Serena Williams surpassed Steffi Graff’s record of 22 Grand Slams with the Audemars Piguet Millenary on the wrist
Serena Williams perfectly embodies Audemars Piguet’s brand philosophy “To break the rules, you must first master them.” The American tennis player won her 23rd Grand Slam in Australia on Saturday 28 January, defeating her sister Venus in 2 sets. She broke her tie with Steffi Graf for the open-era record whilst playing with a rose gold Millenary on the wrist during the Australian fortnight.
Her achievement is remarkable given the longevity of her dominance. She conquered her first Grand Slam in New York in September 1999. Down under, she has now won 7 titles: in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015 and last Saturday in 2017. With her latest title, Serena Williams returns to the top of the women’s game as world Number One.
To celebrate Serena’s achievements, Audemars Piguet filmed the 35-year old tennis champion in a stunning black and white setting while reciting the famous poem from Rudyard Kipling “If”, with a slight twist at the end.
“If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Woman, Sister.”