Venus Williams FactFile

Published July 8, 2009
By Staff

VENUS WILLIAMS BIO
Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA
DOB: June 17, 1980
Birthplace: Lynwood, CA, USA
Height: 6' 1" (1.85 m)
Weight: 160 lbs. (72.5 kg)
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Status: Pro (October 31, 1994)
Career Prize Money: $23,767,663

SINGLES
Winner: (41): 2009 - Dubai, Acapulco; 2008 - Wimbledon, Zürich, Tour Championships; 2007 - Memphis, Wimbledon, Seoul; 2005 - Istanbul, Wimbledon; 2004 - Charleston, Warsaw; 2003 - Antwerp; 2002 - Gold Coast, Paris [Indoors], Antwerp, Amelia Island, Stanford, San Diego, New Haven; 2001 - Miami, Hamburg, Wimbledon, San Diego, New Haven, US Open; 2000 - Wimbledon, Stanford, San Diego, New Haven, US Open, Olympics; 1999 - Oklahoma City, Miami, Hamburg, Rome, New Haven, Zürich; 1998 - Oklahoma City, Miami, Grand Slam Cup.
Finalist (23): 2009 - Wimbledon; 2007 - Tokyo [Japan Open]; 2005 - Antwerp, Stanford; 2004 - Berlin, Stanford; 2003 - Australian Open, Warsaw, Wimbledon; 2002 - Hamburg, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open; 2000 - Linz; 1999 - Hannover, Stanford, San Diego, Grand Slam Cup; 1998 - Sydney, Rome, Stanford, Zürich; 1997 - US Open.

DOUBLES
Winner: (14): 2009 - Australian Open, Wimbledon (both w/S.Williams); 2008 - Wimbledon, Olympics (both w/S.Williams); 2003 - Australian Open (w/S.Williams); 2002 - Wimbledon (w/S.Williams); 2001 - Australian Open (w/S.Williams); 2000 - Wimbledon, Olympics (both w/S.Williams); 1999 - Hannover, Roland Garros, US Open (all w/S.Williams); 1998 - Oklahoma City, Zürich (both w/S.Williams).
Finalist (1): San Diego (w/S.Williams).

ADDITIONAL
American Fed Cup Team, 1999, 2003-05, 2007; American Olympic Team, 2000, 2004, 2008.

GRAND SLAM TITLES (18)
Singles (7): 2000, 2001 US Open; 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 Wimbedon
Doubles (9): 2001, 2003, 2009 Australian Open; 1999 French Open; 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009 Wimbledon; 1999 US Open
Mixed Doubles (2): 1998 Australian Open; 1998 French Open

RANKING
Current singles: 3 (6 Jul 2009)
Current doubles: 10 (6 July 2009)
Career-High Singles: No. 1 (February 25, 2002)
Career-High Doubles: No. 5 (October 11, 1999)

ACHIEVEMENTS/AWARDS
- Has reached the finals at all four Slams, winning Wimbledon and the US Open
- One of just 18 player to ever rank No. 1 on the WTA computer
- Individual career milestones include accumulating a 63-0 record in USTA sectional play in Southern California by age 12; and becoming the first African-American (male or female) to rank No.1 in the world on February 25, 2002.
- Career milestones with Serena include becoming the first duo in the Open Era to play each other in four straight Grand Slam singles finals; the first sisters to have each won a Grand Slam singles title; the first sisters to meet in a Tour final (1999 Miami, won by Venus); the first sisters to win Olympic gold in doubles (2000); and the first sisters in the 20th Century to win a Grand Slam doubles title together (they have achieved the feat six times).
- New clothing line is EleVen by Venus Williams, the largest line ever launched by a female athlete (began retailing exclusively at Steve & Barry's in November 2007). For more information, visit www.elevenbyvenus.com.
- In November 2006 was named first Promoter of Gender Equality as per new partnership between UNESCO and Tour aiming to promote women's leadership and gender equality (has since been joined by Golovin and Zheng in the role).
- Official spokesperson for the national VERB campaign to promote physical activity (started by Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the US).
- TV appearances include the Oprah Winfrey Show in November 2002 and March 2005, both with Serena; E! Network's "True Hollywood Story: The Williams Sisters" in May 2004 with Serena; CNN's "People in the News" in September 2004 with Serena; CBS Late Show with David Letterman in August 2003 with Serena; MTV Video Music Awards as presenter for Best Male Video in 2003 with Serena; and ABC Family reality show starring herself and Serena, titled "Venus and Serena: For Real", in July 2005; and in May 2003, was featured as cover story for Ebony magazine, alongside mother and Serena.
- Has co-written two books with Serena, titled "How to Play Tennis" (2004) and "Serving From the Hip: 10 Rules for Living, Loving and Winning" (2005).
- Reebok endorsement contract is largest ever awarded to a female athlete.
- Awards and recognitions received include Sports Image Foundation Award in 1995 for conducting tennis clinics in low-income areas; Tour Most Impressive Newcomer Award and September's Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Month, both in 1997; Tennis Magazine's Most Improved Player in 1998; Tour Player of the Year Award, Tour Doubles Team of the Year Award (with Serena), Sports Illustrated for Women's Sportswoman of the Year, Teen Awards Achievement Award, Women's Sports Foundation's Athlete of the Year Award and Laureus Sports Award, all in 2000; was also one of five tennis players ranked on the Forbes Magazine "Power 100 in Fame and Fortune" list in 2000, at No.62 (Hingis was No.51, Kournikova No.58, Seles No.66 and Serena No.68; no other female athletes made the list); Tour Player of the Month four times and ranked No.25 in the Ladies' Home Journal's "30 Most Powerful Women in America" in 2001; ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete and Best Female Tennis Player in 2002 (for her play in 2001); President's Award at the 34th NAACP Image Awards with Serena in 2003; was also ranked No.4 on Sports Business Daily's "Top 10 Most Marketable Female Athletes" (behind Serena, Annika Sorenstam and Mia Hamm) in 2003; reappeared on the Forbes Magazine "Power 100 in Fame and Fortune" list in 2004, at No.77 (S.Williams, Henin, Kournikova and Clijsters also made list); and ESPY Best Female Tennis Player of Year Award in 2006 (other nominees were Mauresmo, Clijsters and Henin).
- In 2004, as part of Family Circle Cup Community Outreach program, the tournament donated $20,000 in Venus' name to the Charleston County School of the Arts, the Minority Business Development program and Dress-for-Success.

PERSONAL
Coached by father Richard Williams and mother Oracene Price; also works with trainer Kerrie Brooks ... Full name is Venus Ebony Starr Williams ... Sisters are Serena, Isha (lawyer, singer), Lyndrea (actress, singer, stylist, computer science major) and Yetunde (deceased September 14, 2003); is a Jehovah's Witness, along with sisters and mother ... Started V Starr Interiors, an interior design company in Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter, Florida, specializing in residential design; works on projects around US (www.vstarrinteriors.com) ... Designs a line of women's leather apparel for Wilson's Leather called the Venus Williams Collection ... Loves Asian antiques, dancing, writing poetry, reading, sewing, studying new subjects, getting the mail and receiving packages, being at home and playing the guitar ... Enjoys art, especially that of young emerging artists, and appreciates the styles of artists all around the world ... After tennis would like to continue her careers in interior design, fashion design, and would like to take up choreography and music production ... Favorites include the Bible, musical act 311, the TV show The Golden Girls and the color green.

OTHER
www.venuswilliams.com
Venus Williams on Twitter