
The outfit from the victory in Melbourne
The choice of the look is not accidental. The victory comes after a long abdominal injury suffered in 2004, and after a season in which Williams did not win a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2001.
“No, we are not giving up. "We're still here," Williams said in January 2005. She added that she didn't need to win the Australian Open to prove anything because she knew she was among the best tennis players.
She eventually won the tournament, and by her final Grand Slam triumph in 2017, she had added 17 more singles titles. Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 14 doubles titles and four Olympic gold medals in her career.
Photo: Serena Williams' official Instagram page
Message to girls
In a statement shared with USA TODAY Sports, Williams says that as a child she rarely saw girls being told that there were no limits to what they could achieve.
I want every girl who plays with this doll to see possibilities – not only in me, but also in herself.In her words, the doll has value because it represents the opportunity for a girl to dream big, work hard, choose a different direction, overcome barriers and become whatever she wants.
Sources: sportnieuws.nl