World number one tennis star Serena Williams has called for more race and gender equality in sport, as well as in business.
The 34-year-old, who has won 21 Grand Slam titles in her career, has given her thoughts in a special edition of Wired magazine.
In an essay titled 'The Ball is in Your Court', Williams speaks of how she hopes to inspire the younger generation and praises Silicon Valley, which is the home to numerous high-tech corporations, of giving minorities a chance.
"I'm a black woman, and I am in a sport that wasn't really meant for black people," wrote Williams. "I want young people to look at the trailblazers that we have assembled [in this issue] and be inspired.
"Equality is important. In the NFL, they have something called the Rooney rule - it says that teams have to interview minority candidates for senior jobs. It's a rule that companies in Silicon Valley are starting to follow too, and that's great."
Williams fell short of claiming a calendar Grand Slam this season when she lost to Roberta Vinci in the semi-finals of the US Open.
Danielle Joynson
