Venus Williams

**Venus Ebony Starr Williams** (born June 17, 1980) is an American professional tennis player. William is a former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles, Williams is often said to be one of the all-time greats of the sport of tennis. She is also an Olympic gold medalist who has won 7 Grand Slam titles.  She was ranked World No. 24 as of October 22, 2012 in singles. In January 2026, she competed in the Australian Open at age 45. This made her the oldest player to ever appear in a women's singles match at the Australian Open.

Williams is the older sister of Serena Williams. Serena has also been ranked as number one in the world. The Williams sisters' are well known for their power games. Venus holds the record for the fastest serve by a female player in a main draw match (128.8 mph).

## Personal life

In 2003, the sister and personal assistant to Venus Williams, Yetunde Price, was shot dead in Compton, California near the courts on which the sisters once practiced. Shortly after her death, the Williams' family stated their personal distress and grief over the event; declaring her an invaluable "confidante".

On December 13, 2007, Williams got her associate degree in fashion design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.

In 2011, Williams was forced to stop playing in the US Open before her second-round match after she learned she had Sjögren's syndrome. After she learned this, Williams started following a vegan diet and lowered the amount of calories and sugars in her diet.

In 2015, Williams got a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Indiana University East. She began studying for the degree in 2011 through an agreement between the university and the Women's Tennis Association. The agreement lets athletes play tennis professionally while studying online. Williams has said that she wants to earn a MBA (masters) as well.

Williams is a Jehovah's Witness.

### Relationships

Williams has dated golfer Hank Kuehne. They were seen together from 2007 until 2010. In 2012, she met Cuban model Elio Pis. They dated until 2015. She dated publishing heir Nicholas Hammond for two years until 2019.

### 2017 car accident

On June 9, 2017, Williams was in an accident in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. A car collided with her SUV as she was driving through an intersection. The accident caused the death of a 78-year-old man and injured another person in the other vehicle. When the accident happened, Police said that Williams was "at fault". After they reviewed the surveillance video, they said that she had not caused it.

On December 21, 2017, authorities said that the accident had occurred after Williams' vehicle was unlawfully cut off by an unidentified driver of a third vehicle. A nearby surveillance camera showed that this was not true. Authorities said the accident was caused by the unidentified third driver, not by Williams.

## Records and achievements

- Records in _italics_ are currently active streaks.

|Championship|Years|Record accomplished|Player tied|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1997 French Open – 2021 Wimbledon|1997–2021|Most appearances (90) in Grand Slam singles draw|Stands alone|
|1999 French Open – 2016 Wimbledon|1999–2016|First 14 Grand Slam doubles finals won (with Serena Williams)|Serena Williams|
|2002 French Open – 2003 Australian Open|2002–2003|Four consecutive runner-up finishes|Stands alone|
|2002 French Open – 2003 Australian Open|2002–2003|Four consecutive runner-up finishes to the same player (Serena Williams)|Stands alone|
|2003 Australian Open – 2017 Australian Open|2003–2017|14 years between first and last final|Chris Evert Serena Williams|
|2000 Wimbledon – 2017 Wimbledon|2000–2017|17 years between first and last final|Serena Williams|
|Wimbledon|2005|Longest women's singles final|Lindsay Davenport|
|Wimbledon|2007|Lowest-ranked champion (31st)|Stands alone|
|Wimbledon|2007|Lowest-seeded champion (23rd)|Stands alone|
|Wimbledon|2008|Fastest serve by a woman (129 mph)|Stands alone|
|US Open|2007|Fastest serve by a woman (129 mph)|Stands alone|
|Summer Olympics|2000–2012|4 Olympic gold medals|Serena Williams|
|Summer Olympics|2000–2016|5 Olympic finals|Stands alone|
|Summer Olympics|2000–2012|3 doubles Olympic gold medals (with Serena Williams)|Serena Williams|
|Summer Olympics|2000–2016|Most Olympic medals won by a male or female player (5)|Kathleen McKane Godfree|
|Summer Olympics|2000–2016|Has won an Olympic medal in all three events (singles, doubles & mixed)|Kathleen McKane Godfree|
|Summer Olympics|2000–2016|Has won an Olympic medal at four Olympic Games|Stands alone|
|Miami Open|1998–2002|22 consecutive singles matches won at this tournament|Steffi Graf|
|Dubai Tennis Championships|2009–2015|16 consecutive singles matches won at this tournament|Stands alone|
|Dubai Tennis Championships|2010–2014|2 consecutive singles titles without dropping a set|Justine Henin|
|Dubai Tennis Championships|2014|Only unseeded player to have won in singles and as a wildcard|Stands alone|
|Connecticut Open|1999–2002|4 consecutive singles titles|Caroline Wozniacki|
|Connecticut Open|1999–2000|2 consecutive singles titles without dropping a set|Stands alone|
|U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships|1998–2007|Most singles titles won at this tournament (3)|Stands alone|
|Southern California Open|1999–2002|4 consecutive singles finals|Tracy Austin|
|Mexican Open|2009–2010|2 consecutive singles titles|Sara Errani Lesia Tsurenko|
|Year-end championships|1998-2008–2015|Won all three title Grand Slam Cup, WTA Finals and WTA Elite Trophy in singles||

