Bio

Full name : Venus Ebone Starr Williams Birthdate : June, 1980 Birthplace : Lynwood , California Plays: Right handed Year turned Pro: 1994 Current Singles Rank: 2 Hightest Singles Rank :1 Career Singles Titles: 26 Career Win-Loss Record: 296-68

Sanex WTA TOUR doubles titles: 10 (including one Olympic title) Grand Slam titles: 4 singles, 7doubles, 2 mixed doubles ITF Women's Circuit singles titles: 0
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - DOUBLES WINNER (10): 2001/2003 - Australian Open (w/S. Williams); 2000 - Wimbledon (w/S. Williams), Olympics (w/S. Williams); 1999 - Roland Garros (w/S. Williams), U.S. Open (w/S. Williams), Hannover (w/S. Williams); 1998 - Oklahoma City (w/S. Williams), Zurich (w/S. Williams)(2002-Wimbledon(w/S.Williams). FINALIST (1): 1999 - San Diego (w/S. Williams)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - MIXED DOUBLES WINNER (2): 1998 - Australian Open (w/Gimelstob), Roland Garros (w/Gimelstob) SEMIFINALIST (1): 1998 - Wimbledon (w/Gimelstob) ADDITIONAL: United States Fed Cup Team 1995, 1999. United States Olympic Team 2000.

2003 IN DETAIL

January - Reached fourth-straight Grand Slam tournament final at Australian Open, l. to sister and world No. 1 S. Williams 76(4), 36, 64; Venus and Serena Williams are first duo to reach four consecutive GS finals in Open Era; also won Australian Open doubles title with sister Serena Williams.
February -Did not drop a set on her way to sucessfully defending her title at Antwerpe Belgium. Defeated world #5 Daniela Hantuchova in the semis and world #3 and local favourite Kim Clijsters in the finals.
March - World No. 2 and No. 2 seed, was upset by No. 23 seed Shaughnessy in 4r at Miami (where she is a three-time champion), her earliest departure since an opening match loss to Mag. Maleeva (following a 1r bye) at 2002 Moscow.

2002 IN DETAIL

January -Had strong start in new season by gaining a title at Gold Coast without dropping a set and by defeating No. 6-ranked Justine Henin for her 14th consecutive win over a Top 10 opponent; ranked No. 3 and seeded second, her 24-match win-streak and bid for a third consecutive Grand Slam title was upended when No. 10-ranked eighth seed Monica Seles d. her 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-3 in an Australian Open QF match.


February - Competing in event for first time, prevailed in 3-set Paris SF over the defending champion, No. 8-ranked third-seed Amelie Mauresmo, who served for the match in a 2nd-set tie-breaker two points from victory, and won the title by walkover when No. 9-ranked fourth-seed Jelena Dokic was forced to withdraw due to an injury suffered during previous match; No. 2-ranked and top seeded, received wild card spot in Antwerp and won the title, defeating No. 7-ranked, second seed Justine Henin 6-3, 5-7, 6-3; on February 25, became 10th No. 1-ranked player in history of Sanex 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); top-seeded and competing her first week as the world?s No. 1-ranked player, l. 1-6, 7-(5), 6-4 to No. 11-ranked fourth seed Sandrine Testud in a Dubai SF.

March - At Miami, ranked No. 2, seeded second and following a 1r bye, advanced passed No. 90-ranked qualifier Eva Dyrberg 4-6, 6-2 6-1, No. 81-ranked Mariana Diaz-Oliva 6-2 1-0 retired (lower back strain), No. 18-ranked 14th seed Amanda Coetzer 6-2, 6-0 and No. 15-ranked 12th seed Elena Dementieva 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 before falling 6-2, 6-2 in a SF against sister Serena (ranked No. 9 and seeded eighth), her second loss to Serena in 7 meetings (lost at 1999 Grand Slam Cup final)

