Venus Williams
Venus Ebony Starr Williams[2] (born June 17, 1980)[3] is an American professional tennis player. A former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles, Williams has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, five at Wimbledon and two at the US Open.[4] She is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.[5][6][7]
Country (sports)
United States
June 17, 1980
Lynwood, California, U.S.[1]
6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
October 31, 1994
Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Indiana University East (BSBA)
Hugo Armando (2023–present)
US $42,648,697
818–276 (74.8%)
49
No. 1 (February 25, 2002)
No. 487 (March 4, 2024)
F (2002)
W (1998)
W (2008)
(2000)
185–38 (83.0%)
22
No. 1 (June 7, 2010)
SF (2009)
28–8 (77.8%)
2
W (1998)
W (1998)
F (2006)
QF (1998)
F (2016)
W (1999), record 21–4
RR (2013)
Along with her younger sister, Serena, Venus Williams was coached by her parents Oracene Price and Richard Williams. Turning professional in 1994, she reached her first major final at the 1997 US Open. In 2000 and 2001, Williams claimed the Wimbledon and US Open titles, as well as Olympic singles gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She first reached the singles world No. 1 ranking on 25 February 2002, becoming the first African American woman to do so in the Open era, and the second of all time after Althea Gibson.[8] She reached four consecutive major finals between 2002 and 2003, but lost each time to Serena. She then suffered from injuries, winning just one major title between 2003 and 2006. Williams returned to form starting in 2007, when she won Wimbledon (a feat she repeated the following year). In 2010, she returned to the world No. 2 position in singles, but then suffered again from injuries. Starting in 2014, she again gradually returned to form, culminating in two major final appearances at the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2017.
Along with her seven singles major titles, Williams has also won 14 women's doubles major titles, all partnering Serena; the pair are unbeaten in Grand Slam doubles finals.[9] She became the world No. 1 in doubles for the first time on June 7, 2010, alongside Serena, after the pair completed a non-calendar-year Grand Slam at the French Open. The pair also won three Olympic gold medals in women's doubles, in 2000, 2008, and 2012, adding to Venus' singles gold in 2000 and her mixed doubles silver in 2016.[10] Williams has also won two mixed doubles major titles, both in 1998.
The Williams sisters are credited with ushering in a new era of power and athleticism on the women's professional tennis tour.[11][12][13] With 49 WTA Tour singles titles, Williams has the most singles titles among active players. With 22 WTA doubles titles and two mixed doubles titles, her combined total of 73 WTA titles is also the most among active players. She is also the only active player to have reached the singles finals of all four majors.[14] Williams was twice the season prize money leader (in 2001 and 2017), and ranks second behind Serena in all-time career prize money winnings, having earned over US$42 million as of March 2022.[15]
Playing style[edit]
Williams is an aggressive player, with an all-court game. Due to her assertive playing style, she typically accumulates large numbers of both winners and unforced errors. She possesses powerful groundstrokes on both sides, and is capable of hitting both her forehand and backhand flat, and with topspin. She is also adept at hitting her backhand with slice to slow down rallies and disrupt pace within rallies. Her serve is powerful, allowing her to serve numerous aces in any match. At the peak of her career, her first serve would average 182 km/h (113 mph), and would frequently peak at 199 km/h (124 mph); her serve has slowed since then, averaging 172 km/h (107 mph), and peaking at 189 km/h (117 mph). She possesses effective kick and slice serves, which she deploys as second serves, preventing opponents from scoring free points. Up to 2014, she held the record for the fastest serve on the WTA Tour, recorded at the 2007 US Open, at 208 km/h (129 mph). She likes to approach the net, and finish points quickly. Her height, at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), provides her with a long arm span, allowing her to reach difficult returns while positioned at the net. She has a repertoire of shots to perform at the net, which leads to many won points.[20]
Due to her all-court game, Williams can hit winners from any position. An exceptional tactical player with remarkable problem-solving skills, she also plays with sheer power and aggression. She relies on defense infrequently, rarely hitting drop shots and lobs, as her exceptional speed and court coverage allow her to hit with assertive power and strength from frequently defensive positions. Further strengths include her detailed and intricate footwork, and supreme athleticism.[21]
Fight for equal prize money[edit]
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 male tennis players.[84] 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".[84] In response, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and members of Parliament publicly endorsed Williams's arguments.[85] 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.[86] 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.[87] 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".[88] 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."[89]
Williams 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. Williams's fight for equality was documented in Nine for IX, Venus Vs. It premiered on July 2, 2013.[90][91]
Recognition[edit]
In 2005, Tennis Magazine ranked Williams as the 25th-best player of the past 40 years.[113][114]
In June 2011, she was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by Time.[115]
In March 2012, Tennis Channel aired a television series listing the 100 greatest players of all time, ranking Williams 22nd. In the series, Lindsay Davenport says: "Venus had more power than any other player on tour."
In 2018, Tennis Magazine ranked Williams as the eighth-best female player of the Open Era.[116]
In May 2020, both the Tennis Channel and Newsday ranked Williams as the eighth-greatest female player of all time.[117][6]
World Team Tennis[edit]
Williams has played 14 seasons of World TeamTennis, making her debut in 2000 with the St. Louis Aces, playing a season with the Delaware Smash in 2005, three seasons with the Philadelphia Freedoms from 2006 to 2008, and eight seasons with the Washington Kastles in 2010–2015, 2017–2019. She has five King Trophies, claiming her first with the Freedoms in 2006 and four trophies with the Kastles in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. She was also named the 2012 WTT Final MVP for her efforts. It was announced she will be joining the Washington Kastles during the 2020 WTT season set to begin July 12 at The Greenbrier.[121]
At the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, Williams extended her record as the all-time leader, male or female, in Grand Slam tournaments played, with 90.[122][123] With her run to the 2017 Wimbledon singles final, she claimed the record for the longest time between a player's first and most recent major singles finals appearances (a record later surpassed by her sister Serena at the 2019 US Open). Venus won four Olympic gold medals (one in singles and three in women's doubles with her sister) and one silver (in mixed doubles),[124] tying her with Kathleen McKane Godfree for the most Olympic medals won by a tennis player in history. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she became only the second player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles at one Olympic Games, after Helen Wills Moody at the 1924 Summer Olympics (she was followed by her sister in 2012). After winning silver in mixed doubles with Rajeev Ram at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Williams became the first tennis player to win a medal at four Olympic Games, as well as the first player in the Open Era to win an Olympic medal in all three events (singles, doubles, mixed). She and Serena are also the only tennis players in history with four Olympic gold medals, as well as the only ones to win Olympic gold in the same event on three occasions. She along with her sister Serena are the only women in the Open Era to win Olympic tennis gold in both singles and doubles.
