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Venus Williams

 
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Venus Williams, Tennis Player

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Venus Williams
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  • Born: 17 June 1980
  • Birthplace: Lynwood, California
  • Best Known As: Sister of Serena Williams and five-time winner of Wimbledon

Venus Williams dominated women's tennis in 2000, winning singles titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Sydney Olympics, and winning doubles titles at Wimbledon and Sydney with her younger sister Serena. (Her victory at Wimbledon made her the first black female champion there since Althea Gibson in 1957 and 1958.) Williams was already a famous figure in tennis for her size (6'1"), overpowering strength, and unusual tennis background: she and Serena learned to play on public courts in tough Compton, California, coached by their self-taught father Richard. After her breakthrough 2000 campaign she was named Sportswoman of the Year by Sports Illustrated magazine. In 2001 she repeated as Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion (defeating Serena in the U.S. Open finals) and she won again at Wimbledon in 2005, 2007 and 2008.

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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia:

Venus Williams

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(born June 17, 1980, Lynwood, Calif., U.S.) U.S. tennis player. Venus and her sister Serena were taught by their father to play tennis when they were young. Venus turned professional in 1994, and Serena followed suit a year later. The sisters attracted attention in professional women's tennis because of their forceful ground strokes and obvious strength and endurance on the court. Venus won both the women's singles and (with Serena) the women's doubles gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. She won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2000 and 2001, but in 2002 Serena defeated her in the finals of the French Open, the U.S. Open, and Wimbledon. Venus went on to win Wimbledon in 2005, 2007, and 2008. Venus and Serena won a second women's doubles gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

For more information on Venus Williams, visit Britannica.com.

Gale Contemporary Black Biography:

Venus Williams

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tennis player

Personal Information

Born Venus Ebone Starr Williams, June 17. 1980, in Los Angeles, CA; daughter of Richard (a security-business owner and daughters' coach) and Oracene (a nurse) Williams
Education: Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, attending.
Religion: Jehovah's Witness.

Career

Played junior tennis until 1991; became professional tennis player, October, 1994; won women's doubles title (with sister, Serena Williams) at the French Open, 1999; won women's doubles title (with sister, Serena Williams) and singles' title at the U.S. Open, 1999; won Wimbledon, 2000; won women's doubles title (with sister, Serena Williams) at Wimbledon, 2000; won Bank of the West Classic, 2000; won the Acura Classic, 2000; won U.S. Open, 2000; won gold medals in singles and doubles (with sister, Serena Williams) at Olympic Games, 2000; won Ericsson Open, 2001; ranked second worldwide, World Tennis Association, 2001; ranked number one by WTA, 2002; won Wimbledon, 2002; won Wimbledon and U.S. Open, 2005.

Life's Work

When Venus Williams made her debut in professional women's tennis in 1994, the New York Times's Robin Finn called her "the most unorthodox tennis prodigy her sport has ever seen." Three years later, the seventeen-year-old, six-foot-two-inch athlete was an international celebrity: photographs of Williams with the beads in her cornrowed hair clicking through the air, her face a study in determination as her racket smacked the ball to her opponent, were some of the most memorable of the 1997 tennis season. Though she enjoyed success at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, her opponents were often younger and had been playing competitive tennis longer; moreover, the blunt remarks of Williams's outspoken father sometimes overshadowed her rising star.

Williams was born in the Watts area of Los Angeles in June of 1980, the fourth of Richard and Oracene Williams's five daughters. Richard Williams was part-owner of a security business, and her mother is a nurse. A few years later the family moved from Watts to nearby Compton. All five Williams daughters played tennis as youngsters, but the two youngest, Venus and Serena, were outstanding players from an early age. Compton was infamous for its troubles with gang-related activity, and the girls practiced the game at a court in a park that gang members frequented. Williams, in fact, lost a sister, Yetunde Price, in 2003 following a dispute with local residents. Venus Williams began entering competitions, went unbeaten in 63 games, and age ten had won the Southern California girls' title in the under-12 division.

A Female Michael Jordan

Both Sports Illustrated and Tennis magazine noticed Williams's talent, and ran stories on her in the summer of 1991 calling her "tennis's newest pixie" and "a prodigy." Her father contacted Rick Macci, a tennis coach in Florida, and asked him to come to Compton to meet his daughter and judge her potential. "I hear it all the time: 'I've got the next Jennifer [Capriati],'" Macci told Tennis magazine's David Higdon. "Richard said he'd like to meet me but the only thing he could promise me was that I wouldn't get shot. All I could think of was: 'Who is this guy?'" he recalled. Early one morning Richard drove the visiting Macci to the park. "There must have been 30 guys there already playing basketball and another 20 lying on the grass passed out," Macci recollected in Tennis magazine. He played a few games with Venus, and was unimpressed. Then, he remembered, she "asks to go to the bathroom and as she walks out the gate, she walks at least 10 yards on her hands. Then she went into these backward cartwheels for another 10 yards. I'm watching this and the first thing I thought was: 'I've got a female Michael Jordan on my hands.'"

The Williams family moved to Florida when Venus enrolled in Macci's tennis academy there. She also withdrew from junior tennis that year at the age of 11. Instead of mixing practice with the competition circuit, Williams stayed put, was schooled at home, and practiced six hours a day, six times a week. She did this for four years--a decision, Macci said, that Williams and her family had made based on her unique temperament. "Putting her in a traditional development system would be like putting her in prison," the coach told Finn in the New York Times. When she was thirteen, companies were already contacting Williams and her family to offer endorsement contracts if she did turn pro.

Remarkable Debut

Tennis-watchers wondered when Williams would succumb to the lure--some young women in tennis entered professional competition at the age of fourteen, dropping out of school and playing the tournament circuit, and earning large sums of money either by winning prize purses or the signing lucrative product endorsement contracts. It was a potentially disastrous situation for many young players. Richard Williams appeared on the ABC news program Nightline in the summer of 1994 after former preteen tennis prodigy Jennifer Capriati was arrested and faced drug charges, and declared he'd never allow Venus to turn pro at such a young age. He was criticized, however for wearing a hat and vest with both bearing the logo of a sports-energy food product during the television interview.

Surprisingly Williams turned pro just a few months later. Her debut came in October of 1994 at the Bank of the West Classic in Oakland, California. There, the fourteen-year-old beat the woman ranked number 59 in the world, Shaun Stafford, then went on to give Arantxa Sanchez Vicario--women tennis's Number 2 player--a good game before losing. "She's going to be great for women's tennis," Stafford told the New York Times's Finn. Some wondered, however, why Williams had suddenly entered the professional circuit, but new rules adopted by the Women's Tennis Council of the World Tennis Association at the time may have provided just cause. After the close of 1994, fourteen-year-olds were barred from turning pro, and young women under 18 who entered the competition level from 1995 onward were limited in the number of tournaments in which they could participate.

Though she had skated into the professional level exempt from these rules, Williams restricted her schedule anyway. She stayed in school and did not appear again on the pro circuit until an August 1995 event, the Acura Classic in Manhattan Beach, California; she lost in the first round. Some tennis analysts noted that because she lacked the junior-tournament experience, Williams had not learned to inject a competitive edge to her game. Her father has tried to rectify this, sometimes by rooting against her in public matches. Conversely, he told New York Times Magazine writer Pat Jordan, "Every time she loses, I pay her $50."

As the New York Times Magazine profile pointed out, however, the dedicated fathers of women's tennis are sometimes problematic: Steffi Graf's father was charged with tax evasion, and she herself was nearly arrested for complicity; an American teenage player, Mary Pierce, had to obtain a court restraining order against her father. Richard Williams was well aware of the dangers of the sport on young women, though, and controlled his daughter's career in order to avoid problems. He saw the lesson in Capriati, who turned pro at 14. "At 15, she lost her smile," he told Jordan in the New York Times Magazine. "At 16, there were problems. What happened? I want to make sure that doesn't happen to my kids," he added.

The Williams Family In the Media

Venus's younger sister, Serena, also showed great promise as a player. Richard Williams predicted that some day the pair would have to play against one another for the women's world title, but he often received more press than either of them. "Richard Williams has been called a 'liar' and 'genius' and everything in between," wrote Higdon in Tennis magazine. The senior Williams asserted that his family did not receive any endorsement money from wearing the logo-emblazoned clothing of one sportswear maker at public appearances, but a spokesperson for the company said they had indeed paid him a consultant's fee. Yet Williams has also been lauded for shepherding his daughter's career down a non-traditional path that kept the focus on her education and allowed her to mature outside of the competitive pressures of the pro circuit. Newspaper reportage about Venus often remarks on her self-assuredness and impressive vocabulary. Her father and Macci, Finn wrote in the New York Times, "have produced a player who appears to possess wit and wisdom beyond her years--with a serve, volley, and vocabulary to match."

Again Williams stayed out of the limelight for much of 1996, and in the spring of 1997 made her debut at the French Open. A month later, as she turned seventeen, she traveled to England for Wimbledon, perhaps the sport's most famous tournament. Serena and Oracene Williams came with her to lend support, but her father stayed home. She received a great deal of attention, but had a poor showing and lost to Magdalena Grzybowska. "By the time it was over.... Williams stood revealed as a huge talent with little idea of how to adjust to an opponent or adversity," wrote S. L. Price in Sports Illustrated. She remained imperturbable, though. "It's my first Wimbledon," she told reporters. "There will be many more," she added, according to Sports Illustrated.

Her father asserted that his daughter's "only weakness is she's overconfident," he said in the New York Times Magazine. Williams's U.S. Open performance in the late summer of 1997 went somewhat better: she advanced from 66th to 25th in the rankings in one day. "Williams's progress as a player was undeniable; almost overnight she had become a force every player but one fears," wrote Price in Sports Illustrated, referring to Martina Hingis, who would take home the title. Both young women were the same age, but Hingis had far more professional competition experience. Still, insiders predicted future greatness for Williams. Pam Shriver, a former U.S. Open titleholder, once played in a training match against Serena and Venus, and she told Higdon in Tennis magazine that Venus "didn't know tactically how to play points yet, but she had weapons and has this natural way of intimidating."

