The very fabric of tennis was changed by a modest woman, Venus Williams, whose prowess was often questioned.
Raised in Florida, Venus was introduced to tennis by her father in a public court. Soon, her inherent prodigy gleamed as she became a professional player at 14. She then started inspiring individuals all across the world.
As the former No.1 player in tennis, Venus Williams has won 44 Gland Slam championships, and numerous gold medals in her unfettered career. Let’s track down her journey to stardom and infinite glory below.
Venus’s Journey
As mentioned above, her exceptional skills in tennis started showing at the tender age of fourteen. Venus’s win at her very first match, at the Bank of the West Classic in California, was a strong signal to her family that she was very talented.
However, it was in the year 2000 that she kick-started her career. This was the year that she won both the Wimbledon and the U.S. Open championships, landing herself a contract with Reebok. It was worth a whopping $40 million and she was only 20 years of age.
Then, at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, she bagged a gold medal in the singles event and another in the doubles with her sister Serena Williams.
As of 25th February 2002, Venus ranked number 1 on the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association). She became the first African American woman to receive the honor.
Titles Under Her Belt
The legendary tennis player has a tally of 45 singles titles in her entire career, all courtesy to her eclectic athleticism. Aside from that, she’s fought off commendable opponents to take home seven Grand Slam singles titles.
Additionally, she has also won 13 women’s doubles matches, teamed up with her sister, and is a four-time Olympic gold medal winner.
She could have achieved more titles had it not been for her health condition. Between 2006-2007, she started suffering from chronic wrist pain, which started hindering her career.
Yet, Venus being the warrior she is, managed to bring home the Wimbledon titles in the years 2007 and 2008.
Further Setbacks
In 2011, she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome which resulted in extreme fatigue and pain in the joints.
On account of her illness, she had to skip a plethora of tournaments and remained in convalescence.
Then, 2012 saw a major comeback when she won the first singles match in the Miami tournament.
More Than a Tennis Player
Venus Williams is the epitome of strength and will-power worldwide as she pursues whatever she sets her mind to.
According to USA Today, “A day before playing in the 2005 final at the All England Club, she addressed a meeting at the Grand Slam Board, urging Wimbledon and the French Open to offer equal pay to male and female players.”
One and a half years later, the same prize pay was offered to both genders.
Business Ventures
Venus is also known for her success in business ventures, which are also related to the sports world.
Her other passions landed her the title of CEO for her interior design firm, alongside owning her own athletic apparel line called Eleven.
Other than that, Venus is also a co-owner of the Miami Dolphins and has investments in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
All of these things only add to the vibrant status she has created for herself in the sports world.
The Bottom Line
As well as a world-renowned tennis player, she is an entrepreneur with multiple businesses and has given 26 years of services to the tennis industry.
Above all of these brilliant achievements, Venus Williams is a humble human being with a strong sense of self-conviction which also landed her in the hall of fame.
