I’m the first player to ever beat Serena Williams but retired at 21 to switch careers despite top-50 world ranking and i was… see more

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

I 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.

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.

Talking to ESPN back in 2015, Miller reflected on the decision that she describes as extremely difficult.

“It was a hard stop for me,” Miller says. “I was so young, I spent years looking back on it, wondering if I made the right choices.

“Mentally, I feel it would’ve been so good for me to see what was out there in the world, and that there is more to life than tennis.”

Now, Miller, who has worked as an accountant for a sports marketing firm and for Adidas, is a stay-at-home mum in Portland and on the board of directors for a local non-profit