Unfortunately, Williams's U.S. Open showing was clouded by charges of racism. Her father, in a telephone interview, told journalists that some of the other players had directed racial epithets toward his daughter. Gracefully, the teenager tried to deflect attention from the potential furor at a press conference, but her father's comments caused some watchers of the sport to note this may limit her chances of obtaining endorsement contracts. Other African- American players have hinted that subtle discrimination does indeed occur in what has been called a "country-club" sport, and some of Williams's white competitors on the diva-rife circuit have accused her of not smiling, or of not being friendly enough. "Why don't you guys tell me what they want me to do?" she queried reporters at one press conference, according to Sports Illustrated. "They should come up to me and say, 'Venus, I want you to smile so I can feel better.'"

While the hints of racism continued to plague Williams, she nevertheless proved to be a fearless opponent. Over the next few years, Williams improved her game, lost weight and the hair beads--she'd been fined when they spilled on the court. Soon she won Wimbledon, becoming the first African-American female since Althea Gibson to do so. Both sisters also won the doubles' becoming the first set of sisters to do so. When the two faced off in the Wimbledon singles' semifinals, it had been over 100 years since a sibling showdown. In the same year, Williams also won two Olympic gold medals in singles and doubles with her sister, Serena, as her partner. She continued the success of her first Grand Slam by winning the U.S. Open in 2000.

Won Both Wimbledon and U.S. Open--Again

After a stellar 2000 season, Williams needed to prove to the tennis world that she was going to continue to win championships. The first step on that road was to defend her Wimbledon title. Which she did to the amazement of most. Next in line was to defend her U.S. Open title. She battled it out through the semi-finals, until she met her opponent for the final--her sister, Serena. Both sisters made precedent yet again by being the first set of sisters to play against each other in U.S. Open history. Venus defeated Serena, winning her second back-to-back grand slam tournament game.

Williams would come out on top in December of 2001 when Reebok re-signed her to a $40 million contract that was believed to be the most lucrative and comprehensive endorsement deal ever created for a female athlete. Of Williams, Reebok said in Footwear News, "Venus Williams is arguably the most admired female athlete and among the most recognizable and exciting young women in the world,"

Williams has also won numerous honors and awards, including: being named Ms. Women of the Year (along with Serena), by Ms. Magazine in 2001. She was also named Female Player of the Year by Tennis Magazine. She expanded outside of tennis by designing a clothing line for clothing company Wilsons The Leather Experts. She has inked deals with not only Reebok, but also Wrigley gum, makeup giant Avon, and Nortel Networks. Many have criticized Williams for not being focused on tennis, including tennis legend, Martina Navritolova, who was quoted in Time as saying her outside interests shows "arrogance and lack of commitment to tennis." Even one family member feels Williams should choose between tennis or the distractions. Her father told the Florida Times Union, "If it was up to me, I told Venus two or three years ago that she should retire. I think she should."

Finally, in March of 2002, Williams reached the ultimate goal, earning the number one ranking from the Women's Tennis Association. In an interview with Jet she said, "I'm very excited about this achievement and look forward to building on it. I have worked hard for it. I hope I can keep it. But my priority is the Grand Slams." Despite the excitement of being a former tennis prodigy and the number one female player of the sport, Williams remained a rather ordinary, though somewhat extraordinary, intelligent and athletic young woman. Williams supports many social causes and speaks to many children on the value of an education. She participates in tennis clinics for would-be tennis players. Regarding the game of tennis, however, she does concede some recognition of her own ability. "I never thought anyone was better than me," she told Finn in the New York Times when she was still ranked No. 211. "Once you do that, you lose," she added.

Venus Williams, who missed the 2003 U.S. Open because of an injured stomach muscle, won two tournaments in 2004; her furthest penetration into a Grand Slam event that year was the French Open, where she reached the quarterfinals.

In 2005, Williams and her sister Serena starred in a six-episode reality show on ABC Family. They also published a book, Serving from the Hip: 10 Rules for Living, Loving and Winning, with Houghton Mifflin. Serena Williams told Yanick Rice Lamb in Black Issues Book Review that the book "talks about a lot of stuff--every issue that preteens and teens might have to deal with. We consider ourselves role models, and we wanted to do something positive for kids." Venus Williams added, "It was something that we had to do to pass on our knowledge, what we've gone through." In the book, the sisters tell how they won so many tournaments, how they handled being injured, and how they dealt with the inevitable competitions against each other. The book also includes chapters such as "Why school is cool" and "Don't Rush a Crush."

That summer, Williams, who had slipped to the No. 16 spot in world rankings, perhaps because of the distractions of the book and television show, was knocked out of the French Open in the third round by 52nd-ranked Bulgarian player Sesil Karatantcheva. However, Williams fought hard and came back to win a third Wimbledon championship later in the summer. Her opponent, No. 1-ranked Lindsay Davenport, told S. L. Price in Sports Illustrated, "She just took it away from me. She just was...incredible." Williams said of her win, "I was just thinking, I've got to stay tougher. I've got to stay tougher than whoever's across the net.". Later in the season, Williams defeated her sister, Serena, in the fourth round at the U.S. Open in New York; it evened their record in head-to-head matches at seven victories apiece.

Williams, who is a voracious reader, continues to study fashion part-time, working towards her associate degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. She told Lamb, "My happiest moment will be when I graduate. I'm almost there."

Further Reading

  • Black Issues Book Review, September-October 2005, p. 22.
  • Footwear News, January 1, 2001.
  • Jet, July 23, 2001, p. 51; March 11, 2002, p. 48.
  • Ms. Magazine, December 2001, p. 40.
  • Newsweek, July 17, 2000.
  • New York Times, November 1, 1994, p. B10; November 2, 1994, p. B9; March 10, 1997, p. C2; September 7, 1997; September 9, 1997.
  • New York Times Magazine, March 16, 1997.
  • PR Newswire, December 21, 2001; March 14, 2002.
  • Source: SI.com, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, September 15, 2003; http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/tennis/04/18/bc.ten.familycirclecup.ap/, April 18, 2004.
  • Sport, February 1995, p. 14.
  • Sports Illustrated, June 13, 1994, p. 10; November 14, 1994, pp. 30-32; July 7, 1997, p. 26; September 15, 1997, pp. 32; September 17, 2001 pp. 40-43; July 11, 2005, p. 52
  • Star-Tribune, August 31, 2001, p. 01D.
  • Tennis, July 1997, pp. 46-55; February 2001, p. 28.
  • WTA Tour.com, May 2, 2004, http://www.wtatour.com/newsroom/stories/NewsArticle_4217_rx.asp (December 23, 2004).
  • WTATour.com, May 2, 2004, http://www.wtatour.com/newsroom/stories/NewsArticle_4217_rx.asp (December 23, 2004).
  • Yahoo! News, story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=577&ncid=577&e=2&u=/nm/20030822/sp_nm/wta_open_venus_dc, August 28, 2003.

— Carol Brennan, Ashyia N. Henderson, and Ralph Zerbonia

Columbia Encyclopedia:

Venus Williams

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Williams, Venus (Venus Ebone Starr Williams), 1980-, b. Lynwood, Calif., and Serena Williams, 1981-, b. Saginaw, Mich., African-American tennis players. Coached by their father, Richard, both sisters turned professional early, but neither played regularly until the late 1990s, when they began to dominate women's singles tennis with their power games. They have faced each other in Grand Slam finals several times, and have also teamed as winning doubles partners.

Venus turned pro at 14, reached the finals of the U.S. Open in 1997, and won her first Women's Tennis Association (WTA) singles championship in 1998. She captured her first Grand Slam events in 2000, winning Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, as well as the Olympic gold medal in women's singles. In 2001, Venus successfully defended her Wimbledon and U.S. titles. In the U.S. Open she defeated Serena in the first sisters' championship since 1884; it was the first time that two African-Americans competed for the title. Venus won Wimbledon again in 2005, 2007, and 2008, when she again faced her sister in the final.

Serena turned pro in 1995, and four years later she won her first WTA singles title. The same year she captured her first Grand Slam event, winning the U.S. Open. During the next two years Venus was in the ascendancy, but in 2002 Serena bested her older sister three times to win the French and U.S. opens and Wimbledon. In 2003, Serena defeated Venus to win her first Australian Open and second Wimbledon titles. Serena won the Australian Open again in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2010, the U.S. Open in 2008, and Wimbledon in 2009, when she defeated Venus in the final, and 2010.

Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Venus Williams

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For this tennis player's detailed statistics, records, and other achievements, see Venus Williams career statistics.
See also: Williams sisters
Venus Williams
Residence Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Born June 17, 1980 (1980-06-17) (age 31)
Lynwood, California, U.S.
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 82 kg (182 lbs)
Turned pro October 31, 1994
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money US $27,750,151
(2nd in overall earnings)
Singles
Career record 585–143 (80.5%)
Career titles 43 (tied-10th in overall rankings)
Highest ranking No. 1 (February 25, 2002)
Current ranking No. 133 (January 30, 2012)
Grand Slam results
Australian Open F (2003)
French Open F (2002)
Wimbledon W (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008)
US Open W (2000, 2001)
Other tournaments
Championships W (2008)
Olympic Games Gold medal.svg Gold medal (2000)
Doubles
Career record 149–23 (86.6%)
Career titles 19
Highest ranking No. 1 (June 7, 2010)
Current ranking No. 20 (September 13, 2010)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open W (2001, 2003, 2009, 2010)
French Open W (1999, 2010)
Wimbledon W (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009)
US Open W (1999, 2009)
Career record 25–6 (80.6%) Mixed Doubles
Career titles 2 Mixed Doubles
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian Open W (1998)
French Open W (1998)
Wimbledon F (2006)
US Open QF (1998)
Last updated on: July 1, 2011.
Olympic medal record
Women's tennis
Competitor for the United States USA
Gold 2000 Sydney Singles
Gold 2000 Sydney Doubles
Gold 2008 Beijing Doubles

Venus Ebony Starr Williams[1] (born June 17, 1980), is an American professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1 and is ranked World No. 133 as of 30th January 2012 in singles and World No. 20 in doubles as of 2011.[2] She has been ranked World No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association on three separate occasions. She became the World No. 1 for the first time on February 25, 2002, becoming the first black woman to achieve this feat during the open era.

