Venus Williams

Venus Williams cut a striking figure when she made her appearance on the world tennis circuit. With eye-catching outfits and a highly  developed sense of style, she stood at a height of 6’1” and was all the more alarming to those who didn’t see her coming because she and her sister Serena Williams wore Africana beads in their hair, served and played hard, and won tournaments. The duo quickly became unstoppable in doubles tennis and earned places among the best players in the game.

Like her sister, Venus Williams has had her phenomenal early success interrupted by injury, though he has returned to form more quickly than Serena. Pundits note that she has played more consistently, if with fewer Grand Slam wins than her younger sister. Venus Williams was born June 17, 1980, and to date has won more than thirty singles titles along with two Olympic gold medals for singles and doubles tennis. She has been praised for her commitment to the sport, overcoming injuries and grief following the 2003 murder of her older sister to stay on track with her tennis career.

Venus Williams won a 2005 heroic Wimbledon Title against Lindsay Davenport in a grueling match that had the two competitors giving it their all over a final of record-setting length. Venus Williams was born in California and raised in the city of Compton near Los Angeles. Compton is known for its high crime rate and dangerous streets, and her family pushed both her and her sister to focus on tennis as a way out of the hard life of Compton. The Williams sisters attended elite tennis training camps throughout high school and were both competitive players by the time they were 18.

With millions of dollars in prize money and endorsement contracts, Venus Williams can already rest easy and live anywhere she wants. She supports McDonald’s and Wilson with her sister, and also endorses American Express.