Venus Williams

Biography

Venus Williams arrived first, blazing the trail that Serena would follow. Her serve was the weapon that changed women's tennis - 129 mph at Wimbledon 2008 remains one of the fastest ever recorded by a woman. Five Wimbledon titles established her as the queen of grass, her long limbs and aggressive style perfectly suited to the surface. But her most significant victory came off the court: her years-long fight for equal prize money at Wimbledon and the French Open. When she finally won that battle in 2007, it changed tennis forever. The auto-immune disease that threatened to end her career instead became another obstacle she overcame, playing into her 40s while managing Sjögren's syndrome. As the older sister, she cleared the path; as a champion, she stood on her own merits.

Career Highlights

• 7 Grand Slam singles titles
• 5 Wimbledon titles
• 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with Serena
• Fought for equal prize money at Wimbledon
• 4 Olympic Gold Medals

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