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 achieved the world No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles, holding the top singles spot for 11 weeks. Her impressive career includes 49 WTA Tour-level singles titles, with seven major wins. Williams also excelled in doubles, securing 22 titles, highlighted by 14 majors and three Olympic gold medals. Her success and longevity have solidified her status as a prominent figure in tennis history.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1994: First Retirement During a Match in a Grand Slam Tournament Since 1994

In 2011, at the Australian Open, Venus Williams retired in the second game of her third round match against Andrea Petkovic after sustaining a hip muscle injury in her second round. This was Williams's first retirement during a match in a Grand Slam tournament since 1994.

1997: Williams exits Wimbledon prior to quarterfinals

In 1997, Williams exited Wimbledon prior to the quarterfinals for the first time.

1997: Williams has lowest finish since 1997

In 1997, Williams finished the season at No. 46, her lowest finish since she began to play on the WTA Tour full-time.

1997: Year-End Ranking Outside of Top 50

In 2011, Venus Williams ended the year ranked No. 102. This was her first year-end finish ranked outside of the top 50 since 1997.

1997: Unseeded for the First Time Since 1997

In 2012, at Wimbledon, Venus Williams was unseeded for the first time since 1997 and lost in the first round, which was her first opening round loss at Wimbledon since her debut in 1997. She claimed their fifth Wimbledon doubles title with her sister Serena.

1998: Tendonitis

In 1998, Venus Williams withdrew from the WTA Tour Championships due to tendonitis in her knee. She finished the year ranked No. 5.

2000: Davenport beats Williams at Stanford Classic

In 2000, Lindsay Davenport beat Venus Williams at the Stanford Classic for the first time since 2000.

2000: Wrist Tendinitis

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

2003: Williams lost to Serena at US Open

At the 2008 US Open, Williams was playing some of her best tennis since dominating the circuit in 2003, However, she was defeated in two tiebreaks by Serena Williams.

2003: Major Final Appearances

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

2004: Williams competed at the Athens Olympics and US Open

In 2004, Venus Williams lost in the third round to Mary Pierce at the Athens Olympics and lost to Davenport in the fourth round of the US Open. She finished the year as No. 9.

2004: Williams experiences inconsistent results

In 2004, Williams came back to the tour after an injury suffering inconsistent results.

2004: First Retirement From a Match Since LA Women's Championships in Los Angeles in 2004

In 2011, at the Australian Open, Venus Williams retired in the second game of her third round match against Andrea Petkovic after sustaining a hip muscle injury in her second round. This was also her first retirement from a match since LA Women's Championships in Los Angeles in 2004.

2005: Venus defeated Serena at the US Open

In 2005, Venus Williams defeated Serena Williams at the US Open for her second consecutive win over her sister. Venus did not qualify for the year-ending Tour Championships due to an injury.

2005: Williams loses Antwerp Final

In 2005, Venus Williams reached the final in Antwerp, but lost to Mauresmo after being a set and a service break up.

2006: Injury Struggles

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

2006: Williams Upset at Australian Open and Returns After Injury

In 2006, Venus Williams was upset in the first round of the Australian Open and did not play for three months due to a wrist injury. She returned in late April, reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open.

2006: First Loss in the First Round of a Grand Slam Since 2006

In 2012, at Wimbledon, Venus Williams lost to Elena Vesnina in the first round, making it the first time Venus lost in the first round of a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.

2009: Tour Championships Performance

In 2009, Venus Williams participated in the year-ending Tour Championships as the defending champion. She advanced to the semifinal and then defeated Jelena Janković to advance to her second consecutive final. She lost to her sister Serena in the final. In doubles, she lost in the semifinal. Her doubles record at the end of the year was 24–2.

2010: Return to World No. 2

In 2010, Venus Williams returned to the world No. 2 position in singles but then suffered again from injuries.

2010: Knee Injury and Season End

In 2010, Venus Williams's left knee injury forced her to miss the rest of the year, including the WTA Championships and Fed Cup final. 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: Wimbledon Championships Performance

In 2011, Venus Williams participated in the Wimbledon Championships as the 23rd seed. She defeated María José Martínez Sánchez in the third round but was defeated by Tsvetana Pironkova in the fourth round.

