WTA Ranking (Season-Ending, Singles)

2002-2; 2001-3; 2000-3; 1999-3; 1998-5; 1997-22; 1996-204; 1995-204

Career Review

Career Highlights - Singles

Career Highlights - Doubles

Career Highlights - Mixed Doubles

Facts

• From July – November 2003 : Withdrew from San Diego, Los Angeles, Canadian Open, US Open, Moscow, Filderstadt, Zurich & Philadelphia due to the strained abdominal muscle that has hampered her since late April (Warsaw).
  
  
• June 2003, she appeared in fourth consecutive Wimbledon final, second only to Navratilova who reached nine from 1982-1990, lost to world No.1, top seed, defending champion, sister Serena 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
  
  
• February 2003, she defended title at Antwerp to collect first title in six months, defeated No. 2 seed Clijsters in final 6-2, 6-4.
  
  
• January 2003, she reached fourth-straight Grand Slam tournament final at Australian Open, lost to sister and world No. 1 Serena Williams 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4; Venus and Serena Williams are first duo to reach four consecutive Grand Slam finals in the Open Era; also won Australian Open doubles title with Serena Williams, their sixth Grand Slam doubles crown.
  
  
• In 2002, she became 10th No. 1-ranked player in history of WTA rankings and first African-American overtaking compatriot Capriati and becoming fourth different No. 1 in four months (after Hingis, Davenport and Capriati); recovered from 6-2, 4-0 deficit in Amelia Island final vs Henin to capture fourth title of the year, winning 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(5); surpassed US$10 million in career prize money afterwards and reclaimed No. 1 singles ranking from Capriati on June 10; with sister Serena ranked No. 2, they became the first siblings (male & female) ever to occupy the Top 2 spots in tennis world rankings, singles runner-up at Wimbledon as defending champion, extending winning streak to 20 matches before falling to S William in first all-sister Wimbledon singles final since the first one in 1884 (when Maud Watson defeated Lilian Watson); won doubles title w/S Williams, their fifth Grand Slam doubles title; captured first singles title in three months at Stanford, avenging Hamburg final loss to Clijsters, the defending Stanford champion.
  
  
• In San Diego, won second title in two weeks and third straight at the tournament, defeated Davenport in semifinal and world No. 5 Dokic in final.
  
  
• Third consecutive No. 3 finish in 2001. She captured third Grand Slam singles title, defending her 2000 title, becoming fourth woman in Open Era to win consecutive Wimbledon singles titles. She won second consecutive US Open title defeated sister Serena in final, the first time sisters met in a Grand Slam final since Wimbledon in 1884; seventh woman in Open Era to defend a US Open title and sixth woman in professional tennis history to win back-to-back Wimbledon and US Open titles in consecutive years.
  
  
• She captured first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon in 2000, becoming second African-American woman to win the title (Althea Gibson won in 1957-58); defeated world No. 1 Hingis in quarterfinal, S. Williams in semifinal (first match at Wimbledon between sisters and eighth in any Open Era Grand Slam) and world No. 2, defending champion Davenport in the first all-American-born women’s final there since 1973; also won doubles title w/S. Williams. She captured second Grand Slam singles title at US Open defeated world No. 2 Davenport in final and winning Olympic Gold Medal in singles and doubles.
  
  
• In 1999, she won six singles titles, earned more than US$2 million in prize money; won Oklahoma City on February 28, the same day her sister, Serena, won Paris Indoor, becoming first sisters in professional tennis history to win singles titles in the same week. She earned career first clay court singles title at Hamburg defeated Pierce in final; in Fed Cup debut, helped USA win the title; finished season ranked No. 3, winning more than 60 matches in a season for first time.
  
  
• She captured first pro singles title at Oklahoma City in 1998, defeated No. 1 seed and world No. 2 Davenport en route; also won doubles title there w/S. Williams, becoming third pair of sisters to win a Tour doubles title; won Tier I Miami title as No. 11 seed, defeated world No. 1 Hingis in semifinal and Kournikova in final in 3 sets to crack world’s top 10 for first time on March 30 at No. 10; also runner-up at Italian Open, Stanford and Zurich, where she recorded fastest serve ever in WTA Tour history with a 127 mph(205 km/h) ace on match point vs. Pierce in quarterfinal. She won first two Grand Slam titles, claming mixed doubles crowns w/Gimelstob at Australian Open as a wildcard team and at Roland Garros.
  
  
• She had breakthrough season in 1997, reaching first Grand Slam singles final and three Tier I quarterfinal; at US Open, defeated No. 11 seed Spirlea in semifinal to become first woman since Shriver (1978) to reach US Open final on debut and first unseeded female US Open finalist since 1958.
  
  
• She made pro debut at Oakland in 1994, defeated world No. 58 Stafford and led No. 2 Sanchez-Vicario 6-2, 3-1 before falling in 3 sets.

Awards

• Venus and Serena Williams are first duo to reach four consecutive Grand Slam finals in Open Era.
  
  
• On February 25, 2002, became 10th world No. 1 player in History of WTA Rankings and first African-American (male Or Female), overtaking compatriot Jennifer Capriati and becoming the fourth different No. 1 in four months (w/Hingis, Davenport and Capriati).
  
  
• She and sister Serena are first sisters in tennis history to have each won a Grand Slam singles title; first sisters to meet in a WTA Tour final (199 Miami, won by Venus); first sisters to win Olympic Gold Medal in Doubles (2000); only sisters in 20th century to win a Grand Slam doubles title together.
  
  
• Won 2002 ESPY Awards for Best Females Athlete and Best Female Tennis Player for her achievements in 2001.
  
  
• Ranked No. 25 on Ladies’ Home Journal’s 30 Most Powerful Women in America List released November 2001.
  
  
• 2000 WTA Tour Player of the Year and Doubles Team of the Year with sister Serena; Sports Illustrated for Women Sportswoman of the Year 2000.
  
  
• 1997 Tennis Magazine Most Improved Female Pro and 1998 Tennis Magazine Most Improved Players; recipient of the 1997 WTA Tour Most Impressive Newcomer Award.

Personal

• Coached by father, Richard and mother, Oracene.
  
  
• Favourite musical act is Michael Jackson.
  
  
• Favourite TV shows are the Golden Girls and The Cosby Show.
  
  
• Favourite color is green and favourite book is the Bible.
  
  
• Most memorable career moment was being in the 2000 Olympics.
  
  
• Has a Certificate in Interior Decorating and currently studying for a Bachelors Degree in Interior Design. Started V Starr Interiors, an interior design company located in Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter, Florida that specializes in residential design and works on projects around the US.
  
  
• Designs a line of women’s leather apparel for Wilson’s Leather, called the Venus Williams Collection.
  
  
• After tennis would like to continue her careers in interior design, fashion design, and would like to take up choreography.
  
  
• Has been writing poetry since her teens and hopes to publish a book of poetry in the near future.
  
  
• Love Asian antiques, dancing, writing poetry, reading, sewing and studying new subjects.