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I’m first player to beat Serena Williams at Wimbledon but only made $6m despite eleven Grand Slam titles
Serena Williams enjoyed one of the finest careers at Wimbledon. However, before she dominated at SW19, the American got off to a rocky start, suffering an early exit in the third round. Virginia Ruano Pascual still enjoyed a successful career in doublesGetty Williams is considered the greatest female tennis player of all-time, winning 23 majors. Wimbledon was her most successful slam, with the grass suiting her powerful game as she went on to win seven singles title on the hallowed turf. Although back in 1998, no-one would have predicted Williams’ dominance at the All England Club after she was dumped out of the tournament in the third round. That would be her first ever Wimbledon defeat and it came at the hands of Spanish player Virginia Ruano Pascual. The unseeded player progressed after Williams retired at 4-1 down in the second set following a 7-5 first-set reversal. Had Williams had won that tie it would have set up a mouthwatering fourth round clash with sister Venus. Her defeat to Pascual is even more interesting considering the pair went on to have widely different careers, at least in singles. The Spaniard only went on to win three WTA titles in singles while Williams won 73 by the time she retired in 2022. Pascual struggled at Grand Slams singles in general, only reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and French Open while never reaching round three at the US Open. After beating Williams in round three, she lost to Venus in the fourth round. Serena Williams went on to have a highly successful career at WimbledonGetty Serena Williams lost her third ever match at WimbledonGETTY Pascual never cracked the top 20 either in singles, with a career high of 28. However, she was dominant in doubles, winning eleven Grand Slam doubles tournaments — ten in women’s doubles (eight partnering Paola Suárez, and two partnering Anabel Medina Garrigues) and one in mixed doubles (partnering Tomás Carbonell). Between 2002 and 2004, along with Suárez, she reached nine consecutive Grand Slam tournament finals (won five) and they reached at least the semifinals of the last twelve Grand Slam tournaments they played. As a doubles player, Pascual won one Australian Open title, six French Open crowns, and US Opens. Overall she made $6,076,081 in prize money in her career. Williams, on the other hand, is arguably the greatest female singles player in tennis history. She spent 319 weeks as world No. 1 and finished the year-end No.1 five times. Along with her seven Wimbledon titles, Williams picked up seven titles at the Australian Open, three at the French Open, and six at the US Open. The 43-year-old even picked up 14 doubles titles, all with sister Venus. Together the pair won seven doubles titles at Wimbledon, two at the US Open, two at the French Open and four at the Australian Open. Nowadays, Williams spends her time increasing her ever-expanding business empire. The American has a portfolio worth of $340 million and a stake in multiple different sports. She and sister Venus became minority shareholders in the NFL’s Miami Dolphins in 2009 – a franchise now valued at $6.2bn, per Forbes. Williams also owns the Los Angeles Golf Club – part of Tiger Woods and Rory’s McIlroy’s TGL venture – alongside her husband Alexis Ohanian, and is also part of the ownership group for NWSL team Angel City FC.
Serena Williams enjoyed one of the finest careers at Wimbledon.
However, before she dominated at SW19, the American got off to a rocky start, suffering an early exit in the third round.
Williams is considered the greatest female tennis player of all-time, winning 23 majors.
Wimbledon was her most successful slam, with the grass suiting her powerful game as she went on to win seven singles title on the hallowed turf.
Although back in 1998, no-one would have predicted Williams’ dominance at the All England Club after she was dumped out of the tournament in the third round.
That would be her first ever Wimbledon defeat and it came at the hands of Spanish player Virginia Ruano Pascual.
The unseeded player progressed after Williams retired at 4-1 down in the second set following a 7-5 first-set reversal.
Had Williams had won that tie it would have set up a mouthwatering fourth round clash with sister Venus.
Her defeat to Pascual is even more interesting considering the pair went on to have widely different careers, at least in singles.
The Spaniard only went on to win three WTA titles in singles while Williams won 73 by the time she retired in 2022.
Pascual struggled at Grand Slams singles in general, only reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and French Open while never reaching round three at the US Open.
After beating Williams in round three, she lost to Venus in the fourth round.
Pascual never cracked the top 20 either in singles, with a career high of 28.
However, she was dominant in doubles, winning eleven Grand Slam doubles tournaments — ten in women’s doubles (eight partnering Paola Suárez, and two partnering Anabel Medina Garrigues) and one in mixed doubles (partnering Tomás Carbonell).
Between 2002 and 2004, along with Suárez, she reached nine consecutive Grand Slam tournament finals (won five) and they reached at least the semifinals of the last twelve Grand Slam tournaments they played.
As a doubles player, Pascual won one Australian Open title, six French Open crowns, and US Opens.
Overall she made $6,076,081 in prize money in her career.
Williams, on the other hand, is arguably the greatest female singles player in tennis history.
She spent 319 weeks as world No. 1 and finished the year-end No.1 five times.
Along with her seven Wimbledon titles, Williams picked up seven titles at the Australian Open, three at the French Open, and six at the US Open.
The 43-year-old even picked up 14 doubles titles, all with sister Venus.
Together the pair won seven doubles titles at Wimbledon, two at the US Open, two at the French Open and four at the Australian Open.
Nowadays, Williams spends her time increasing her ever-expanding business empire.
The American has a portfolio worth of $340 million and a stake in multiple different sports.
She and sister Venus became minority shareholders in the NFL’s Miami Dolphins in 2009 – a franchise now valued at $6.2bn, per Forbes.
Williams also owns the Los Angeles Golf Club – part of Tiger Woods and Rory’s McIlroy’s TGL venture – alongside her husband Alexis Ohanian, and is also part of the ownership group for NWSL team Angel City FC.