Her 21 Grand Slam titles ties her for twelfth on the all time list[3] and is more than any other active female player except for her younger sister Serena Williams. Venus Williams' titles consist of: seven in singles, twelve in women's doubles, and two in mixed doubles. Those seven Grand Slam singles titles ties her with four other women for twelfth place on the all-time list. Her five Wimbledon singles titles ties her with two other women for eighth place on the all-time list. Venus Williams is one of only three women in the open era to have won five or more Wimbledon singles titles. From the 2000 Wimbledon Championships through the 2001 US Open, Williams won four of the six Grand Slam singles tournaments held. She is one of only five women in the open era to win 200 or more main draw Grand Slam singles matches.

Williams has won three Olympic gold medals, one in singles and two in women's doubles.[4] She has won more Olympic gold medals than any other female tennis player. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Williams became only the second player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles at the same Olympic Games, after Helen Wills Moody in 1924.

With 43career singles titles, Williams leads active players on the WTA Tour. Her 35-match winning streak from the 2000 Wimbledon Championships to the 2000 Generali Ladies Linz tournament final is the longest winning streak since January 1, 2000. She is also one of only two active WTA players to have made the finals of all four Grand Slams, the other player being her sister Serena Williams.[5]

Venus Williams has played against her sister Serena Williams in 23 professional matches since 1998, with Serena winning 13 of the 23 matches. They have played against each other in eight Grand Slam singles finals, with Serena winning six times. Beginning with the 2002 French Open, they opposed each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals, the first time ever in the open era that the same two players played against each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals, let alone sisters. On the doubles side, the pair have won 12 Grand Slam doubles titles playing alongside each other.

Contents

Early life

Venus Williams was born in Lynwood, California, to Richard Williams and Oracene Price. She is the second youngest of Oracene's five daughters: half-sisters Yetunde (died September 14, 2003), Lyndrea and Isha Price, and younger sister Serena.

Williams's family moved from Compton, California, to West Palm Beach, when she was ten, so that Venus and Serena could attend the tennis academy of Rick Macci, who would provide additional coaching. Macci spotted the exceptional talents of the sisters. He did not always agree with Williams's father but respected that "he treated his daughters like kids, allowed them to be little girls".[6] Richard stopped sending his daughters to national junior tennis tournaments when Williams was eleven, since he wanted them to take it slow and focus on school work. Another motivation was racial, as he had allegedly heard parents of white players talk negatively about the black Williams sisters during tournaments.[7] At that time, Venus Williams held a 63–0 record on the United States Tennis Association junior tour and was ranked No. 1 among the under-12 players in Southern California.[8] In 1995, Richard pulled his daughters out of Macci's academy, and from then on took over all coaching at their home.

Playing style

Williams is a powerful baseliner, equipped with an attacking all-court game. Her game is very well adapted to grass where she feels most comfortable, which is reflected in her five Wimbledon singles titles. Across her career, she has developed into a skillful volleyer and effectively utilizes her long "wingspan" (1.85m) and agility around the net.[9] Williams also has great court coverage using her long reach to play balls that most players would not be able to reach and is capable of hitting outright winners from a defensive position.[10]

Venus Williams holds the record for the fastest serve struck by a woman in a main draw event. At the Zurich Open, she recorded 130 mph (210 km/h).[citation needed] She also holds the record for fastest serve in all four Grand Slam tournaments: 2003 Australian Open quarterfinal – 125 mph (201 km/h), 2007 French Open second round, 2008 Wimbledon final, 2007 US Open first round – 129 mph (208 km/h).[11] At Wimbledon in 2008, her average first serve speed was 115 mph (185 km/h) in the quarterfinal, 116 mph (187 km/h) in the semifinal, and 111 mph (179 km/h) in the final.[citation needed]

Williams has always been a explosive hitter of the ball off the ground, but her backhand is the more consistently reliable of her groundstrokes.[citation needed] Her backhand is equally effective down-the-line or crosscourt (frequently for a set-up approach shot).[citation needed] Her forehand occasionally breaks down under pressure.[citation needed] However, it is still the more powerful of her groundstrokes and yields many winners, from a variety of court positions.[citation needed] Additionally, it is one of the most powerful forehands in the women's game,[citation needed] frequently struck in the 85 – 90 mph (140 km/h) range.[citation needed] In the 2008 Wimbledon women's final, Venus struck a forehand winner measured at 94 mph (IBM/Wimbledon).[citation needed] Only a few women (notably Ivanović, Serena Williams, and Justine Henin) hit to these speeds off the ground.[citation needed]

Williams's best surface is grass. She has won Wimbledon five times and has reached the final there in eight of the last ten years. The low bounces that grass produces tend to make her first serve an even more powerful weapon.[citation needed] Her movement on grass is also among the best on the WTA tour.[citation needed] Clay is Williams's weakest surface although she has suffered numerous injuries prior to the French Open.[citation needed] Her movement is suspect and her powerful serve and groundstrokes are less effective.[citation needed] Still, she has won numerous[clarification needed] titles on clay.

Professional career

1994–96: Professional debut

Venus Williams turned professional on October 31, 1994, at the age of fourteen. In the second round of her first professional tournament, the Bank of the West Classic in Oakland, Williams was up a set and a service break against World No. 2 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario before losing the match. That was the only tournament Williams played in 1994.

In 1995, Williams played three more events as a wild card, falling in the first round of the tournament in Los Angeles and the tournament in Toronto but reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament in Oakland, defeating World No. 18 Amy Frazier in the second round for her first win over a top 20 ranked player before losing to Magdalena Maleeva.

Williams played five events in 1996, falling in the first round four times but reaching the third round in Los Angeles, before losing to World No. 1 Steffi Graf.

1997–99: Early success

Williams played 15 tour events in 1997, including five Tier I tournaments. She reached the quarterfinals in three of the Tier I events – the State Farm Evert Cup in Indian Wells, California, the European Indoor Championships in Zürich, and the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. In Indian Wells in March, Williams defeated World No. 9 Iva Majoli in the third round for her first win over a player ranked in the top 10. She then lost in the quarterfinals to World No. 8 Lindsay Davenport in a third set tiebreak. Her ranking broke into the top 100 on April 14, 1997. She made her debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament at the French Open, reaching the second round before losing to Nathalie Tauziat. She then lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Magdalena Grzybowska. During her debut at the US Open, she lost the final to Martina Hingis after defeating Irina Spîrlea in a semifinal famous for "the bump" in which Spîrlea intentionally collided with Williams during a changeover, commenting later that it happened ". . . because she thinks she's the freaking Venus Williams." Richard Williams, her father, later claimed that this incident was racially motivated.[12] She was the first woman since Pam Shriver in 1978 to reach a US Open singles final on her first attempt and was the first unseeded US Open women's singles finalist since 1958. On September 8, 1997, her ranking broke into the top 50 for the first time. She ended the year ranked World No. 22.

Williams started 1998 at the Medibank International Sydney, where she defeated World No. 1 Hingis for the first time in the second round before losing to Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the final. These results caused her ranking to break into the top 20 for the first time, at World No. 16. During her debut at the Australian Open, Williams defeated younger sister Serena in the second round, which was the sisters' first professional meeting. Venus eventually lost in the quarterfinals to World No. 3 Davenport.

Three weeks later, Williams defeated World No. 2 Davenport for the first time in the semifinals of the IGA Tennis Classic in Oklahoma City. Williams then defeated Joannette Kruger in the final to win the first singles title of her career. In her first Tier I event of the year, Williams lost in the semifinals of the State Farm Evert Cup in Indian Wells to World No. 1 Hingis. The following week, Williams won the Tier I Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida, defeating World No. 1 Hingis in the semifinals. On March 30, 1998, her ranking broke into the top 10 for the first time, at World No. 10.

Williams played only one tournament on clay before the 1998 French Open. At the Italian Open in Rome, she defeated sister Serena in the quarterfinals and World No. 5 Sánchez Vicario in the semifinals before losing to World No. 1 Hingis in the final. Williams lost again to Hingis in the quarterfinals of the French Open. Williams lost her first match at the Direct Line International Championships in Eastbourne on grass before losing to eventual champion and World No. 3 Jana Novotná in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. On July 27, 1998, her ranking rose to World No. 5.

Williams played three tournaments during the North American 1998 summer hard court season. She reached her fifth final of the year at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California, defeating World No. 6 Monica Seles in the semifinals before losing to World No. 1 Davenport. Patella tendinitis in her left knee caused her to retire from her quarterfinal match at the tournament in San Diego while trailing Mary Pierce 4–0 in the third set. At the US Open, Williams defeated fourth seeded Sánchez Vicario in the quarterfinals before losing to second seeded and eventual champion Davenport in the semifinals.

Williams played four tournaments the remainder of 1998. She won her third title of the year at the Grand Slam Cup in Munich in September, defeating World No. 9 Patty Schnyder in the final. She lost in the second round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt before losing in the final of the Tier I Swisscom Challenge in Zürich to World No. 1 Davenport and the semifinals of the Tier I Kremlin Cup in Moscow to Pierce. She had earned enough points during the year to participate in the year-ending Chase Championship but withdrew from the tournament because of tendinitis in her knee. She finished the year ranked World No. 5.

In 1998, Williams teamed with Justin Gimelstob to win the mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and the French Open. Her sister Serena won the other two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles that year, completing a "Williams Family Mixed Doubles Grand Slam". Williams won the first two women's doubles titles of her career, in Oklahoma City and Zürich. Both titles came with sister Serena, becoming only the third pair of sisters to win a WTA tour doubles title.[13]

Williams started the 1999 tour in Australia, where she lost to World No. 10 Steffi Graf in the quarterfinals of the Medibank International in Sydney and World No. 1 Davenport in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. However, she rebounded at the Faber Grand Prix in Hanover, defeating Graf for the first time in the semifinals before losing the final to World No. 3 Novotná. Williams then successfully defended her titles in both Oklahoma City and Key Biscayne. She defeated Novotná and Graf to reach the final in Key Biscayne, where she defeated Serena in three sets in the first final on the WTA Tour to be contested by two sisters.

