How Michelob Ultra Is Honoring Serena Williams Storied Career
Serena Williams' 23 Grand Slam singles titles are the record for the Open Era of tennis, which began in 1968, notes Insider. Her quest to tie Margaret Court, who holds the all-time record for Grand Slam singles titles with 24, fell just short, however, when she lost last week in the third round of the U.S. Open, in what was believed to be her final on-court appearance. As befitting the 40-year-old mother's iconic status, she battled heroically through five match points before finally falling to Ajla Tomljanovic, NPR reports. Although Williams hasn't officially announced her retirement yet, her appearance at this year's U.S. Open, a tournament she has won six times, felt like her swan song.
Her legion of fans seemed to think so, as tributes poured forth both from those at her sold-out matches, and from fellow celebrities on social media. Former First Lady Michelle Obama, talk show host Oprah Winfrey, golf champion Tiger Woods, music star John Legend, and retired basketball great Magic Johnson were among the many that expressed admiration for her long and legendary career as it presumably came to a close, according to Sports Illustrated. But the greatest tribute of them all — at least from a collectible standpoint — may have been the one recently announced by Michelob Ultra.
Michelob Ultra unveils limited edition cans to honor Serena Williams
Williams and Michelob Ultra are already connected in the public eye, explains FanSided, thanks to her appearance in the brand's "The Big Lebowski” themed Super Bowl ad this year, in which she was featured alongside fellow athletes like Peyton Manning, Alex Morgan, Brooks Koepka, and Jimmy Butler. But when it comes to Michelob Ultra's new limited-edition beer cases — 100 of which are being given away via the brand's social media channels — the spotlight is solely on Williams. As People notes, the 24 cans in each case have a special significance. Twenty-three of the cans pay tribute to her Grand Slam singles titles, of course, while the 24th can is representative of her victories in life.
Michelob Ultra announced the giveaway on Twitter, encouraging fans interested in receiving a case of the beer to respond using the hashtag #SerenaPack. If Williams is finally calling it quits, Michelob Ultra's commemorative cases offer a great way to toast her remarkable 27-year-long professional journey, which according to People, began when she and sister Venus Williams started playing tennis in their hometown of Compton, California. The two sisters were famously trained by their father, Richard Williams, a relationship dramatized in the 2021 film "King Richard," per NPR. The sisters were presenters at this year's Academy Awards, where the film was up for six Oscars, observes Tennis.com.