Venus Williams (USA)

Venus Williams biography:

• In July 2005, Venus defeated world number one Lindsay Davenport in the Wimbledon finals at what is being hailed as one of the greatest Wimbledon matches of all time. The match was also the longest women's match in The Championships.
• In November of 2003, Venus started her own interior design business, V Starr Interiors.
• In 2002 Venus received the Certificate of Achievement from Howard University during the commencement ceremony.  This is the 2nd highest award bestowed by the University, next to an Honorary Degree.
• Week of February 25, 2002, Venus became the 1st African American woman to reach the #1 ranking on the WTA Tour.
• Venus met her sister, Serena, in the finals of the 2001 US Open.  This was the first time in history sisters have made it to the finals of a Grand Slam tournament.
• In 2000, Venus reached a 35 match and 6 title winning streak before falling to Lindsay Davenport in the finals at Linz.
• Named 2000 Sports Woman of the Year by Sports Illustrated.
  Captured her 1st Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon 2000, becoming the 2nd black woman in history to win the title.
• Captured a 2nd career Grand Slam singles title at the 2000 US Open, which her sister, Serena won a year earlier.
• Capped a tremendous year in 2000 by winning the Olympic Gold Medal in singles and doubles.
• In 2000, joined Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Billie Jean King, and Martinal Navratilova as the players who have won both Wimbledon and the US Open in the same year.
• Currently attends fashion design school.  She has also designed a collection of leather apparel that is sold exclusively at Wilson's Leather.
• Defended 1999 Lipton title, defeating Serena in the final.  This was the 1st time sisters met in a WTA Tour final.
• Recorded the fastest serve ever in the WTA Tour history at the 1998 Zurich tournament with a 128 mph ace on match point over Mary Pierce in the quarterfinals.
• By winning the 1999 French Open doubles title with Serena, the duo became the 1st sisters to win a Grand Slam crown together in the 20th century. 

Venus Williams Career Highlights

2005 Wimbledon (singles) - Champion
2005 Istanbul Cup (singles)  - Champion
2004 J & S Cup (singles) - Champion
2004 Family Circle Cup (singles) - Champion
2003 Australian Open (singles) - Finalist
2003 Australian Open (doubles) - Champion
2003 Wimbledon (singles) - Finalist
2002 US Open (singles) - Finalist
2002 Wimbledon (singles) - Finalist
2002 Wimbledon (doubles) - Champion
2002 French Open (singles) - Finalist
2002 Bausch and Lomb (singles) - Champion
2002 Proximus Diamond Games (singles) - Champion
2002 Gaz De France (singles) - Champion
2002 Thalgo Australian Women's Hardcourts (singles) - Champion
2001 US Open (singles) - Champion
2001 Wimbledon (singles) - Champion
2001 Ericsson Open (singles) - Champion
2001 Australian Open (doubles) - Champion
2000 Wimbledon (singles & doubles) - Champion
2000 US Open (singles) - Champion
2000 Olympics (singles & doubles) - Champion
1999 French Open (doubles) - Champion
1999 US Open (doubles) - Champion
1999 Oklahoma City (singles) - Champion
1999 Miami (singles) - Champion
1999 Hamburg (singles) - Champion
1999 Italian Open (singles) - Champion
1999 New Haven (singles) - Champion
1999 Zurich (singles) - Champion
1998 Oklahoma City (singles & doubles) - Champion
1998 Miami (singles) - Champion
1998 Grand Slam Cup (singles) - Champion
1997 US Open (singles) - Finalist

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