Serena Williams from behind the lens: A veteran sports photographer on capturing the GOAT’s storied career

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NEW YORK — There are infinite angles from which one can view Serena Williams’ illustrious tennis career.

But among the most interesting vantage points is the one behind the lens.

Matthew Stockman, a veteran sports photographer for Getty Images, has had an unparalleled look at the 23-time Gane Slam champion throughout her reign atop tennis’ highest throne. From Williams’ early days on the tour to her most triumphant moments hoisting her hardware, he was positioned behind the camera to capture it all.

Williams hugs her trophy after winning the 2014 US Open singles final. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Insider spoke with Stockman about immortalizing Williams’ historic career and watching it finally come to an end more than two decades later.

This interview has been slightly edited for length and clarity.

Let’s start with your background. How long have you been a sports photographer, and how did you first get into sports photography?

I began with a company called Allsport, and that became Getty Images, so all told, I’ve been with my company for 28 years, between Allsport USA and Getty Images. I have a degree in photojournalism from Western Kentucky University. I went to work in Chicago for a magazine group called Inside Sports magazine and Century Publishing Co. that just did sports periodicals out of college.

When I was in college, I shot a lot of sports — I just sort gravitated that direction. I think when you start making money doing something, that’s kind of where you go. When I started out in college in photojournalism, I was okay at it, I didn’t really care for it. I just gravitated towards sports, and when I started making a living doing it, it just snowballed from there.

Williams serves during the 2013 TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

I guess my first sports assignment was in eighth grade, shooting group shots of — you know, I was a kid with a camera, basically. I did all those sort of things. I’m older — this was in the 80s. 

When did you begin covering tennis?

I’m still a general photographer for Getty, so I do all kinds of sport. I started doing about 20 weeks of tennis yearly in the early 2000s. My first time here at the Open was in 1997, but I still wasn’t specializing in tennis. I was still doing a lot of other sports, but I got pretty heavily into tennis in the early 2000s.

Do you remember your first time shooting a Serena Williams match?

Williams competes at the 2004 Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami, Florida. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Yeah, it was in Miami. I remember her from the Miami Open because it was — I think it was around the 2000s. She had that on-court presence, she had a gravitas to her. She was always gonna be on center court; you knew that. And she just played so well, you know, she was great to photograph.

We knew kinda early on that she was something special and that she was gonna always be someone that you look forward to on center court. I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen her on a court other than center court.

You mentioned her gravitas being apparent from very early on in Serena’s career. What makes her a compelling subject from a photographer’s perspective?

Well, early on, she was difficult to photograph because her matches were really fast. She would just really beat people. She’s not a one-dimensional player — she has the complete game. It makes it interesting because it’s not just one thing you’re looking for.

Williams competes at the 2007 US Open. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

And she definitely has a desire to win. She doesn’t go out there to just play — she goes out there to win. And even now, she really laid it all out [in her second-round US Open match]. It was a long match — that takes a lot out of you physically to withstand that, and she’s been doing that for what, 24 years?

When she was younger, she was dominating because she just had so much to her game. Her game was complete, and she’s smart.

She knows how to motivate herself, to keep moving. Even if she’s down a break, she’ll still keep pulling herself up. You know, there’s some players that can get down a break and really have a hard time digging out from it. Serena really can motivate herself to stay in it.

Williams competes at the Rogers Cup in 2009. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Is there any particular thing she does on the court that you seek out when you’re shooting her matches?

I like how she has this thing, when she’s really motivating herself, you can feel the intensity rising. You feel like something is going to happen, and there’ll be this breakthrough moment where she shouts out, “Come on!” and she really lets one out. 

Twenty years ago, it would kind of startle you off your seat. Now I can see it coming. And that’s true of a number of players — Rafael Nadal is like that, and Djokovic is like that too, where they’ll motivate themselves, and they reach that breakthrough moment.

Williams competes at Wimbledon in 2010. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

That’s my favorite part because you could feel it coming, feel the intensity level rising in the match. And like I said, even if she’s down a break or down a couple points, she doesn’t give up. In some ways, she even does more.

