2. PROFILE
A Model Player
She has been the elder half of one of the greatest stories in tennis history. Along with her sister
Serena, she has been a dominant force in the sport for 15 years. Nick Rice talks to Venus
Williams about life on and off the court.
Venus Williams exhibits the kind of self-assurance Funktionslust – meaning to take pleasure in what one
that comes with true confidence in one’s own does best, like a cat climbing a tree or a bird gliding.
abilities. It’s certainly a self-belief that has borne For Williams it may be an exquisite two-handed
results. She has won Wimbledon five times, taken cross-court backhand or a blistering forehand topspin
three Olympic Gold medals and amassed a fortune smashed down the line. Without doubt that sense
in prize money and endorsements. of fulfilment and sheer pleasure must surface when
Since joining the Women’s Tennis Association tour she unleashes the most devastating women’s serve in
in 1994 Williams has won 41 WTA titles, 18 Grand the sport. Chalk dust puffing up as a blur of yellow
Slam titles and in 2000 she managed a remarkable passes at 129 miles per hour.
feat by winning Wimbledon, the US Open and For someone who admits to having 15-minute
two Olympic medals. She has been a formidable naps prior to facing her competitors, it’s obvious
opponent for all that have faced her. Her 6’1 frame she does not suffer from the high tension and frayed
and natural athleticism give Williams an overbearing nerves that competing at the world’s highest level
court presence and her explosive power and frenetic can bring. She is as relaxed off the court as she is
Opposite page: ground coverage has often dispatched the game’s composed on it.
Poolside or best contenders, her younger sister included. Williams may have relinquished the mantle of
courtside, Venus
Williams likes to There’s a German word that comes to mind being the world number one to her 15-month
look her best. when considering how she plays the game today. younger sister, but she doesn’t seem overly
January 2010 29
3. PROFILE
concerned. She is smiley, somehow feline, and
comes across as very comfortable with who she is.
Now that Williams is older her horizons have
naturally broadened and she has invested time in
her education. She studied fashion design at the
Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and developed her
own fashion brand, EleVen, named after the home
address in California where she grew up. The EleVen
range, which Williams has astutely modelled herself
in competition, launched in 2007 and comprises a
range of active wear and footwear which all retails
below $20. The business has clearly been another
aspiration fulfilled for Williams. “I love fashion and
the idea that I am using my design education to
actually create clothing and footwear that I will wear
on and off the tennis court is a dream come true
GETTY IMAGES
for me.” Her diversification into other areas doesn’t
end there. Williams is also very involved with the
interior design firm she launched in 2002 and as
CEO she puts in six to eight-hour days when she’s
not on the court, meeting with clients and observing
installation. “Interior design has always been one And doing what God requires of me – that’s always a Above: Williams
is the founder of
of my interests. My company, V Starr Interiors, is learning experience day in and day out.” V Starr Interiors.
now transitioning into the commercial aspect of the At just 29 years old Williams has achieved a great Above left:
business. It has been so fun to start a business from deal in her life and she is quick to acknowledge Williams announces
the launch of her
the ground up.” those who helped her get where she is. As her role new Atheletic Shoe
It is clear that although tennis has been an model Althea Gibson – the first African American and Apparel Line
enduring passion, and one that she still thrives on, woman to triumph at Wimbledon in both ‘57 and called EleVen.
Williams has more than just tennis in her life. Her ‘58 – once said, “No matter what accomplishments
two commercial ventures are an outlet for her flair you make, somebody helps you.”
in design and she also greatly values the religious Help for Williams came from right at home and
aspect of her life, saying, “I would say definitely the was planned before she was even born. Her father,
most important thing in my life is growing spiritually. Richard Williams, was set on having at least one
30 Open Skies
4. PROFILE
GETTY IMAGES
Above: Venus (R) and her sister Isha pose at a press conference
announcing the launch of Venu’s interior design business V Starr
Interiors at the Pacific Design Center.
of his five daughters with his wife Oracene become a
tennis superstar.
He took Venus and Serena to play when they were
around 4 years old and their training began on public
courts in the hostile LA borough of Compton.
When Althea Gibson made history with her first
championship victory at Wimbledon in 1957, Richard
Williams was just 15 years old. Destiny had it that 43
years later it would be his daughter Venus raising the
trophy as the second African American woman to win
the title.
At the time of her first Wimbledon victory in 2000
Venus released a statement honouring Gibson: “I am
grateful to Althea Gibson for having the strength and
courage to break through the racial barriers in tennis.
