BREAKING : I was the first player to ever beat Serena Williams but retired at 21 despite top-50 world ranking to switch careers :see More

BREAKING : I was the first player to ever beat Serena Williams but retired at 21 despite top-50 world ranking to switch careers :see More
Serena Williams’ illustrious career got off to a bad start.

The 23-time major champion’s professional debut saw her lose to Annie Miller in straight sets, but after that, the pair went on to have wildly different careers.

Back in October 1995 in a qualifying round of a late-season tournament in Quebec City, a 14-year-old Williams took on Miller, 18, in a game that went exactly as expected.
That was a dominant 6-1, 6-1 win for Miller as, with Williams four years her junior and relatively unknown, there not much to worry about from the young American.

The game was the worst possible pro start for Williams, who was making her professional debut, something she reflected on in 2015.

“Basically she crushed me,” Williams said. “Not only did I look like a novice but I looked like I did not belong anywhere on the court.

didn’t play like I meant to play, I played kind of like an amateur.”
That loss would then see Williams not play another professional game for three years as her father Richard Williams, didn’t believe she was ready.

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Nevertheless, the game, despite being played on a indoor carpeted court at Quebec City’s leisure centre, would end up becoming one of tennis’ famous matches.

Not least because Williams went on to become the most successful female singles player in the Open Era with 23 Grand Slams, but also because Miller would end up quitting the sport at 21.

Miller reached a career high ranking of 43rd in the world but still decided to leave the sport at such a young age to pursue an education.

The former young tennis star went to the University of Michigan to complete her bachelor’s in business administration and later a master’s degree in accounting.