Williams played four clay court events during the spring. She lost her first match at the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Florida. Three weeks later, however, she won her first title on clay at the Betty Barclay Cup in Hamburg, defeating Mary Pierce in the final. Williams then won the Tier I Italian Open in Rome, defeating World No. 1 Hingis in the semifinals and World No. 8 Pierce in the final. At the French Open, she extended her winning streak to 22 matches before losing in the fourth round to World No. 125 Barbara Schwartz. Williams teamed with Serena to win the women's doubles title at this event, the first Grand Slam title the pair won together.

At the 1999 Wimbledon Championships, Williams defeated World No. 17 Anna Kournikova in the fourth round to reach the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year, where she lost to eventual runner-up Graf.

Williams rebounded in the summer when she won two Fed Cup matches against Italy and lost in the final of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford to World No. 1 Davenport. One week later, Williams defeated Davenport in the semifinals of the TIG Tennis Classic in San Diego before losing to World No. 2 Hingis in the final. In her last tournament before the US Open, Williams won the Pilot Pen Tennis in New Haven, Connecticut, defeating World No. 5 Seles in the semifinals and Davenport in the final. On August 30, 1999, her world ranking reached third for the first time. Seeded third at the US Open, Williams lost in the semifinals to World No. 1 Hingis in three sets. However, she teamed with singles champion Serena at this event to win their second Grand Slam women's doubles title.

During the remainder of the year, Williams contributed to the USA's victory over Russia in the Fed Cup final, winning one singles rubber before joining Serena to win the doubles rubber. At the Grand Slam Cup in Munich, Venus defeated Hingis in the semifinals before losing to Serena for the first time in the final. Venus won her sixth title of the year at the Tier I event in Zurich, defeating World No. 1 Hingis in the final. Four weeks later, she lost to Davenport in the semifinals of the tournament in Philadelphia. Making her debut at the year-ending Chase Championships, Williams lost to Hingis in the semifinals. She finished the year ranked World No. 3.

2000–02: Williams sisters domination

In 2000, Williams missed the first five months of the year with tendinitis in both wrists. She returned to the tour during the European clay court season. She lost in the quarterfinals of the Betty Barclay Cup in Hamburg to Amanda Coetzer and in the third round of the Tier I Italian Open in Rome to Jelena Dokić. Although she had won only two of her four matches before the [[2000 pen – Women's Singles|French Open]], she was seeded fourth there. She won her first four matches in Paris without losing a set before losing in the quarterfinals to eighth-seeded and former champion Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in three sets.

Williams then won 35 consecutive singles matches and six tournaments. She won her first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, defeating World No. 1 Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals, sister Serena in the semifinals, and defending champion Lindsay Davenport in the final. She also teamed with Serena to win the women's doubles title at this event.

She won three Tier II events during the North American summer hard court season, defeating Davenport in the final of the tournament in Stanford, California and Monica Seles in the finals of both the tournament in San Diego and the tournament in New Haven, Connecticut.

At the US Open, Williams defeated still-World No. 1 Hingis in the semifinals and World No. 2 Davenport in the final. At the Olympic Games in Sydney, Williams defeated Sánchez Vicario in the quarterfinals, Seles in the semifinals, and Elena Dementieva in the final to win the gold medal. She also won the gold medal in women's doubles with her sister Serena. Davenport eventually snapped her winning streak in October in the final of the tournament in Linz. Williams did not play a tournament the rest of the year because of anemia. She finished the year ranked World No. 3 and with six singles titles.

In 2001, Williams reached the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time, where she lost to World No. 1 Hingis. However, Venus teamed with Serena to win the doubles title at the event, completing a Career Grand Slam in women's doubles for the pair.

Williams also reached the semifinals of the Tier I Tennis Masters Series tournament in Indian Wells, California, where she controversially defaulted her match with sister Serena just before the match started. Venus had been suffereing from knee tendinitis throughout the tournament and eventually this prevented her from playing. The following day, Venus and her father Richard were booed as they made their way to their seats to watch the final.[14] Serena was subsequently booed during the final with Kim Clijsters and during the trophy presentation. Due to this, neither Williams sister has entered the tournament since.[15] Venus rebounded from the Indian Wells controversy to win the next tournament on the tour calendar, the Tier I Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida. She defeated Hingis in the semifinals and World No. 4 Jennifer Capriati in the final, after saving eight championship points. Because of this victory, her ranking rose to a career high of World No. 2.

During the European clay court season, Williams won the Tier II tournament in Hamburg but lost in the third round of the Tier I EUROCARD Ladies German Open to World No. 18 Justine Henin and the first round of the French Open to Barbara Schett. This was only the second time that she had lost in the first round of a Grand Slam singles tournament. Williams then successfully defended her Wimbledon title, defeating third-seeded Davenport in the semifinals and eighth-seeded Henin in three sets in Henin's first Wimbledon final.

During the North American summer hard court season, Williams won for the second consecutive year the tournaments in San Diego, defeating Seles in the final, and in New Haven, defeating Davenport in the final. Williams also won the US Open singles title for the second consecutive year, without dropping a set. In the quarterfinals, she beat fifth-seeded Clijsters, followed by a semifinal victory over World No. 2 Capriati. She played Serena in the final, which was the first Grand Slam singles final contested by two sisters during the open era. Venus won the match and her fourth Grand Slam singles title. Venus also became only the sixth woman in history to win the singles titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open in consecutive years, the others being Martina Navaratilova (twice), Steffi Graf (twice), Althea Gibson, Maureen Connolly Brinker, and Helen Wills Moody (twice).

Williams began 2002 by winning the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts in Gold Coast, Australia, defeating Henin in the final. However, she then lost for the first time in her career to Seles in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Williams then went on to win the Open Gaz de France in Paris when Jelena Dokić withdrew from the final, and the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium, defeating Henin in the final. As a result of her strong start to the season, Williams assumed the World No. 1 position for the first time on February 25, dislodging Capriati. Williams was the first African-American woman ever to hold the ranking. She held it for just three weeks before surrendering it back to Capriati.

Williams failed to defend her title in Miami after losing in the semifinals to Serena. However, she made a strong start to the clay-court season, winning the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Florida, defeating Henin in the final. A week after winning that tournament, she once again replaced Capriati as the World No. 1, before losing it again to Capriati after three weeks. During those three weeks, Williams had made the final in Hamburg, defeating Hingis in the semifinals before losing to Clijsters in the final. Seeded second at the French Open, Williams defeated former champion Seles to reach the semifinals for the first time. There, she defeated Clarisa Fernández. In the final, Williams met Serena for a second time in a Grand Slam final, with Serena winning. Venus once again replaced Capriati as the World No. 1 as a result of reaching the final.

As the top seed at Wimbledon, Williams defeated Henin in the semifinals to make the final for the third consecutive year. However, there, she lost to Serena. This result meant Serena replaced Venus as the World No. 1. The Williams sisters teamed up to win the women's doubles title at the event, their fifth Grand Slam women's doubles title together.

Williams won the titles in San Diego and New Haven for the third consecutive year, defeating Davenport and Dokic to win the former and defeating Davenport in the final of the latter. At the US Open, Williams defeated Seles in the quarterfinals and Amélie Mauresmo in three sets to make the final. Playing Serena for their third consecutive Grand Slam final, Serena won once again. After that, Venus played just four more matches during the season. She reached the semifinals at the year-ending Sanex Championships after defeating Seles in the quarterfinals, but she then was forced to retire against Clijsters due to injury. Williams finished the year ranked World No. 2 having won seven titles, her best showing in both respects of her career.

2003–06: Injuries and losses

Williams started 2003 by defeating fifth seed Justine Henin to make the final of the Australian Open for the first time. In the final, however, she lost to sister Serena. This marked the first time in the open era that the same two players had met in four consecutive Grand Slam finals. Venus and Serena teamed to win the women's doubles title at the event, their sixth Grand Slam title in women's doubles.

In February, Williams won the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium for the second consecutive year, defeating Kim Clijsters in the final. However, shortly afterwards, she began to struggle with injury. She reached the final of the clay court J&S Cup in Warsaw before being forced to retire against Amélie Mauresmo. She then suffered her earliest exit at a Grand Slam tourmament in two years when she lost in the fourth round of the French Open to Vera Zvonareva.

At Wimbledon, Williams was seeded fourth. Williams defeated former champion Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals and Kim Clijsters in the semifinals to advance to her fourth consecutive Wimbledon final, where she lost again to sister Serena.

Wimbledon was Williams' last event of the year as an abdominal injury that occurred during the Clijsters match prevented her from playing again. While she was recovering from the injury, her sister Yetunde Price was murdered.[16] Williams finished the year ranked World No. 11. It was the first time in nearly six years that she had dropped out of the top ten.

In 2004, Williams came back to the tour suffering inconsistent results. As the third seeded player because of a protected ranking, she reached the third round of the Australian Open, where she lost to Lisa Raymond. She then lost in the quarterfinals of her next three tournaments.

Williams began to find her form at the beginning of the clay court season. At the Tier I Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, Williams defeated Conchita Martínez in the final to win her first title in over a year and the second Tier I title on clay of her career. She then won in Warsaw, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final, before reaching the final of the Tier I German Open in Berlin, before withdrawing from that match against Mauresmo due to injury. Going into the French Open, Williams had the best clay court record among the women and was among the favorites to win the title; however, after making the quarterfinals to extend her winning streak on the surface to 19 matches, she lost to eventual champion Anastasia Myskina. Despite her defeat, she re-entered the top ten.

At Wimbledon, Williams lost a controversial second round match to Croatian Karolina Šprem. The umpire of the match, Ted Watts, awarded Šprem an unearned point in the second set tiebreak. Upon the conclusion of the match, he was relieved of his duties.[17] This defeat marked the first time since 1997 that Williams had exited Wimbledon prior to the quarterfinals. After Wimbledon, Williams reached her fourth final of the year at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California, where she suffered her first defeat to Lindsay Davenport since 2000.

As the defending champion at the Athens Olympics, Williams lost in the third round to Mary Pierce. She then won three very close matches against Petra Mandula, Shikha Uberoi and Chanda Rubin to make the Fourth Round of the US Open where she lost to Davenport, the first time she had ever lost at the US Open prior to the semifinals. Williams completed the year by losing in the quarterfinals of three indoor tournaments in the fall, a period that included defeat in her first meeting with 17-year-old Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova at the Zurich Open. Williams finished the year as World No. 9 and did not qualify for the year-ending WTA Tour Championships.