## Awards

- 1995
- Sports Image Foundation Award for conducting tennis clinics in low-income areas
- 1997
- WTA Newcomer of the Year
- September's Olympic Committee Female Athlete
- 1998
- Tennis Magazine's Most Improved Player
- 2000
- WTA Player of the Year
- WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
- Sports Illustrated for Women's Sportswoman of the Year
- Teen Choice Awards – Extraordinary Achievement Award
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 62)
- Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year for team sports (with Serena Williams)
- 2001
- Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
- EMMA Best Sport Personality Award
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 57)
- 2002
- Best Female Athlete ESPY Award
- Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 60)
- 2003
- The President's Award of the 34th NAACP Image Awards
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 65)
- 2004
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 1)
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 77)
- 2005
- Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year Award
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 81)
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 3)
- 2006
- Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
- BET's Best Female Athlete of the Year
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 1)
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 90)
- 2007
- Gitanjali Diamond Award
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 3)
- Vogue Magazine Top 10 Best Dressed List for 2007
- 2008
- Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year Award
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 3)
- Anti-Defamation League Americanism Award
- Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year Award
- ITF Women's Doubles World Champion (with Serena Williams)
- WTA Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
- WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
- Doha 21st Century Leaders Awards – Outstanding Leadership
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 77)
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 2)

- 2009
- WTA doubles team of the year (with Serena Williams)
- WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
- 2010
- Caesars Tennis Classic Achievement Award
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 83)
- YWCA GLA Phenomenal Woman of the Year Award
- WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
- Forbes 30 Utterly Inspiring Role Models
- Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (No. 60)
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 2)
- Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service in Professional Sports
- 2011
- Forbes The Celebrity 100 (No. 86)
- TIME Magazine 30 Legends of Women's Tennis
- Forbes Most Powerful Black Women In The U.S. (No. 10)
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 2)
- 2012
- World TeamTennis Finals Most Valuable Player
- WTA Player Service Award
- WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (with Serena Williams)
- 2013
- BET Black Girls Rock! Star Power Award
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 3)
- WTA Player Service Award
- 2014
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 3)
- WTA Fan Favorite Dress (2014 Wimbledon)
- Tennis Magazine Top 10 Matches of 2014 No. 3 (2014 Wimbledon 3rd Round)
- ESPN Tennis Top 10 Women's Matches of 2014 No. 3 (2014 Wimbledon 3rd Round)
- 2015
- US Open Sportsmanship Award
- WTA February Best Dressed Player
- WTA French Open Best Dressed Player
- WTA October Best Dressed Player
- Harris Poll Top 10 Favorite Female Sports Star (No. 3)
- Harris Poll Top 10 Greatest Tennis Player (No. 5)
- WTA Comeback Player of the Year
- WTA Social Fan Favorite – #TBT of the Year
- 2016
- Sports Illustrated Fashionable 50 Athletes
- Nielsen Most Marketable Athletes in the U.S. (No. 6)
- 2017
- ESPN WTA Player of the Year
- Nielsen Most Marketable Athletes in the U.S. (No. 2)
- 2019
- Sports Illustrated Fashionable 50 Athletes

