Reeves Wiedeman on Sloane Stephens’s surprising victory over Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarterfinals: http://nyr.kr/UW8oO1 

Photograph by Paul Crock/AFP/Getty

Serena Williams has been a professional athlete longer than she has not—she turned pro at fourteen and is now thirty—yet she has never been allowed to be simply an athlete. She has served as a totem for issues relating to race, class, celebrity, sibling rivalry, family conflict, and body image. The last of those threatened to overshadow her latest run to a Grand Slam title…

Reeves Wiedeman on Serena Williams: Just a Tennis Player, Finally: http://nyr.kr/Qfy2d6

Photograph by Al Bello/Getty Images.

The serve is tennis’s slam dunk, home run, and Hail Mary. Nothing beats it for a quick burst of excitement. The shot is also unique in the realm of sports that involve direct conflict with an opponent—i.e., not golf, bowling, or darts—in that, if it’s performed to perfection, there is almost nothing an opponent can do to stop it…

Reeves Wiedeman on the return of the tennis serve: Serena Williams, Andy Roddick, and Roger Federer: http://nyr.kr/RF4yIB

Photograph by Chris Trotman/USTA/Getty Images.

Giving credit where it’s due - Reeves Wiedeman on Andy Roddick, Venus and Serena Williams: http://nyr.kr/RtaYuk

Photograph by Elsa/Getty Images.