April - Rallied from a 2-6, 0-4 deficit in final against Henin to capture fourth title of the year at Amelia Island, winning 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(5); three times Henin was two points away from winning; is 4-0 against Henin in finals...Regained the No. 1 ranking on April 22 after Capriati lost in the semifinals of Charleston .
May - Retained her No. 1 ranking by def. Hingis to reach final at Hamburg, where she fell to No. 3 Clijsters 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; in QF, recovered from down a set and 1-4 to def. Sanchez-Vicario. Withdrew from the Italian Open before her opening match with a right wrist injury suffered when picking up a bag and aggravated during practice; the injury is unrelated to the wrist injuries she suffered in 2000; lost the No. 1 ranking to Capriati...Finalist at Roland Garros, falling to younger sister, Serena, 7-5, 6-3; they were the first sisters to meet for a Roland Garros singles title; it was her sixth Grand Slam singles final and fifth in her last eight Grand Slam tournaments; def. Seles in QF, avenging her loss at the 2002 Australian Open; surpassed $10 million in career prize money.
June - Reclaimed the No. 1 singles ranking on June 10, 2002; with her sister Serena ranked No. 2, they became the first sisters to occupy the top two spots in the world rankings .
July - Singles finalist at Wimbledon, extending her winning streak there to 20 matches before falling to sister Serena; won the doubles title with Serena, their fifth Grand Slam doubles title...Lost the No. 1 ranking on July 8 to Serena (would have lost it even if she'd won Wimbledon)...Captured her first singles title in three months at Stanford, avenging her Hamburg finals loss to Clijsters, the defending Stanford champion; in 2r, also avenged her 2001 Stanford loss to Shaughnessy
August - In San Diego, won her second title in as many weeks and third straight at the tournament, defeating fifth-ranked Dokic in the final 6-2, 6-2, No. 9 Davenport in SF 6-2, 6-1 to even their career head-to-head record at 10-10, and No. 7 Clijsters in QF 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. Won her 4th consecuetive final at Pilot Pen in New Haven Connecticut with wins over Slovakian Daniela Hantuckova (6-3 6-3) in the semis-- and compatriot Lindsay Davenport (7-5 6-0) in the final. This was their 3rd final meeting in this tournament.
September - Finalist for a third straight year at the US Open, falling to No. 1 Serena Williams to end a 20-match winning streak at the tournament and a 19-match winning streak for the year; would have regained No. 1 ranking with the title...Withdrew from Bahia citing the need for a recovery period
October - At Moscow, in first match since losing the US Open final, received a 1r bye and then was upset by Mag. Maleeva 2-6, 6-1, 7-6; last time she lost back-to-back matches was 2001 German Open 3r and Roland Garros 1r
November - Qualified for season-ending Championships for fifth year but first appearance since 1999; seeded No. 2, reached SF before retiring vs. Clijsters trailing 5-0 first set with lower leg strain.

2001 in Detail

* January - Grand Slam match win streak reached 19 until falling in Australian Open SF to Hingis; won the doubles to complete career Grand Slam with sister Serena


* February – Reached SF in Nice as No. 1 seed before Maleeva upset her in straight sets 7-6(8), 6-4

* March - Indian Wells SF before withdrawing due to right knee tendinitis; Won Miami saving eight match points held by Capriati in F, moved up to a career-high No. 2 in the world rankings; Miami title was her third consecutive at the tournament (1998-99 and 2001, missed 2000 due to wrist tendinitis) tying Graf.

* April - Won a second consecutive tournament in 2001 at Hamburg.
* May – Upset by No. 13 seed Henin 6-1, 6-4 in 3r of German Open, snapping her 15-match win streak; Suffered 1r l. to Schett at Roland Garros, earliest Grand Slam loss since 1997 Wimbledon (l. to Grzybowska)
* July – At Wimbledon, captured third Grand Slam singles title defending her 2000 title, becoming 21st woman in Wimbledon history dating back to 1884 to win multiple singles titles and fourth in Open Era to win consecutive Wimbledon singles titles, joining King, Navratilova and Graf; hit fastest serve on tour in 2001 at Wimbledon, 125 mph (201 km/h)

* August - Defended her 2000 San Diego title, serving 13 aces to defeat Seles in F to remain undefeated against her; won New Haven, extending her three-year unbeaten record there to 12-0.
* September – Won second consecutive US Open title d. sister Serena in straight sets, first time sisters met in a Grand Slam final since Wimbledon in 1884 when Maud Watson defeated Lilian Watson, 6-8, 6-3, 6-3; seventh woman in Open Era to defend a US Open title; sixth woman in professional tennis history to win back-to-back Wimbledon and US Open titles in consecutive years.
* October – Withdrew from Moscow and Filderstadt following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.; Withdrew from Linz and the season-ending championships due to an irritated left wrist injured during practice at home One of only two players (along with her sister, Serena) to d. both Davenport and Capriati in 2001.

AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Re-elected to the WTA Tour Players’ Council in 2002

• 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)

• Endorsement contract with Reebok is largest ever awarded to a woman athlete

• Personal fashion line: Venus Collection by Wilson’s Leather

• 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 (1999 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 three; added a fourth in 2001)

• Won 2002 ESPY awards for Best Female Athlete and Best Female Tennis Player for her play in 2001; ranked No. 25 on Ladies’ Home Journal 30 Most Powerful Women In America List released November 2001; Voted 2001 WTA Tour Player of the Month for March, July, August and September; 2000 WTA Tour Player of the Year and Doubles Team of the Year with sister Serena; Sports Illustrated for Women Sportswoman of the Year; along with sister Serena, received the 2000 Achievement Award at the Teen Awards, the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Athlete of the Year Award and a Laureus Sports Award; one of five female tennis players named to the Forbes magazine Power 100 in Fame and Fortune list at No. 62 (no other female athletes made the list); 1998 TENNIS Magazine Most Improved Player; recipient of the 1997 WTA Tour Most Impressive Newcomer Award (won by her sister Serena a year later); named US Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Month for September 1997, becoming only the third tennis player to win the award; 1997 Tennis Magazine Most Improved Female Pro; received award in 1995 from the Sports Image Foundation for conducting tennis clinics in low-income areas

• By age 12, accumulated a 63-0 record in USTA sectional play in Southern California

• WTA Tour mentor was Pam Shriver in the Partners for Success Alumni program .