In 2005, Williams started the year by losing in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Alicia Molik. She then reached the final in Antwerp, defeating Clijsters and Myskina en route. In the final, Williams was a set and a service break up against Mauresmo before eventually losing.

In March, at the NASDAQ-100 Open in Miami, Williams defeated sister and Australian Open champion Serena in the quarterfinals, the first time she had defeated Serena since 2001. Venus went on to lose in the semifinals to World No. 3 Sharapova. In May, Williams won her first title in over a year at the clay-court Istanbul Cup, defeating Nicole Vaidišová in the final. However, at the French Open, she lost in the third round to 15-year old Sesil Karatantcheva, who subsequently tested positive for steroids and was suspended.

Williams was seeded 14th at Wimbledon. In the quarterfinals of the tournament, she defeated French Open runner-up Pierce in an epic second set tiebreak, winning it 12–10 to make the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in two years. There, she defeated defending champion and second-seeded Maria Sharapova to make the Wimbledon final for the fifth time in six years. Playing top-seeded Davenport in the final, Williams saved a match point with a backhand winner en route to winning. This was Williams's third Wimbledon singles title, her fifth Grand Slam singles title overall and her first since 2001. It was the first time in 70 years that a player had won after being down match point during the women's final at Wimbledon.[citation needed] In addition, Williams was the lowest-ranked (World No. 16) and lowest-seeded (14th) champion in tournament history.[citation needed] Williams returned to the top ten following the victory.

Following Wimbledon, Williams reached her fourth final of the year in Stanford, where she lost to Clijsters. At the US Open, Williams achieved her second consecutive win over Serena in the fourth round, but then lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Kim Clijsters. Williams did not qualify for the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships because of an injury sustained during the tournament in Beijing. She finished the year ranked World No. 10. It was the first year since 2001 that she had finished a year ranked higher than Serena.

Venus Williams prepares to serve during the 2006 J&S Cup in Warsaw

In 2006, Williams was upset in the first round of the Australian Open by Tszvetana Pironkova which was her earliest loss ever at that tournament. After that loss, she did not play again for three months due to a wrist injury. She returned in late April on clay in Warsaw, where she defeated former World No. 1 Martina Hingis in the second round before losing to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals. Wiliams completed the clay-court season by reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open, where she lost to Nicole Vaidišová.

Williams was the defending champion and one of the favorites to win the singles title at Wimbledon. However, she lost lost in the third round to 26th-seeded Jelena Janković. After the loss, Williams said that she was having pain in her left wrist, although she admitted that the injury was not the cause of her loss. Williams did not play in the US Open series or the US Open itself due to the wrist injury. During her first tournament in almost three months in October, she reinjured her wrist at the tournament in Luxembourg and lost in the second round to qualifier Agnieszka Radwańska. Williams finished the season as World No. 46, her lowest finish since she began to play on the WTA Tour full-time in 1997. It was the second consecutive year she finished higher than Serena, who finished the year at World No. 95

2007–09: Return to form

Williams withdrew from the 2007 Australian Open, the second consecutive Grand Slam that she had missed due to her recurring wrist injury. She returned in February at the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, USA, defeating top-seeded Shahar Pe'er in the final, her first singles title since her victory at Wimbledon in 2005.

At the beginning of the clay-court season, Williams reached the semifinals of the Tier I Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, where she lost to Jelena Janković on a third set tiebreak. She also lost to fourth seed Janković in the third round of the French Open, her third consecutive loss to Janković. During her second round win over Ashley Harkleroad, Williams hit a 206 km/h (128 mph) serve, which is the second fastest woman's serve ever recorded and the fastest ever recorded during a main draw match.

Venus competing in the WTT

Williams was ranked World No. 31 going into Wimbledon and was seeded 23rd at the tournament due to her previous results at Wimbledon. Williams was a game away from defeat in her first round match against Alla Kudryavtseva and in her third round match against Akiko Morigami she was two points away from defeat, but she eventually won both 7–5 in the third set. She then advanced to reach her sixth Wimbledon final, after beating Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivnovic en route to the final where she defeated 18th seed Marion Bartoli. Williams thus became only the fourth woman in the open era to win Wimbledon at least four times, along with Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf. She also became the lowest-seeded Wimbledon champion in history, breaking the record she herself set in 2005. Williams returned to the top 20 as a result of the win.[18]

At the US Open, after setting a Grand-Slam record 129 mph (208 km/h) serve in the opening round,[19] Williams advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal outside of Wimbledon since 2003. However she then lost to eventual champion Justine Henin. The tournament resulted in Williams's ranking moving up to World No. 9. Williams then won her third title of the year at the Hansol Korea Open Tennis Championships in Seoul, South Korea, defeating Maria Kirilenko in the final, before then losing in the final of the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo to Virginie Razzano. Williams had earned enough points during the year to qualify for the year-ending WTA Tour Championships in Madrid; however, she withdrew because of continuing problems with anemia.[20] Williams finished the year as World No. 8 with three titles, her best performance in both respects since 2002, and a winning percentage of 83 percent.

Venus Williams serving to Ivanović in their semifinal match at the Zurich Open

In 2008, as the eighth seed at the Australian Open, Williams reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003. However, she then lost to eventual runner-up Ana Ivanović. Williams made her first semifinal of the year at the Bangalore Open in Bangalore, India, where she met sister Serena for the first time since 2005 with Serena winning despite Venus holding a match point in the third set tie break.

Williams missed two tournaments at the beginning of the clay-court season due to undisclosed medical problems.[21] At the French Open, Williams was seeded eighth but was eliminated by 26th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta in the third round.

Williams was the defending champion and seventh-seeded player at Wimbledon. Without dropping a set, she reached her seventh Wimbledon singles final. She then won her fifth Wimbledon singles title, and seventh Grand Slam singles title overall, by beating sister Serena in straight sets. This was the first time since 2003 that Venus and Serena had played each other in a Grand Slam final and was the first time since 2001 that Venus had defeated her in a Grand Slam final. Venus and Serena then teamed to win the women's doubles title, their first Grand Slam doubles title together since 2003.

Williams lost in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics to Li Na. She did, however, earn a gold medal along with Serena in women's doubles, their second gold medal as a team, having won together at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. At the US Open, Williams was playing some of her best tennis since dominating the circuit in 2003, However, she was defeated by Serena in an epic quarter final match 6 – 7(6), 6 – 7(7) after Venus led 5 – 3 in both sets. Serena went on to win the title beating World No. 6 Dinara Safina in the semi-finals and World No. 2 Jelena Janković in the finals.

Venus Williams at the 2008 WTA Tour Championships

At the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany in October, Williams defeated a player ranked in the top three for the first time that season by defeating World No. 3 Dinara Safina to reach her third semifinal of the year. There, she lost to Janković. A fortnight later, Williams won the Zurich Open, defeating Ivanović in the semifinals before defeating Pennetta in the final to claim her second title of the year and secure a position in the year-ending 2008 WTA Tour Championships in Doha, Qatar. There, Williams defeated World No. 2 Safina, World No. 3 Serena and World No. 5 Dementieva in the preliminary round-robin stage. In the semifinals, Williams defeated World No. 1 Janković before winning the year-ending tournament for the first time by defeating Vera Zvonareva in the final. She ended the year ranked sixth in the world with three titles and a winning percentage of 78 percent.

As the sixth seed at the 2009 Australian Open, Williams lost in the second round to Carla Suárez Navarro after holding a match point in the third set. However, she teamed up with Serena to win the women's doubles title at the event, their eighth Grand Slam doubles title together. Venus rebounded in singles play in February at the Premier 5 (formerly Tier I) Dubai Tennis Championships, defeating defending champion and World No. 4 Dementieva in the quarterfinals and World No. 1 Serena in the semifinals on a third set tiebreak. The latter win meant that Venus led the head-to-head in career matches with her sister for the first time since 2002. Venus went on to defeat Virginie Razzano in the final. This win meant Williams was ranked in the top five for the first time since 2003, while it also marked her 40th professional singles title, only the twelfth player in the open era to achieve the feat.[22] Williams won another title the following week at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, Mexico, defeating Pennetta in the final. This was her first title on clay since 2005.

On European clay, Williams reached the semifinals in Rome before losing to World No. 1 Safina. This run meant Williams was ranked in the top three for the first time since 2003. Seeded third at the French Open, Williams lost to Ágnes Szávay in the third round, the third consecutive year she had exited at that stage.[23]

Williams was seeded third at Wimbledon. She advanced to her eighth Wimbledon final where she had won 36 straight sets (held since Wimbledon 2007). In the final however she lost the first set tie break and from then on lost 7–6 6–2 to sister Serena. The Williams sisters teamed up to win the doubles title at the tournament for the fourth time.

In Stanford, Williams defeated Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva to advance to the finals, where she would lose to Marion Bartoli. Teaming with her sister, she played doubles and won the title, defeating Monica Niculescu and Yung-Jan Chan.

Venus lost to the eventual champion at the US Open

At the 2009 US Open, as the third seed, Williams made it to the fourth round before losing to Kim Clijsters in three sets. Venus then teamed up with Serena to play doubles at the open, where they won the title over defending champions and world No. 1s in doubles, Cara Black and Liezel Huber, claiming their third grand slam doubles title in 2009.

Williams' last tournament in 2009 was the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships, where she was the defending champion in singles. She was in the maroon group which includes her sister Serena, along with Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova. She lost her first match against Dementieva, and her second match against Serena- both in straight sets, after taking the first set. In her third and final RR match, Williams defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova. Because of Dementieva's loss to Kuznetsova in their round robin match, Venus advanced to the semifinal of the championships. In her semifinal match, she defeated Jelena Janković of Serbia to advance to her second consecutive final in the tournament. In the final, she lost to her sister Serena. In doubles, Venus teamed with Serena as the second seed. However, they lost to Nuria Llagostera Vives and María José Martínez Sánchez in the semifinal. Their doubles record at the end of the year stood at 24–2.

Venus finished 2009 ranked world number 6 in singles (with a winning percentage of 70 percent) and world number 3 in doubles with Serena, in spite of playing only 6 events together in 2009.