Althea Gibson was the first African-American woman
to rank number one and win Wimbledon, and I am
honoured to have followed in such great footsteps.”
Althea Gibson also said, “Being champion is all well
and good, but you can’t eat a crown.”
In Gibson’s era there was no prize money and no
lucrative endorsement deals, only exhibition tours.
Williams has had fortune quite literally on her side in
this respect and she has commanded huge sponsorship
deals and earned a career prize money total of over
January 2010 31
5. PROFILE
CORBIS
$25 million. She
was just 15 years
old when she got
her first eight-figure
endorsement deal
with Reebok and she
landed the biggest
IS
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endorsement deal ever
nnis
ced te
for a female athlete five introdu
G ibson rs.
years later in 2000 when Althea ungste
legend inner-city yo
Tennis ds of
Reebok again signed san
to thou
Williams to a 5 year
contract for a reported Above: Following
$40 million. success on the
court, Williams
Although times have is also an
changed and present generations have benefited accomplished
businesswoman.
from the noble struggles of those that came
Above left: Venus
before, there are still the pressing issues of the day with younger sister
and Williams has, on more than one occasion, Serena. Despite
taken a stand and spoken out against the tennis fierce clashes on
the court the two
establishment in defence of her, and her peers’, sisters are the best
beliefs. She was highly effective in lending of friends.
her voice to the ongoing battle led by Billie Jean Left: Williams,
sporting her own
King for gender equality in the sport through brand of sportwear,
equal prize money. celebrates winning
Williams took a stance in 2006 by writing a short another match.
CORBIS
essay to The Times newspaper in London. It was
published on the day before that year’s Wimbledon
and read: “The time has come for Wimbledon meritocracy and diminishes the years of hard work
to do the right thing by paying men and women that women on the tour have put into becoming
the same sums of prize money. How can it be professional tennis players. The message I like to
that Wimbledon finds itself on the wrong side convey to women and girls across the globe is that
of history? How can the words Wimbledon and there is no glass ceiling. My fear is that Wimbledon
inequality be allowed to coexist? I feel so strongly is loudly and clearly sending the opposite message.
that Wimbledon’s stance devalues the principle of I intend to keep doing everything I can until Billie
32 Open Skies
6. PROFILE
Jean’s original dream of equality is made real. It’s a
shame that the name of the greatest tournament in
tennis, an event that should be a positive symbol for
the sport, is tarnished.”
Soon after the article appeared the British Prime
Minister at the time, Tony Blair, endorsed her position
on equal pay. Williams became a spokesperson for the
Women’s Tennis Association and UNESCO asked her to
head a campaign promoting gender equality in sports.
Approximately seven months later Wimbledon
bowed to the pressure and announced it would award
equal prize money to all competitors and the organisers
of The French Open quickly followed suit.
Speaking to Open Skies about how this different kind
of victory made her feel, Williams said, “I knew I was
fighting for something that I truly believed was the right
thing. These kinds of strides that I helped make will last
forever, beyond me being on the court. Anything I can
do to help the sport I play I will try to do so.”
So what does the future hold for Williams? Despite
the growing diversity in her interests, tennis remains
her main focus and she may yet take the number one
spot back from her little sister.
Much has been made of the battles between the two
as they have met in 21 professional matches since 1998.
The score presently stands at 11-10 to Serena. The
matches make for consistently thrilling viewing and the
two give their utmost, but there is a notable sense of it
being a reluctant rivalry, even though the competitive
edge is still there. “Serena is the toughest competitor
there is, so it pushes me to play my best tennis. I enjoy
our battles, but when I beat her I am always sad for her
at the same time as being happy I won.”
Lastly I ask Williams about her thoughts on the
famous quote by the great Jimmy Connors, “I love to
win, but I hate losing more”.
“I think in a way it’s true, but some wins are so
great that I wouldn’t trade them for anything, like
my Olympic gold medals, especially the two I won
in doubles with Serena.”
It is distinctly apparent that their compelling clashes
and the struggle for dominance remains on the court
when the match is over, “Serena and I are extremely
supportive of each other and always want each other
to win. Of course we always want to play each other in
the final so a Williams can always win! But we leave it
all out on the court and as soon as the match is over we
walk off the court and are best friends again.”
Next month Venus returns to Dubai and will
compete to retain her championship at The Barclays
Dubai Tennis Championships Women’s Open, 14th –
20th February 2010. ❖
January 2010 33