CAREER IN REVIEW

2000

*In just fourth tournament of 2000 due to injury, captured first Grand Slam singles

title at Wimbledon becoming the second African-American woman to win title (Althea

Gibson won in 1957-58); defeated world No. 1 Hingis in the QF, her sister Serena in the SF (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 with Serena; has won singles titles on all four surfaces.

* Captured second Grand Slam singles title at U.S. Open; in the SF, with world No. 1

Hingis two points away from victory leading 5-3 in third set, came back to avenge her

loss to her there in the 1999 SF, d. No. 2 Davenport in F; 17th woman in professional

tennis history to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles in the same calendar year

* Capped a tremendous year winning Olympic Gold Medal in singles and doubles, joining Helen Wills in 1924 as the only women to win both in medal competition

* Match winning streak reached 35 and won six straight titles before falling to top

seed Davenport in F at Linz

* Missed first four months of season with tendinitis in both wrists; withdrew from

Zurich due to exhaustion and from the season-ending championships due to anemia.

1999

* Won more than 60 matches in a season for the first time, won six singles titles,

earned more than $2 million in prize money and on April 5 she and sister Serena became first sisters to be ranked in the Top 10 simultaneously since April 22, 1991 (Manuela and Katerina Maleeva)

* Won Oklahoma City on February 28, the same day her sister, Serena, won the Paris

Indoors, becoming first sisters in professional tennis history to win singles titles in

the same week

* Defended Miami title, d. younger sister Serena in F as first sisters to meet in a

Sanex WTA Tour final; Earned career first clay-court singles title at Hamburg; Won New Haven; SF at U.S. Open l. to No. 1 Hingis and won the doubles title with sister Serena; At Grand Slam Cup, avenged loss to Hingis with a 6-2, 6-7, 9-7 win in SF after trailing 1-4 and 4-5 in the 3s, serving 18 aces; fell to sister Serena for first time in final;

Won Zurich with straight-set wins over three Top 10 players including No. 1 Hingis; SF at season-ending championships l. to Hingis.

* In Fed Cup debut helped the United States win the championship.

1998

* Captured first pro singles title at 1998 Oklahoma City, defeating top seed and world No. 2 Davenport in SF and fourth seed Kruger in F, and won first women's doubles title there with younger sister Serena, becoming the third pair of sisters to win a Sanex WTA Tour doubles title; won second singles title of career at Miami with wins over world No. 1 Hingis in the SF and Kournikova in F; in next rankings, among the world's Top 10 for the first time; since the computer rankings began in 1975, only six other players (Austin, Capriati, Jaeger, Martinez, Sabatini and Seles) have debuted in the Top 10 after being ranked outside the Top 100 or unranked 12 months earlier.

* Recorded fastest serve ever in Sanex WTA Tour history at 1998 Zurich with a 127 mph (205 km/h) ace on match point over Pierce

* Won mixed doubles title at Australian Open as a wild card team with Justin Gimelstob, her first Grand Slam title, and won Roland Garros with Gimelstob; later in the year,

sister Serena won Wimbledon and US Open mixed doubles crowns to complete a Williams family Grand Slam

* Suffered from patella tendinitis of left knee in April, which later forced her

withdrawal from the season-ending championships.

1997

* First woman since Pam Shriver in 1978 to reach US Open Final in her debut; first unseeded female finalist at U.S. Open since 1958; ranked No. 66, was lowest-ranked woman to make a Grand Slam final since No. 68 B. Jordan won the Australian Open in 1979; final between 17-year-old Williams and 16-year-old Hingis was youngest Grand Slam F in Open Era.

PERSONAL

Coached by father, Richard and mother, Oracene; works with trainer Kerrie Brooks... Sisters are Isha, Serena, Lyndrea and Yetunde...Favorite movies are Shawshank Redemption, Tommy Boy, Coneheads, Friday,Mildred Pierce, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and Mahogany, and loves horror films; favorite song is the theme song from the '60s movie Romeo & Juliet...Other sports interests are sumo wrestling and surfing...Favorite musical groups are Green Day,Toadies, Hole, Our Lady Peace, Rancid, and also likes listening to the Jackson Five.

Favorite tennis player is Pete Sampras...Favorite place is anywhere that accepts credit cards...Claims to have an eye for fine diamonds and precious stones and loves

gold...Says she possesses amazing nocturnal abilities (especially during night

matches)...Life-lesson is that someone is always watching or listening, and life goal

is to avoid further speeding violations...Has an insatiable desire to obtain

information through books...Attends a university in Florida and is working toward an

associate's degree in fashion design...Hopes not to be involved in tennis in any way

after her career as she wants to move on from the tennis world...Loves Swedish, English and French furniture (antiques)...Wants to speak five languages: English, French,Italian, German and Russian...Enjoys Russian history and Chinese culture…Previously coached by Rick Macci for one-and-a-half years.