2010: Return to top 2

Williams played at the Australian Open as the sixth seed. She defeated 17th-seeded Francesca Schiavone in the fourth round. She was two points from defeating 16th-seeded Li Na in the quarterfinals before losing in three sets. In doubles, she teamed with her sister Serena to successfully defend their title, defeating the top ranked team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber in the final. The Williams sisters are undefeated in Grand Slam women's doubles finals and are 4–0 in Australian Open doubles finals.

Williams at the 2010 Wimbledon.

Williams then played the Dubai Tennis Championships, where she was the defending champion. Seeded third, she successfully defended her title by defeating fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka in the final.

Williams next played on clay at the Abierto Mexico Telcel in Acapulco where she was the defending champion. She reached the semifinals after recovering from a 1–5 third set deficit to Laura Pous Tió in the quarterfinals. In the final, she defeated first-time finalist Polona Hercog from Slovenia. This was her 43rd career title, the most among active female players.

Her next tournament was the Premier Mandatory Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, where she was seeded third. She defeated World No. 9 Agnieszka Radwańska in the quarterfinals and World No. 13 Marion Bartoli in the semifinals to reach her third straight WTA tour final and fourth Sony Ericsson Open final. She was defeated by Kim Clijsters in the final in just 58 minutes, ending her 15-match winning streak. By reaching the final, her ranking improved to World No. 4 and she crossed the $26 million mark in career prize money, the only player besides Serena to do so.

The knee injury that hampered her during the final of the Sony Ericsson Open forced her to skip the Fed Cup tie against Russia and the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Williams returned to the tour at the Premier 5 Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. She suffered the worst defeat of her career in the quarterfinals, losing to World No. 4 Jelena Janković 6–0, 6–1. Despite this loss, Williams' ranking improved to World No. 3 on May 10.

Williams at the 2010 Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open

Her next tournament was the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open, a Premier Mandatory tournament. She lost to Aravane Rezaï in the final. In doubles, she teamed with Serena to win the title.

On May 17, her ranking improved to World No. 2, behind only Serena. This was the fourth time that the William sisters' have occupied the top two spots, and the first time since May 2003.

Her next tournament was the French Open, where she played both singles and doubles despite her knee injury. Seeded second in singles, she advanced past the third round at this tournament for the first time since 2006 before losing to Nadia Petrova in the round of 16. She also played doubles with Serena as the top seeds. Their defeat of Huber and Anabel Medina Garrigues in the semifinals increased their doubles ranking to World No. 1. They then defeated 12th seeded Květa Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik in the final to win their fourth consecutive Grand Slam women's doubles title.

Her next tournament was the Wimbledon Championships, where she had reached the final the previous three years. Despite her knee injury, she made it to the quarterfinals, where she lost to Tsvetana Pironkova. Pironkova was ranked 82nd in the world and had never gone past the second round of a Grand Slam event. As a result, Williams dropped to #4 in the world. She was the defending champion in doubles with her sister Serena, having won the tournament in the previous two years. However, they lost this time in the quarterfinals to Elena Vesnina and Vera Zvonareva.

Williams then missed all tournaments in the US Open Series because of a left knee injury but still participated at the US Open as the third seed. She won three matches to move into the fourth round. Williams became one of only two women in 2010 (along with Caroline Wozniacki) to reach at least the fourth round at all four Grand Slam singles tournaments. Williams then defeated Pe'er and French Open champion Schiavone en route to her seventh US Open semifinal, against defending champion Clijsters. Williams dominated the first set of their match and recovered from 5–2 down in the second set but ultimately double-faulted on a key point near the end of the match and lost 4–6, 7–6, 6–4. Because of Serena's withdrawal from the US Open, Venus did not participate at the doubles event where she was the defending champion.

The recovery of her left knee took longer than expected and it forced her to miss the rest of 2010, including the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships and Fed Cup final.[24] Williams ended the year ranked fifth in singles, the first time she ended a year in the top five since 2002, while playing only nine tournaments. She finished the year ranked eleventh in doubles.

2011: Injuries and Illness

Williams in 2011

Williams started 2011 by participating at the Hong Kong Tennis Classic. She lost both her singles matches against Vera Zvonareva and Li Na, but she managed to help Team America to win the silver group. Her next tournament was the 2011 Australian Open where she was the fourth seed. She retired in the second game of her third round match against the 30th seed Andrea Petkovic due to a hip muscle injury.[25] This was Williams' first retirement during a match in a Grand Slam tournament since 1994 and thus ended her record of most Grand Slam matches without ever retiring, with 250 consecutive matches.[26] This was also her first retirement from a match since LA Women's Tennis Championships in Los Angeles in 2004, ending her 294 consecutive matches without retiring.

The injury forced Williams to pull out of the Fed Cup quarterfinal against Belgium, the Dubai Tennis Championships, and the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, where she was the two-time defending champion in both tournaments. She also pulled out of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami causing her ranking to drop to world no. 15. Further, she missed Madrid and Rome. This caused her rankings to drop to world no. 29. Originally scheduled to come back in Brussels, she eventually withdrew from the Premier tournament. Further, she also missed Roland Garros, marking the first Grand Slam tournament since 2003 US Open where neither of the Williams sisters are competing.

Williams then made her first appearance since the Australian Open in Eastbourne. Unseeded, she lost for the first time in eleven meetings to Daniela Hantuchová in the quarterfinals by 2–6, 7–5, 2–6. She was seeded 23rd at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships. She played for nearly three hours in her second round match against Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm, winning 6–7(6), 6–3, 8–6. She then defeated Spaniard María José Martínez Sánchez in the third round, 6–0, 6–2, but was defeated by Bulgarian 32nd seed Tsvetana Pironkova in the fourth round 2–6, 3–6.

Originally scheduled to participate in Toronto and Cincinnati, Williams withdrew due to viral illness.[27] Her next scheduled tournament was the US Open.[28] As an unseeded player, Williams defeated Vesna Dolonts 6–4 6–3 in the first round. She was scheduled to meet 22nd seed Sabine Lisicki in the second round, but withdrew before the match began due to Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease with which she was recently diagnosed.[29][30] This marked the first time in her career that she did not reach the quarterfinals or better in any of the grandslam tournaments in a season. As a result, her ranking dropped to world no. 105.

Williams did not play for the rest of the year in competitive level; although she did appear in three exhibitions tournaments in November and early December. She played a match against Serena in Colombia which she won in straight sets 6–4, 7–6(5).[31] The week later, the sisters appeared in Milan, Italy to play exhibition against Italian duo Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta. Williams lost both her singles tie-break matches but won the doubles pairing with her sister.[32] Williams then headed to Barbados to play her third exhibition tournament where she lost 4–6, 3–6 to Victoria Azarenka.

She will end the year ranked world no. 102. This is her first finish of a season ranked outside of the world top 50 since 1997.

2012: Comeback to WTA Tour

Williams was scheduled to play in Auckland as her preparation before the Australian Open.[33] However, she withdrew from the tournament because of her ongoing health problems. Further, she announced in her website that she also withdrew from the Australian Open. However, she also mentioned her intention to come back to the WTA circuit in February.[34] Williams returned to the competition in the doubles match of the Fed Cup´s World Group II tie between USA and Belarus that was held in Worcester, MA on 4-5 February.[35]

Sister, Serena Williams

Main article: Williams sisters rivalry

In professional women's tennis, Venus has played her sister Serena 23 times, accumulating a 10–13 record in the series. They are the only women during the open era to have played each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals. They have met in a total of eight Grand Slam finals, ahead of the number of finals played by Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario and by Helen Wills Moody and Helen Jacobs but behind the record of fourteen finals set by Chris Evert and Martina Navrátilová.[36] Currently Venus has 43 career tennis titles, Serena has 39. Serena has 13 slams and Venus has 7.

Fight for equal prize money

Despite years of protesting by tennis pioneer Billie Jean King and others, in 2005 the French Open and Wimbledon still refused to pay women's and men's players equally through all rounds. In 2005, Williams met with officials from both tournaments, arguing that female tennis players should be paid as much as males.[37] Although WTA tour President Larry Scott commented that she left "a very meaningful impression", Williams's demands were rejected.

The turning point was an essay published in The Times on the eve of Wimbledon in 2006. In it, Williams accused Wimbledon of being on the "wrong side of history", writing:

I feel so strongly that Wimbledon's stance devalues the principle of meritocracy and diminishes the years of hard work that women on the tour have put into becoming professional tennis players.

I believe that athletes – especially female athletes in the world's leading sport for women – should serve as role models. The message I like to convey to women and girls across the globe is that there is no glass ceiling. My fear is that Wimbledon is loudly and clearly sending the opposite message....

Wimbledon has argued that women's tennis is worth less for a variety of reasons; it says, for example, that because men play a best of five sets game they work harder for their prize money.

This argument just doesn’t make sense; first of all, women players would be happy to play five sets matches in grand slam tournaments....

Secondly, tennis is unique in the world of professional sports. No other sport has men and women competing for a grand slam championship on the same stage, at the same time. So in the eyes of the general public the men's and women's games have the same value.

Third, ... we enjoy huge and equal celebrity and are paid for the value we deliver to broadcasters and spectators, not the amount of time we spend on the stage. And, for the record, the ladies’ final at Wimbledon in 2005 lasted 45 minutes longer than the men's....

Wimbledon has justified treating women as second class because we do more for the tournament. The argument goes that the top women – who are more likely also to play doubles matches than their male peers – earn more than the top men if you count singles, doubles and mixed doubles prize money. So the more we support the tournament, the more unequally we should be treated! But doubles and mixed doubles are separate events from the singles competition. Is Wimbledon suggesting that, if the top women withdrew from the doubles events, that then we would deserve equal prize money in singles? And how then does the All England Club explain why the pot of women's doubles prize money is nearly £130,000 smaller than the men's doubles prize money?

