Word went out that there was a ten year old who was 63-0 and ranked number one in the 12s in Southern California, that she could hit
the tennis ball hard with the best of them and that her serve was already out of
this world.Venus Williams was a famous tennis prodigy by age ten. During that time, her father and coach Richard Wiliams was saying that
her younger sister Serena Williams would be even better.
In her first professional tournaments Williams remained standing during
the ninety second changeovers perhaps in a nod to yesteryears.
In 1997 at age 17 in her US Open debut, Venus Williams reached the
final round before losing to one of her greatest rivals Martina Hingis of Switzerland.
In 2000, Williams set the women's record for the fastest serve ever while winning 32 matches in a row and six titles in a row including Wimbledon, the
US Open and the Summer Olympics.
Williams emerged shot for shot as the hardest hitter ever from the baseline on the professional women's tennis tour.
In 2001, Williams won 16 matches in a row including her second singles title at the US Open.
In the following year 2002, Williams lost to her sister Serena Williams in the finals of three grand slams in a row: Roland Garros, Wimbledon
and the US Open.
Williams won her last singles grand slam title at Wimbledon in 2008 before being diagnosed in 2011 with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease which
causes fatigue and muscle and joint pain.
profile by Ken Miller | as of Wednesday, November 17, 2021
