Challenges Faced by Venus Williams: Obstacles and Turning Points

A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped Venus Williams's life and career.

Venus Williams is a highly accomplished American tennis player. She has achieved the world No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles, holding the top spot for 11 and 8 weeks, respectively. Williams has won 49 WTA singles titles, including seven Grand Slam titles. In doubles, she has secured 22 titles, including 16 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals. She is considered one of the greatest tennis players in the history of the sport.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1994: First Grand Slam Retirement Since 1994

At the Australian Open in 2011, Venus Williams retired in the second game of her third round match, marking her first retirement during a match in a Grand Slam tournament since 1994.

1997: Exited Wimbledon Prior to Quarterfinals

In 1997, Venus Williams exited Wimbledon prior to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1997, losing in a controversial second-round match to Karolina Šprem after an umpire error.

1997: Lowest Finish Since Playing Full-Time on WTA Tour

In 1997, Venus Williams finished the season as No. 46, her lowest finish since she began to play on the WTA Tour full-time in 1997, and it was the second consecutive year she finished higher than her sister Serena, who finished the year at No. 95.

1997: US Open Final

In 1997, Venus Williams reached the US Open final, where she lost to Martina Hingis.

2000: Missed First Five Months of the Year

In 2000, Venus Williams missed the first five months of the year due to tendinitis in both wrists.

2003: Major Finals streak ends

Venus Williams reached four consecutive major finals between 2002 and 2003, but lost each time to Serena.

2004: First Retirement Since 2004

At the Australian Open in 2011, Venus Williams retired in the second game of her third round match, marking her first retirement from a match since the LA Women's Championships in Los Angeles in 2004.

2004: Inconsistent Results and Australian Open

In 2004, Venus Williams experienced inconsistent results after returning to the tour. As the third seed due to a protected ranking, she reached the third round of the Australian Open, where she lost to Lisa Raymond, and then lost in the quarterfinals of her next three tournaments.

2004: Athens Olympics and US Open

In 2004, as the defending champion at the Athens Olympics, Venus Williams lost in the third round to Mary Pierce. She then lost in the fourth round of the 2004 US Open to Davenport, marking the first time she had lost at the US Open prior to the semifinals. Venus completed the year by losing in the quarterfinals of three indoor tournaments, including a defeat to Maria Sharapova at the Zurich Open.

2005: Loss to Clijsters at Stanford and US Open

In 2005, Venus Williams reached her fourth final of the year in Stanford, where she lost to Clijsters. At the 2005 US Open, she won against sister Serena in the fourth round but lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Kim Clijsters. She finished the year ranked No. 10.

2005: Australian Open and Antwerp Final

In 2005, Venus Williams started the year by losing in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Alicia Molik. She then reached the final in Antwerp, defeating Clijsters and Myskina en route, but eventually lost to Mauresmo after being up a set and a service break.

2006: Injury struggles continue

Between 2003 and 2006, Venus Williams suffered from injuries and won just one major title.

2006: Early Loss at Australian Open and Wrist Injury

In 2006, Venus Williams experienced an upset in the first round of the Australian Open by Tsvetana Pironkova, marking her earliest loss at that tournament. Following the loss, she was sidelined for three months due to a wrist injury, returning in late April on clay in Warsaw.

2006: First Grand Slam Loss Since 2006

In 2012, Venus Williams lost in the first round at Wimbledon in straight sets. This was the first time she lost in the first round of a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.

2007: Korea Open Title and Anemia Problems

In 2007, Venus Williams reached her first major semifinal outside of Wimbledon since 2003 at the US Open, losing to Henin. She then won the Korea Open in Seoul, defeating Kirilenko in the final, before losing in the final of the Japan Open in Tokyo to Razzano. She withdrew from the WTA Championships due to anemia.

2009: Lost to Serena at WTA Tour Championships

In 2009, Venus Williams lost to her sister Serena in two sets in the semifinals of Charleston, marking their first meeting since the 2009 WTA Tour Championships.

2009: Tour Championships Final Appearance

In 2009, Venus Williams, the defending champion, advanced to the semi-final in the Tour Championships. After defeating Jelena Janković, she reached the final, losing to her sister Serena Williams.