I intend to keep doing everything I can until Billie Jean's original dream of equality is made real. It's a shame that the name of the greatest tournament in tennis, an event that should be a positive symbol for the sport, is tarnished.[37]

In response, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and members of Parliament publicly endorsed Williams's arguments.[38] Later that year, the Women's Tennis Association and UNESCO teamed for a campaign to promote gender equality in sports, asking Williams to lead the campaign.[39] Under enormous pressure, Wimbledon announced in February 2007 that it would award equal prize money to all competitors in all rounds, and the French Open followed suit a day later.[40] In the aftermath, the Chicago Sun-Times cited Williams as "the single factor" that "changed the minds of the boys" and a leader whose "willingness to take a public stand separates her not only from most of her female peers, but also from our most celebrated male athletes."[41] Williams herself commented, "Somewhere in the world a little girl is dreaming of holding a giant trophy in her hands and being viewed as an equal to boys who have similar dreams."[42]

Venus herself became the first woman to benefit from the equalization of prize money at Wimbledon, as she won the 2007 tournament and was awarded the same amount as the male winner Roger Federer.

Personal life

Venus for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "National Wear Red Day"

On December 13, 2007, Williams received her associate degree in Fashion Design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with Cum Laude honors and a 3.5 GPA.[43]

Beginning the fall 2011 semester, William's began pursuing a bachelor's degree in the school of business through an online degree program at Indiana University East in Richmond, Indiana.[44] Her ultimate goal is to get an MBA in the near future.[45]

Williams's longtime boyfriend, pro golfer Hank Kuehne, had been a visible presence since Wimbledon 2007, holding her hand during long rain delays and clapping support from the players' box along with her parents and younger sister Serena. "He's a great guy", Williams said. "He understands competition. He's very supportive. I love having him here and everyone else in the box, too."[46] After rumors of engagement, the couple broke up in 2010, after which Kuehne dated and (in May 2011) married his current wife Andy.

In 2003, Venus and Serena Williams's older sister Yetunde Price, 31, was shot dead in Compton, California near the courts on which the sisters once practiced. Price was the Williams sisters' personal assistant. The Williams family issued this statement shortly after the death: "We are extremely shocked, saddened and devastated by the shooting death of our beloved Yetunde. She was our nucleus and our rock. She was a personal assistant, confidante, and adviser to her sisters, and her death leaves a void that can never be filled. Our grief is overwhelming, and this is the saddest day of our lives."[47]

Williams said her family's faith as Jehovah's Witnesses has helped her tremendously.[48]

In 2011, Williams was forced to withdraw from the US Open before her second-round match, following a Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis.[30]

Entrepreneur

Williams in July 2010

Williams is the chief executive officer of her interior design firm "V Starr Interiors" located in Jupiter, Florida. Williams's company designed the set of the Tavis Smiley Show on PBS, the Olympic athletes' apartments as part of New York City's failed bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and residences and businesses in the Palm Beach, Florida area.[49]

In 2001, Williams was named one of the 30 most powerful women in America by the Ladies Home Journal.[50]

In 2007, Williams teamed with retailer Steve & Barry's to launch her own fashion line EleVen. "I love fashion and the idea that I am using my design education to actually create clothing and footwear that I will wear on and off the tennis court is a dream come true for me. The vision has been to create a collection that will allow women to enjoy an active lifestyle while remaining fashionable at the same time. I'm thrilled with everything we've created to launch EleVen."[51][52]

In June 2009, Venus was named 77th in the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities compiled by Forbes magazine.[53]

In August 2009, Venus Williams became part-owners of the Miami Dolphins with sister Serena Williams. The announcement was made during a press conference overlooking the practice field. This made Venus and indeed her sister Serena the first African-American females to obtain ownership in an NFL franchise. Stephan Ross, the majority owner of the Dolphins, said "We are thrilled to have Venus and Serena join the Dolphins as limited partners. They are among the most admired athletes in the world and have become global ambassadors for the game of tennis. Their addition to our ownership group further reflects our commitment to connect with aggressively and embrace the great diversity that makes South Florida a multicultural gem."[54]

In late June 2010, Venus Williams released her first book, entitled "Come to Win; on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession" which she co-wrote with Kelly E. Carter. In promotion of the book she embarked on a tour around America in support of the release, whilst also appearing on several talk shows including The Early Show and Good Morning America. This gave her a place on the top 5 The New York Times Best Seller List.[55]

Recognition

In 2005 Tennis Magazine ranked her as the 25th-best player in 40 years in a controversial article.[56][57] Since this ranking, however, she has won an additional three Grand Slam singles titles.

In June 2011, she was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by Time.[58]

Equipment

  • Coach: Richard Williams, Oracene Price
  • Racquet: Wilson BLX Blade Team (104)
  • Clothing: EleVen
  • Shoes: Nike

Career statistics

Main article: Venus Williams career statistics

Records and achievements

Tournament Name Years Record accomplished Player tied
Summer Olympics 2000–08 3 tennis gold medals Stands alone
Sony Ericsson Open 1998–2002 Most consecutive singles matches won at this tournament (22) Steffi Graf
Australian Open 2003 Fastest serve by a woman (125 mph)[59] Stands alone
Wimbledon 2005 Longest women's singles final[60] Lindsay Davenport
Wimbledon 2007 Lowest-ranked winner (31st)[61] Stands alone
Wimbledon 2007 Lowest-seeded winner (23rd)[61] Stands alone
US Open 2007 Fastest serve by a woman (129 mph)[62] Stands alone
Wimbledon 2008 Fastest serve by a woman (129 mph)[63] Stands alone
French Open 2010 Fastest serve by a woman (207 km/h/128.6 mph)[64] Stands alone
1999 French Open – 2010 French Open 1999–2010 Longest streak of consecutive initial Grand Slam finals won (doubles) (12) Serena Williams
  • In 1997, Williams became the first woman since Pam Shriver in 1978 to reach the singles final of the US Open on her first attempt.[65]
  • In 1997, Williams became the first unseeded singles finalist at the US Open.[65]
  • In 1997, the combined ages of Williams at age 17 and Martina Hingis at age 16 in the US Open final were the lowest in the open era history of that tournament.
  • At 1999 IGA Classic in Oklahoma City marking the first time in tennis history that sisters won titles in the same week (Serena Williams won Paris).
  • At the 1999 Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne became the first pair of sisters in the open era to meet in a tournament final (with Serena Williams).
  • In 2000, Williams became the second African-American to win Wimbledon during the open era.
  • At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Williams became only the second player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles at the same Olympic Games, after Helen Wills Moody in 1924.
  • By winning the 2001 Australian Open doubles championship, Venus and Serena Williams became the fifth pair to complete a Career Doubles Grand Slam and the only pair to win a Career Doubles Golden Slam.
  • The 2001 US Open marked the first time in the open era, and only the second time in 117 years, that sisters met in a Grand Slam singles final (with Serena Williams).
  • In 2001, she became the third woman in the open era, after Navratilova and Graf, to win both Wimbledon and the US Open in consecutive years.
  • In February 2002, she became the first African-American woman to become World No. 1 since the computer rankings began in 1975.
  • In 2002 became the first ever siblings to rank Top 2 at same time with sister Serena.
  • At Wimbledon in 2003, she reached her fourth consecutive Wimbledon final, which since the abolishment of the challenge round system is tied with Helen Wills Moody for fourth behind Martina Navrátilová's nine, Billie Jean King's five, and Chris Evert's five.
  • Williams and Hingis hold the open era record for consecutive losses in Grand Slam singles finals (five).
  • One of three women, the others being Navratilova and Steffi Graf, to win the Wimbledon singles title at least five times during the open era.
  • At Wimbledon in 2009, Williams defeated World No. 1 Dinara Safina in the semifinals 6–1, 6–0, which was the most one-sided women's semifinal at Wimbledon since 1969, when King defeated Rosemary Casals by the same score.

Awards

See also: WTA Awards
1995
  • Sports Image Foundation Award for conducting tennis clinics in low-income areas
1997
  • WTA Newcomer of the Year
  • September's Olympic Committee Female Athlete
1998
  • Tennis Magazine's Most Improved Player
2000
  • WTA Player of the Year
  • WTA Doubles Team of the Year Award (with Serena Williams)
  • Sports Illustrated for Women's Sportswoman of the Year
  • Teen Choice Awards – Extraordinary Achievement Award
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.62)
  • Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year for team sports (with Serena Williams)
2001
  • Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
  • EMMA Best Sport Personality Award
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.57)
2002
  • Best Female Athlete ESPY Award
  • Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.60)
2003
  • 34th NAACP Image Awards' President's Award
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.65)
2004
  • Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1)
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.77)
2005
  • Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year Award
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.81)
  • Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
2006
  • Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
  • BET's Best Female Athlete of the Year
  • Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.1)
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.90)
2007
  • Gitanjali Diamond Award
  • Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
2008
  • Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year Award
  • Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.3)
2009
  • Anti-Defamation League Americanism Award
  • Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year Award
  • ITF Women's Doubles World Champion (with Serena Williams)
  • WTA Doubles Team of the Year Award (with Serena Williams)
  • WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year Award (with Serena Williams)
  • Doha 21st Century Leaders Awards – Outstanding Leadership
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.77)
  • Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2)
2010
  • Caesars Tennis Classic Achievement Award
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.83)
  • YWCA GLA Phenomenal Woman of the Year Award
  • WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year Award (with Serena Williams)
  • Forbes 30 Utterly Inspiring Role Models
  • Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (No.60)
  • Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No.2)
2011
  • Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No.86)
  • TIME Magazine 30 Legends of Women's Tennis
  • Forbes Most Powerful Black Women In The U.S. (No.10)

