Venus Ebony Starr Williams was born on June 17, 1980, in Lynwood, California, United States. The athlete, who stands 1.85 meters tall, is right-handed. Under the guidance and coaching of her father Richard Williams, she began preparing for a professional tennis career at a young age alongside her sister Serena Williams. During her childhood, Williams looked up to tennis players such as Pete Sampras, Boris Becker, and Monica Seles; in later years, she cited Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Gael Monfils, and Bernard Tomic as her favorites.
Williams, along with her mother and siblings Serena, Isha, Lyndrea, and Yetunde, is a Jehovah’s Witness. Yetunde passed away on September 14, 2003. Beyond her family, Williams has diverse interests including art, Asian antiques, poetry writing, guitar playing, dancing, sewing, spending time at home, and receiving mail and packages. She also enjoys karaoke and prefers singing songs such as “6 Underground” by Sneaker Pimps, “Stupid Girl” by Garbage, “Call Me” by Blondie, “Gold Dust Woman” by Fleetwood Mac, “Tom Sawyer” by Rush, and “Barracuda” by Heart. Among her favorite books are Pittacus Lore’s “I Am Number Four,” Brandon Mull’s “Fablehaven” series, J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series, comic books (especially DC Comics), and the Bible. Her favorite cities are Palm Beach Gardens, Rome, Hong Kong, and Paris; her favorite designers are Ralph Lauren, Armani, Matthew Williamson, and Dolce & Gabbana.
Diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome in 2011, Williams adopted a vegan and raw food diet to reduce inflammation and energy loss caused by the condition, describing herself as “cheagan.” In addition to her sports career, she has engaged in entrepreneurial activities, founding the interior design company V Starr Interiors and the apparel brand EleVen. She has also published several works, including her 2010 book “Come To Win.”
Williams made her debut on the WTA main draw in Oakland in 1994 at the age of 14, turning professional. In 1997, she gained attention as the first unseeded player to reach a Grand Slam final at the US Open. She won her first WTA title in Memphis in 1998 and in 2000 became the first female tennis player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles in the same year, claiming singles gold at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Sydney Olympics.
Throughout her career, she has won 49 singles and 22 doubles titles, along with two Grand Slam titles in mixed doubles. She faced her sister Serena in four Grand Slam singles finals and won consecutive titles at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2000–2001. In 2002, she rose to world No. 1 in singles and held the ranking for 11 weeks. In doubles, she reached No. 1 in 2010 and remained at the top for eight weeks.
In Olympic competition, Williams has won a total of four gold medals and one silver medal, making her the most decorated tennis player in Olympic history. She won the singles gold medal at Sydney 2000 and the doubles gold medals with Serena Williams at Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008, and London 2012. She earned a silver medal in mixed doubles at Rio 2016.
Following her 2011 health diagnosis, Williams was forced to take several breaks from her career but achieved significant successes such as winning the 2015 WTA Elite Trophy and the 2016 Kaohsiung title. In 2017, she returned to major tournaments by reaching the finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon and finished as runner-up at the WTA Finals that year. In the 2018 and 2019 seasons, she reached the upper rankings at tournaments including Indian Wells, Miami, Birmingham, and Cincinnati.
In 2022, she competed in Washington DC, Toronto, Cincinnati, and the US Open. In 2023, she reached the finals in Auckland, Birmingham, and the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati. In the 2024 season, she won titles at Indian Wells and Miami.
Professional Career
Later Years and Legacy
