While [Marzorati] rallies late and fills the latter third with incisive insights about issues of race and gender and about Williams’s life in the public eye, his nonlinear writing often diffuses much of what originally made Williams so compelling ... The early meandering — including bland pages on former pro turned tournament director James Blake and a curious digression on a 1964 Susan Sontag essay — reflects a lack of focus that is distinctly un-Serena like ... For every enlightening scene of Williams as a child prodigy or embroiled in controversy, there is one that veers wide of the target ... Marzorati is writing for the casual fan, concisely explaining the basics of tournament draws and scoring, but that makes his failure to fully put Williams’s professional accomplishments in proper context especially problematic. He takes our knowledge of Williams for granted, revealing crucial parts of her career in a scattershot manner ... In the latter third, Marzorati’s wide-ranging approach blends well with his keen analysis as he covers everything from Williams’s aggressive play to her locker room evolution, from isolation (in no small part because of racism and because of how the Williams sisters’ dominance intimidated other players) to finding close friends to becoming a revered elder. He even effectively draws connections between Williams and both Rihanna and painter Faith Ringgold, writing about topics like the struggle to reshape beauty norms and create a new identity for successful modern Black women ... If only Marzorati had started with a sharply focused narrative of Williams’s rise to greatness and beyond, it would have lent additional strength and power to the rest of his book, and strength and power have always been at the heart of the Serena Williams story.

Mr. Marzorati gives us a book that is so reverential that it teeters on the edge of hagiography ... Mr. Marzorati attempts to explain away her comportment, ascribing a certain political nobility to the acts of rage on the court for which she has become notorious ... It is a shame that Mr. Marzorati can’t detach himself from racial apologias ... This racial reductiveness is a pity, because the story of Ms. Williams is truly uplifting, on a par with that of Condoleezza Rice.

With just enough backstory and supportive interviews, he effectively incorporates relevant history of Williams’ previous Grand Slam tournaments while also examining her roles in challenging cultural norms and fighting for gender equality. Marzorati has an easy-to-read style and reveals the complexity of Williams’ life, not just as an athlete, but also as a celebrity. Williams may be nearing the end of her professional tennis career, but there’s no doubt she will continue to be a force for change and inspiration.

... thoughtful ... There’s plenty of insight and detail in this book to please tennis nerds, but this is also a travelogue covering Marzorati’s year following Williams from Melbourne to Paris to London to New York. He gives us some of the flavor from each stop such that you get more than just tennis, you get the feel of having been on this dream trip following Serena around the globe ... Marzorati has written a deep, satisfying meditation on Serena’s path through an unsatisfying year.

While it is helpful to get an outside perspective, it is obvious that Williams’s voice is missing from the book, especially to counter Marzorati’s often critical tone. This is particularly apparent in discussions her off-the-court pursuits or her use of social media. Tennis fans, especially, will be interested in the author’s conversations with different professionals and coaches about the intricate details of Williams’s game. The level of this analysis is quite impressive; the depth of detail may be too much for a casual observer of the sport ... At times, Mazorati’s critical tone takes away from the reading experience.

... the author takes advantage of his detached position to meditate, objectively but not without compassion, on Williams as not just a tennis player, but a cultural figure and human being as well ... The author shifts smoothly among observations of Williams' often less-than-impressive performances during the year, stories of her earlier life, memories of other matches he had seen her play over the years, and nuanced reflections on his subject matter ... Readers who know more about Williams than her tennis career will learn about the game's intricacies while those already familiar with the game will benefit from subtler details ... A scrupulous examination of the career twilight of 'the most consequential athlete of her time.'

... serviceable ... Marzorati had no special access to Williams or to those closest to her, and his collage-like book, while well written, offers little new about Williams. He does, however, enthusiastically break down each game Williams played in 2019 and peppers in information about her personal life ... This is a solidly reported book, but Marzorati doesn’t do quite enough to show what makes his subject tick.