See also

Portal icon Tennis portal

References

Notes
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  2. ^ Chase, Chris (July 15, 2010). "Ranking the top-10 women's tennis players of all time – Busted Racquet – Tennis Blog – Yahoo! Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/blog/busted_racquet/post/Ranking-the-top-10-women-s-tennis-players-of-all?urn=ten-256242. Retrieved May 7, 2011. 
  3. ^ "All-Time Women's Majors Titles". Blueridgenow.com. June 5, 2010. http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20100605/APS/1006050863. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  4. ^ "Williams sisters net gold in doubles, beating off Spaniards in final". ESPN. August 17, 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/tennis/news/story?id=3539310. Retrieved April 22, 2009. 
  5. ^ Chase, Chris (September 13, 2010). "Ranking the top-10 women's tennis players of all time – Busted Racquet – Tennis – Yahoo! Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/blog/busted_racquet/post/Ranking-the-top-10-women-s-tennis-players-of-all?urn=ten-256242. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  6. ^ Kaufman, Michelle (April 22, 2007). "Venus, Serena reflect as they prepare for Fed Cup". blackathlete.net. http://blackathlete.net/artman2/publish/Tennis_35/Venus_Serena_Reflect_As_They_Prepare_For_Fed_Cup_3202.shtml. Retrieved April 22, 2009. 
  7. ^ Peyser, Marc; Samuels, Allison (August 24, 1998). "Venus And Serena Against The World". Newsweek. Newsweek, Inc.. http://www.newsweek.com/id/122703/page/1. Retrieved April 19, 2009. [dead link]
  8. ^ Lydia Pyle, 2005, Venus and Serena Williams, p. 10.
  9. ^ the ,United States. "Venus Williams: Biography from". Answers.com. http://www.answers.com/topic/venus-williams. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
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  11. ^ 'Harder, Better, Faster...' Article discussing the serve speeds of women in 2008 – Nov 28[dead link]
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  15. ^ Rogers, Martin (September 13, 2010). "Indian Wells boycott hurts Williamses more than it helps". Sports.yahoo.com. http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/blog/ten_experts/post/Indian-Wells-boycott-hurts-Williamses-more-than-;_ylt=Ag28GdIMVj.WIy422nR1Hfs4v7YF?urn=ten,149332. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  16. ^ Keating, Gina; Tippit, Sarah. Eldest sister of Venus, Serena shot dead, Rediff, September 15, 2003. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
  17. ^ Burt, Jason. Seeds are shaken by Sprem's flowering talent, The Independent, June 27, 2004. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
  18. ^ "Williams joins women's elite with fourth Wimbledon title". Sport.monstersandcritics.com. July 7, 2007. http://sport.monstersandcritics.com/tennis/article_1327281.php/Williams_joins_womens_elite_with_fourth_Wimbledon_title. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  19. ^ "Sister Sister: Venus sets record with 129 mph (208 km/h) serve; Serena sails". SI.com. August 27, 2007. http://sportsillustrated.com/2007/tennis/08/27/venus.serve/. Retrieved April 19, 2008. 
  20. ^ Sharapova, Hantuchova Round Out Elite Eight Field[dead link]
  21. ^ "Venus Williams Out of Tennis Indefinitely with Mystery Illness". Tennis-x.com. April 9, 2008. http://www.tennis-x.com/ptfstory/2008-04-09/637.php. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  22. ^ Williams Beats Razzano for 40th Career Singles Title[dead link]
  23. ^ "Venus crashes out of French Open". BBC Sport. May 29, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/8073573.stm. Retrieved May 30, 2009. 
  24. ^ "Venus Williams out for the remainder of 2010; Will miss Fed Cup Final , Pro Tennis – News". USTA. October 6, 2010. http://www.usta.com/venus_williams_out_for_the_remainder_of_2010_will_miss_fed_cup_final/. Retrieved May 7, 2011. 
  25. ^ "Venus Williams Injury: Tennis Star Withdraws From Australian Open". Huffington Post. January 21, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/21/venus-williams-injury-withdraws-australian-open_n_812021.html. Retrieved May 17, 2011. 
  26. ^ "Venus Retires, Petkovic Moves Through". Wtatennis.com. January 21, 2011. http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20110121/venus-retires-petkovic-moves-through_2256076_2272879. Retrieved May 17, 2011. 
  27. ^ "Venus Williams Out Again For The Western & Southern Open". tennisnow.com. 2011. http://www.tennisnow.com/News/Venus-Williams-Out-Again-For-The-Western---Souther.aspx. Retrieved September 1, 2011. 
  28. ^ Lynch, Lauren. "Venus Williams Out Again For The Western & Southern Open". Tennis Now. http://www.tennisnow.com/News/Venus-Williams-Out-Again-For-The-Western---Souther.aspx. Retrieved 16 August 2011. 
  29. ^ "Venus Williams Pulls Out Of U.S. Open : NPR". npr.org. 2011 [last update]. http://www.npr.org/2011/08/31/140098325/venus-williams-pulls-out-of-u-s-open?ft=1&f=1001. Retrieved August 31, 2011. 
  30. ^ a b Lila (2011-08-31). "Venus Williams Leaves US Open. 10 Things You Should Know About Sjogren's Syndrome". Celebritydiagnosis.com. http://www.celebritydiagnosis.com/2011/08/venus-williams-leaves-us-open-10-things-you-should-know-about-sjogrens-syndrome/. Retrieved 2012-01-01. 
  31. ^ Venus defeats Serena in exhibition in Colombia
  32. ^ Schiavone beats Venus, Serena in Milan
  33. ^ "Tennis: Venus Williams pulls out of ASB Classic - Tennis - NZ Herald News". Nzherald.co.nz. December 20, 2011. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/tennis/news/article.cfm?c_id=94&objectid=10774337. Retrieved 2012-01-01. 
  34. ^ 2012 Australia Open
  35. ^ [1] She partnered with Liezel Huber and won the dead-rubber 6–1, 6–2.
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  38. ^ "Blair adds support for equal pay". BBC Sport. June 28, 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/5119748.stm. Retrieved November 26, 2011. 
  39. ^ WTA Tour and UNESCO to promote gender equality, International Herald Tribune, November 11, 2006. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
  40. ^ Roland Garros Awards Equal Pay[dead link]
  41. ^ "French Open To Give Equal Paydays To Male, Female Winners", Sports Business Daily
  42. ^ Slezak, Carol. "We haven't heard last of Venus", Chicago Sun-Times, March 18, 2007.
  43. ^ "Venus Williams Aces Fashion Degree from Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale". Artinstitutes.edu. http://www.artinstitutes.edu/fortlauderdale/press_release.asp?PressID=5420. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  44. ^ "Tennis star Venus Williams enrolls at Indiana University East". indystar.com. http://www.indystar.com/article/20110831/SPORTS/110831011/Tennis-star-Venus-Williams-enrolls-Indiana-University-East. Retrieved September 2, 2011. 
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  46. ^ Robson, Douglas. Venus Williams: Rain brings 'clarity', USA Today, July 5, 2007. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
  47. ^ "Williams sisters 'shocked' by shooting death of oldest sister – Sports". Findarticles.com. September 29, 2003. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_14_104/ai_109568996. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
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  49. ^ Vstarr Interiors[dead link]
  50. ^ "#21 to #25". Ladies Home Journal. http://www.lhj.com/lhj/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/lhj/story/data/powerindex_10012001.xml&categoryid=/templatedata/lhj/category/data/c_297.xml&page=5. [dead link]
  51. ^ "Eleven website". Elevenbyvenus.com. September 6, 2010. http://www.elevenbyvenus.com/. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  52. ^ Venus Unveils EleVen Clothing Range[dead link]
  53. ^ "#77 Venus Williams". Forbes Magazine. June 3, 2009. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/53/celebrity-09_Venus-Williams_ZX4E.html. 
  54. ^ Williams sisters buy into Dolphins group ESPN, August 25, 2009
  55. ^ "Venus Williams book on NYT Bestseller list". Usta.com. July 15, 2010. http://www.usta.com/venus_williams_book_on_nyt_bestseller_list/. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  56. ^ "40 Greatest Players of the Tennis Era (25–28)". Tennis Magazine. May 17, 2006. http://www.tennis.com/features/40greatest/40greatest.aspx?id=738. Retrieved April 22, 2009. [dead link]
  57. ^ "High time we appreciate Venus Williams". ESPN. September 13, 2010. http://espn.go.com/sports/tennis/blog/_/name/espntennis/id/5551143/high-time-appreciate-venus-williams. Retrieved September 13, 2009. 
  58. ^ William Lee Adams (June 22, 2011). "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future – Venus Williams". TIME. http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2079150_2079148_2079127,00.html. Retrieved August 19, 2011. 
  59. ^ Stunning Venus in a rocket display[dead link]
  60. ^ 3:21 am ET (July 3, 2005). "Venus rallies to win longest Wimbledon final". MSNBC. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/8430280/ns/sports-tennis. Retrieved May 17, 2011. 
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  64. ^ "Venus, la force tranquille". L'Équipe. France. May 26, 2010. http://www.lequipe.fr/Tennis/breves2010/20100526_125119_venus-ne-tremble-pas.html. Retrieved May 17, 2011. 
  65. ^ a b 1997 U.S. OPEN: A Phenomenal Final; Hingus (sic) and Williams Show Improvement With Every Match,The New York Times, September 7, 1997. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
Bibliography
  • Edmondson, Jacqueline (2005). Venus and Serena Williams: A Biography. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33165-0. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Venus Williams
 
Sporting positions
Preceded by
United States Jennifer Capriati
United States Jennifer Capriati
United States Jennifer Capriati		 World No. 1
February 25, 2002 – March 17, 2002
April 22, 2002 – May 19, 2002
June 10, 2002 – July 7, 2002		 Succeeded by
United States Jennifer Capriati
United States Jennifer Capriati
United States Serena Williams
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Russia Anna Kournikova		 WTA Newcomer of the Year
1997		 Succeeded by
United States Serena Williams
Preceded by
United States Lindsay Davenport		 WTA Player of The Year
2000		 Succeeded by
United States Jennifer Capriati
Preceded by
Switzerland Martina Hingis & Russia Anna Kournikova
Zimbabwe Cara Black & United States Liezel Huber		 WTA Doubles Team of the Year
2000 (with United States Serena Williams)
2009, 2010 (with United States Serena Williams)		 Succeeded by
United States Lisa Raymond & Australia Rennae Stubbs
Argentina Gisela Dulko & Italy Flavia Pennetta
Preceded by
Zimbabwe Cara Black & United States Liezel Huber		 ITF Women's Doubles World Champion
2009 (with United States Serena Williams)		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
United States Lindsay Davenport
Russia Maria Sharapova		 Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
2001-2002
2006		 Succeeded by
United States Serena Williams
Russia Maria Sharapova
Preceded by
United States Lindsay Davenport		 Best Female Athlete ESPY Award
2002		 Succeeded by
United States Serena Williams

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Who2 Profiles. Copyright © 1998-2012 by Who2, LLC. All rights reserved. See the Venus Williams biography from Who2.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
$copyright.smallImage.alttext Gale Contemporary Black Biography. Contemporary Black Biography. Copyright © 2006 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
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