Serena Williams Said I Started my career when I was 15 years old, and my first payment was $1 million after winning the trophy. I was so happy to be a tennis player.”

Serena Williams has recalled the moment she tried and failed to cash a $1million check from one of her early tennis wins at a drive-through ATM.Williams, considered by many as the greatest female tennis player of all time, first competed professionally at the age of 14 and eventually joined the WTA Tour a few years later.

The eventual Hall of Famer went on to win a staggering 23 major championships in her career, the most in the Open Era, while also amassing a reported $95million in prize money along the way.Williams, considered by many as the greatest female tennis player of all time, first competed professionally at the age of 14 and eventually joined the WTA Tour a few years later.

The eventual Hall of Famer went on to win a staggering 23 major championships in her career, the most in the Open Era, while also amassing a reported $95million in prize money along the way.And when the first of those millions came in her early years as a WTA pro, Williams admits she tried to deposit her winnings check at the drive-through of a local bank – albeit unsuccessfully.

She said during an appearance on Hot Ones: ‘I got my check and it was a million dollars, and I was like “ok, I’m gonna go deposit it.”I’d never really spent a lot of money, I was so serious. I don’t know what happened to me, I used to be serious.

So I went to the drive-through and the guy was like, “Uh… I think you need to come inside for this.” And I was like, “oh ok!”‘Despite collecting winners’ check after winners’ check throughout her illustrious career, Williams insists she was never motivated by money as a player.

So much so, in fact, that she often forgot about various prize funds she won on the court.’I never played for money, I played ’cause I loved the sport,’ the tennis legend added. ‘I don’t even know if I wanted to play to be the best, I wanted to win.