Just seeing her actually competing is great to watch because she does not mail it. She’s never mailed in. She’s out there to win it, and most of the time, she’s gonna find a way. Obviously, with her career — she’s the greatest player to ever play, and I would say that about men and women. I don’t think I would divide that up.

I think that she’s transcendent. You look at her career and what she’s accomplished, and she’s certainly one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

Williams celebrates match point at the Bank of the West Classic in 2012. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Did it become more difficult to photograph her as she became more famous?

Photographically, things are better when there’s a full stadium. And when she plays, the stadium is full. We don’t like to shoot pictures of empty seats.

Whenever she played, it was certainly an event. She fills the stands, and the grounds are always more crowded when she plays. Obviously, now people want to see her for the last time, but it was like that even for the last 20 years. And I don’t think you can take her sister out of the equation. Venus was certainly in that same level as far as people coming out to see you at the game. 

Serena (left) and Venus Williams compete in doubles at the 2009 US Open. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Do you have a favorite moment from your time photographing Serena?

One of my favorite moments was, I remember, at the French Open — she had a place in Paris and lived part-time there. When she won the French Open in 2013, she gave her acceptance speech in French, which you’re not required to do obviously.

After winning a final on that level and the emotion that comes with it, then standing in front of a full crowd of people and speaking not your native language — I thought that was unbelievably classy that she did that. She didn’t have to. I just thought it was really cool.

Williams competes at the 2013 French Open. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

She’s a smart person, and that was really reaching out to her fans. It meant a lot to the French — they appreciated the effort.

This is a tough one — do you have a favorite photo you’ve taken of her?

There’s a couple. I like some of the ones of her in the catsuit at the French Open. I thought that was pretty cool that she wore that while she played. And they made it for her basically to hold her together because she had a child, and it was giving her body a little bit of extra support so she could play.

At the time, everyone was debating whether it was acceptable. And now people walk around in tights all the time — it’s not a big deal. She’s definitely a trendsetter. Even here at the Open, we’re always like, “Ooo, what’s she gonna wear?” She definitely keeps you guessing. The game needs personality, and she definitely has that box checked.

Williams wears her iconic catsuit to the 2018 French Open. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Given that you’ve captured so much of her career, what has this last run at the US Open felt like for you?

I guess because I’ve been in sports so long, you’re kind of used to people retiring, and I don’t think she’s gonna disappear. I think she’s just gonna move to her next act. I’m looking forward to seeing what that next step is.

She’s accomplished all that anyone could’ve hoped. A fifth of her career is what some people would consider to be a great career. So as far as winning all the slams, winning both a gold medal in singles and doubles at the Olympics, I mean, she’s won everything.

Williams serves at Wimbledon in 2018. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

She’s the greatest player of all time, and she’s leaving the game on her terms. You can’t really ask for anything better than that. She’ll be able to say, “I’ve accomplished what I set out to accomplish, and now I feel it’s time for me to go on to my next phase.”

And you’re going out in front of your fans at the US Open, they love you here, you’re in America, you’re from the USA, and it’s the US Open. To be able to go out on your own terms is great. And she’s not gonna disappear. We’re definitely gonna keep seeing her, just not on the tennis court.

Serena’s been talking about this year’s US Open as a “bonus” for her. It sounds like you’re describing it similarly for yourself. Do you feel that photographing her one last time is a bonus for you, too?

Williams waves to the crowd after her round-three loss at the 2022 US Open — likely the final tournament of her career. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Yeah, I think it is a bonus. She could’ve easily just had a press conference. I mean, I went to Michael Jordan’s press conference for his first retirement. I know he came back, but I remember going to that. It’s not that uncommon for an athlete to do.

But to have her play the US Open, I think that actually says a little bit about her as well. She’s doing it in some ways for her fans, as well. There are a lot of people who want to see her play at least one last US Open.

She didn’t have to, but she did. I thought it was great that we got to do it one more time.