## Infobox (tennis biography)

- **name**: Venus Williams
- **image**: Venus Williams 2012 (cropped).jpg
- **caption**: Williams in 2012
- **residence**: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA
- **birth place**: Lynwood, California, USA
- **college**: Indiana University East (BSBA)
- **height**: 185 cm
- **turnedpro**: October 31, 1994 (aged 14)
- **plays**: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
- **careerprizemoney**: US$42,173,992
* WTA Tour records#WTA career prize money leaders, 2nd in all-time rankings
- **website**: [http://venuswilliams.com/ venuswilliams.com]
- **singlestitles**: 49
- **highestsinglesranking**: List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players, No. **1** (February 25, 2002)
- **currentsinglesranking**: No. 467 (February 7, 2022)
- **australianopenresult**: F (2003 Australian Open – Women's Singles, 2003, 2017 Australian Open – Women's Singles, 2017)
- **frenchopenresult**: F (2002 French Open – Women's Singles, 2002)
- **wimbledonresult**: **W** (2000 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Singles, 2000, 2001 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Singles, 2001, 2005 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Singles, 2005, 2007 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Singles, 2007, 2008 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Singles, 2008)
- **usopenresult**: **W** (2000 US Open – Women's Singles, 2000, 2001 US Open – Women's Singles, 2001)
- **othertournaments**: Yes
- **wtachampionshipsresult**: **W** (2008 WTA Tour Championships, 2008)
- **grandslamcupresult**: **W** (1998 Compaq Grand Slam Cup – Women's Singles, 1998)
- **olympicsresult**: **W** (Tennis at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's singles, 2000)
- **doublestitles**: 22
- **highestdoublesranking**: List of WTA number 1 ranked doubles tennis players, No. **1** (June 7, 2010)
- **currentdoublesranking**: No. 1421 (January 31, 2022)
- **australianopendoublesresult**: **W** (2001 Australian Open – Women's Doubles, 2001, 2003 Australian Open – Women's Doubles, 2003, 2009 Australian Open – Women's Doubles, 2009, 2010 Australian Open – Women's Doubles, 2010)
- **frenchopendoublesresult**: **W** (1999 French Open – Women's Doubles, 1999, 2010 French Open – Women's Doubles, 2010)
- **wimbledondoublesresult**: **W** (2000 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Doubles, 2000, 2002 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Doubles, 2002, 2008 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Doubles, 2008, 2009 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Doubles, 2009, 2012 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Doubles, 2012, 2016 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Doubles, 2016)
- **usopendoublesresult**: **W** (1999 US Open – Women's Doubles, 1999, 2009 US Open – Women's Doubles, 2009)
- **othertournamentsdoubles**: yes
- **olympicsdoublesresult**: **W** (Tennis at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles, 2000, Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles, 2008, Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles, 2012)
- **wtachampionshipsdoublesresult**: SF (2009 WTA Tour Championships, 2009)
- **australianopenmixedresult**: **W** (1998 Australian Open – Mixed Doubles, 1998)
- **frenchopenmixedresult**: **W** (1998 French Open – Mixed Doubles, 1998)
- **wimbledonmixedresult**: F (2006 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed Doubles, 2006)
- **usopenmixedresult**: QF (1998 US Open – Mixed Doubles, 1998)
- **othertournamentsmixeddoubles**: yes
- **olympicmixeddoublesresult**: F (Tennis at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Mixed Doubles, 2016)
- **mixed**: yes
- **mixedtitles**: 2
- **team**: yes
- **fedcupresult**: **W** (1999 Fed Cup, 1999), record 21–4
- **hopmancupresult**: RR (2013 Hopman Cup, 2013)
- **updated**: February 7, 2022
- **medaltemplates-expand**: yes