2011: Diagnosis of Sjögren syndrome

In 2011, Venus Williams withdrew from the US Open before her second-round match after being diagnosed with Sjögren syndrome, an autoimmune disease. This marked the first time in her career that she did not reach the quarterfinals or better in any of the Grand Slam tournaments in a season, leading to a drop in her ranking to 105.

2011: Sjögren's Syndrome Diagnosis

In 2011, Venus Williams withdrew from the US Open due to a Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis and subsequently adopted a vegan diet.

2011: Lowest Ranking Since 2011

In 2021, Venus Williams experienced a five-match losing streak and dropped out of the top 100 in May, marking her lowest ranking since 2011 before the French Open.

2012: Earliest Wimbledon exit

In 2012, Williams had her earliest Wimbledon exit after losing against Coco Gauff in a tight two-set match.

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: First time failing to finish the season inside the top 20

In 2013, Venus failed to finish the season inside the top 20.

2013: 2013 US Open and Season End

In 2013, at the Roger's Cup, she lost in the first round. She then played the Western and Southern Open, defeating Jana Čepelová before losing to Elena Vesnina. At the 2013 US Open, she defeated Kirsten Flipkens but was then defeated by Zheng Jie. In doubles with Serena Williams, they reached the semifinals. She also played the Pan Pacific Open and the 2013 China Open in Beijing. Venus withdrew from the 2013 Kremlin Cup in Moscow due to injury, ending her 2013 season.

2016: Breaks record for most major appearances at US Open

At the 2016 US Open, Venus Williams surpassed Amy Frazier's record with her 72nd major appearance. She reached the fourth round, losing to Karolína Plíšková after failing to convert match point.

2016: Failed to medal in singles and doubles events at the Rio Summer Olympics

In 2016, Venus Williams had a disappointing run at the Rio Summer Olympics, failing to medal in both singles and doubles events, marking her worst Olympic exits. However, she and Rajeev Ram won a silver medal in mixed doubles, making Williams the only female player besides Kathleen McKane Godfree to win a medal in all three events. Her five medals tied her with Godfree for the most Olympic medals won in tennis.

June 9, 2017: Car Accident in Palm Beach Gardens

On June 9, 2017, Venus Williams was involved in a car accident in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, resulting in the death of a 78-year-old man and injuries to another person.

2018: 2018 US Open and Season Conclusion

In 2018 at the US Open, Venus Williams suffered a lopsided loss to her sister Serena in the third round. She withdrew from the Wuhan Open and China Open, citing physical readiness issues, and also pulled out of the Luxembourg Open due to a knee injury. She finished the season ranked No. 40.

2018: 2018 Season Start and Australian Open Performance

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

2019: 2019 Season Start

In 2019, Venus Williams began her season with an exhibition match against Serena at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. She then played in the ASB Classic in Auckland, where she was seeded sixth and lost in the quarterfinals to Bianca Andreescu. At the Australian Open, she lost to Simona Halep in the third round.

August 2020: WTA Rankings drop

Following the Western & Southern Open tournament in August 2020, Venus Williams dropped to No. 67 in the WTA rankings.

2020: Withdrawals from Brisbane and Adelaide International

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

2023: Injury-Plagued Season

In 2023, Venus Williams had an injury-plagued season.

2023: Injuries and Wimbledon Loss

In 2023, Venus Williams lost in the first round at the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships. She won her first match as a 43-year-old at the Birmingham Classic, marking her first victory over a top 50 player in almost four years. She later lost in the second round and received a medical timeout due to injuries. At the 2023 Wimbledon, she lost in the first round and suffered a serious knee injury, expressing frustration with her improving form being affected by injuries.

2023: Injury and Withdrawal from Australian Open

In 2023, Venus Williams received a wildcard for the Auckland Open and won her first match. She then withdrew from the Australian Open due to an injury sustained during her second round match in Auckland, causing her to miss the rest of the hard court swing and the clay season.