Serena Williams

It’s Serena Day

Because Serena Williams is Undefeated. Because she has been shaken but will not be broken. Because when we think about the meaning of our name, we think of her.

“You see, we may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated. It may even be necessary to encounter the defeat, so that we can know who we are. So that we can see, oh, that happened, and I rose. I did get knocked down flat in front of the whole world, and I rose. I didn’t run away – I rose right where I’d been knocked down. And then that’s how you get to know yourself. You say, hmm, I can get up! I have enough of life in me to make somebody jealous enough to want to knock me down. I have so much courage in me that I have the effrontery, the incredible gall to stand up. That’s it. That’s how you get to know who you are.” — Maya Angelou

Serena Williams reacts after losing a point to Venus Williams during a quarterfinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, in New York.

Serena Williams reacts after losing a point to Venus Williams during a quarterfinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, in New York.

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Serena Williams checks the scoreboard between points during the women’s singles final of the 2013 U.S. Open tennis tournament, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in New York.

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

US player Serena Williams returns the ball against Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka during their women’s singles semifinal round match at the 2012 London Olympic Games at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on August 3, 2012.

MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/GettyImages

Serena Williams reacts after a point against Bethanie Mattek-Sands during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, in New York.

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Serena Williams of the US in action against Camila Giorgi of Italy during their first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 18 January 2016. The Australian Open tennis tournament runs from 18 to 31 January 2016.

Serena Williams of the US in action against Camila Giorgi of Italy during their first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 18 January 2016. The Australian Open tennis tournament runs from 18 to 31 January 2016.

EPA/MAST IRHAM

US Serena Williams servesagainst Belarus' Victoria Azarenka during their women's singles semifinal round match at the 2012 London Olympic Games at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on August 3, 2012.

US Serena Williams servesagainst Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka during their women’s singles semifinal round match at the 2012 London Olympic Games at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on August 3, 2012.

MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/GettyImages

Serena Williams of the United States in action against Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania during day seven of The Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2016 on May 14, 2016 in Rome, Italy.

Serena Williams of the United States in action against Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania during day seven of The Internazionali BNL d’Italia 2016 on May 14, 2016 in Rome, Italy.

Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

Serena Williams of the United States in action during her second round match against Simona Halep of Romania on Day Four of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 23, 2011 in London, England.

Serena Williams of the United States in action during her second round match against Simona Halep of Romania on Day Four of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 23, 2011 in London, England.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Serena Williams of USA serves to Ana Ivanovic of Serbia during day seven of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia tennis 2014 on May 17, 2014 in Rome, Italy.

Serena Williams of USA serves to Ana Ivanovic of Serbia during day seven of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia tennis 2014 on May 17, 2014 in Rome, Italy.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Serena Williams of USA in action against Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan during day seven of the BNP Paribas Open tennis at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 15, 2015 in Indian Wells, California.

Serena Williams of USA in action against Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan during day seven of the BNP Paribas Open tennis at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 15, 2015 in Indian Wells, California.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Serena Williams of the United States returns a shot during the women's singles final match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on Day Fourteen of the 2012 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 9, 2012 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

Serena Williams of the United States returns a shot during the women’s singles final match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on Day Fourteen of the 2012 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 9, 2012 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

Al Bello/Getty Images

Kelley Evans is a digital producer at Andscape. She is a food passionista, helicopter mom and an unapologetic Southerner who spends every night with the cast of The Young and the Restless by way of her couch.