2010: Year-End Ranking and Injury

Due to a left knee injury, Venus Williams missed the rest of 2010. She ended the year ranked fifth in singles, the first time she ended a year in the top five since 2002, and 11th in doubles.

2011: Diagnosis of Sjögren Syndrome

In 2011, Venus Williams withdrew from the US Open after being diagnosed with Sjögren syndrome, an autoimmune disease. As a result, her ranking dropped to one-hundred and five.

2012: Earliest Wimbledon exit since 2012

Williams's loss to Coco Gauff at Wimbledon 2019 matched 2012 as her earliest Wimbledon exit.

2013: 2013 Season Performances

In 2013, Venus Williams participated in several tournaments, including the Roger's Cup, Western and Southern Open, US Open, Pan Pacific Open, China Open, and Kremlin Cup, with varying results, ultimately ending her season early due to injury.

2013: Withdrawal from Wimbledon Championships

In 2013, Venus Williams withdrew from the Wimbledon Championships due to a back injury, marking the first time she missed Wimbledon in her career.

2013: Failed to finish season inside top 20 since 2013

In 2018, Williams finished the season ranked No. 40, the first time since 2013 she failed to finish the season inside the top 20.

2014: Victories and Loss at Rogers Cup

In 2014, Venus Williams had a notable run at the Rogers Cup, including defeating her sister Serena Williams, but ultimately lost in the championship match to Agnieszka Radwańska.

2014: Performance at Bell Challenge and Wuhan Open

In 2014, Venus Williams reached the final of the Bell Challenge in Quebec and participated in the Wuhan Open where she lost in the first round.

2015: US Open Series and US Open Performance

In 2015, Venus Williams participated in the Rogers Cup and Cincinnati Open, later reaching the quarterfinals of the US Open where she lost to her sister Serena Williams.

2016: US Open

At the 2016 US Open, Venus Williams surpassed Amy Frazier's record with the most major appearances at 71. She was seeded in the top ten at all four Grand Slam tournaments for the first time since 2010. After winning her first three matches, she lost in the fourth round to Karolína Plíšková.

2016: Rio Summer Olympics

In 2016, Venus Williams failed to medal in both singles and doubles events at the Rio Summer Olympics, with first-round exits in both. However, she won a silver medal in mixed doubles with Rajeev Ram, making her the only female player besides Kathleen McKane Godfree to win a medal in all three events, sharing the record for most Olympic medals won in tennis with Godfree.

2017: 2017 Season Highlights

In 2017, Venus Williams started the season in Auckland, withdrew due to a right arm pain. Reached Australian Open final for the first time since 2003, losing to Serena. She won her first match at Indian Wells since 2001. She also scored her first top-ten win since 2015, against Svetlana Kuznetsova, and reached the Miami Open Semifinals since 2010.

2017: 2017 US Open Series and US Open

In 2017, during the US Open Series, Venus Williams lost to Elina Svitolina at the Canadian Open and Ashleigh Barty at Cincinnati. At the US Open, she reached the semifinals, losing to Sloane Stephens, and returned to the top five in the WTA rankings.

2018: 2018 Season Start and Australian Open

In 2018, Venus Williams started the season at the Sydney International, losing to Angelique Kerber. At the Australian Open, she lost to Belinda Bencic in the first round, ending her streak of seven consecutive appearances in the second week of the Grand Slams.

2018: 2018 US Open and Season Conclusion

In 2018, at the US Open, Venus Williams lost to Serena in the third round. She withdrew from the Wuhan Open and China Open and finished the season ranked No. 40.

August 2020: Return to Tournament Play and Rankings

In August 2020, Venus Williams returned to tournament play at the Top Seed Open, where she lost to Serena in the second round. Following the Western & Southern Open, Williams dropped to No. 67 in the WTA rankings.

2020: Withdrawals from Brisbane and Adelaide International

Williams was scheduled to start her 2020 season at the Brisbane International but withdrew before the tournament began. She also had to withdraw from the Adelaide International.