Venus Williams is an inactive American professional tennis player and a former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles. She has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, five at Wimbledon and two at the U.S. Open. She reached the No. 1 ranking in singles for the first time on February 25, 2002. She is considered one of the all-time greats of women's tennis and with her sister Serena Williams, changed the sport transforming into an era of power and athleticism. Her accomplishments include 16 Grand Slam doubles titles, all with Serena; four Olympic gold medals, one in singles and three in doubles, and 11 WTA doubles titles, ten with Serena; two mixed doubles Grand Slam titles and five WTA singles titles and reaching the finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments. Her most recent Grand Slam final was at the 2017 US Open.
June 17, 1980: Birth of Venus Williams
Venus Ebony Starr Williams was born on June 17, 1980.
1994: Venus Williams Turns Pro
Venus Williams turned professional in 1994.
1994: First Grand Slam Retirement Since 1994
At the 2011 Australian Open, Venus Williams retired from a Grand Slam match for the first time since 1994 due to a hip injury, ending her record of 250 consecutive Grand Slam matches without retirement.
1995: Early Tournament Play
In 1995, Williams participated in three tournaments as a wildcard.
1995: Reebok Endorsement Deal
In 1995, at the age of 14, Venus Williams signed an endorsement deal with Reebok.
1996: Continued Tournament Play
Williams competed in five tournaments in 1996.
April 14, 1997: Enters Top 100
On April 14, 1997, Venus Williams' ranking broke into the top 100.
1997: First Grand Slam Singles Final
Venus Williams reached her first Grand Slam singles final at the 1997 US Open.
1997: First Major Final
Venus Williams reached her first major final at the 1997 US Open.
1997: First Wimbledon Appearance
In 1997, Venus Williams made her debut appearance at Wimbledon.
1997: Wimbledon Loss and Wrist Injury
In 1997, Venus Williams lost at Wimbledon in the third round to Jelena Janković. She didn't participate in the U.S. Open due to a wrist injury and finished the year ranked No. 46, her lowest since 1997, when she started playing full-time on the WTA Tour.
1997: Early Exit from Wimbledon
In 1997, Venus Williams exited Wimbledon before the quarterfinals for the first time since that same year, following a controversial loss to Karolina Šprem.
1997: End of Year Ranking and Exhibitions
In 1997, Venus Williams ended the year ranked No. 102. This marked her first year-end finish outside the top 50. She also played in several exhibition tournaments towards the end of the year.
March 30, 1998: Enters Top 10
On March 30, 1998, Williams entered the top 10 rankings for the first time.
July 27, 1998: Ranking Rise
On July 27, 1998, Venus Williams' ranking rose to No. 5 in the world.
1998: North American Hardcourt Season and US Open
During the 1998 North American hardcourt season, Venus Williams reached the final at Stanford, retired from a quarterfinal match in San Diego due to injury, and made the semifinals of the US Open, marking the first year she reached at least the quarterfinals of all majors.
1998: Mixed Doubles Success and First Doubles Titles
In 1998, Venus and Justin Gimelstob won mixed doubles titles at the Australian and French Opens, while Venus and Serena Williams won their first WTA doubles titles, in Oklahoma City and Zurich.
1998: Battle of the Sexes
In 1998, Venus and Serena Williams participated in a "Battle of the Sexes" match against Karsten Braasch at the Australian Open, where they were both defeated.
1998: Two Mixed Doubles Major Titles
Venus Williams won two mixed doubles major titles in 1998.
August 30, 1999: Ranking Rise and US Open Results
On August 30, 1999, Venus Williams reached a career-high ranking of No. 3. She won the New Haven Open and reached the US Open semifinals, where she lost to Martina Hingis. She also won the US Open women's doubles title with Serena Williams.
1999: Early Tournament Results and Title Defenses
In 1999, Venus Williams lost in the quarterfinals of the Sydney International and Australian Open but won titles in Oklahoma City and Key Biscayne, defeating Serena Williams in the final of the latter, marking the first WTA final contested between two sisters.
2000: Wimbledon, US Open and Olympic Gold
In 2000, Williams won both Wimbledon and the US Open titles, and also won Olympic singles gold at the Sydney Olympics.
2000: Return from Injury and French Open
Venus Williams returned to the tour in 2000 after a five-month break due to wrist tendinitis. She reached the quarterfinals of the French Open.
2000: US Open Victory and Olympic Gold Medals
In 2000, Venus Williams won the US Open, defeating Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport. She also won gold medals in singles and doubles (with Serena) at the Sydney Olympics.
2000: Olympic Doubles Gold
In 2000, Venus and Serena Williams won their first Olympic gold medal in women's doubles.
2000: Olympic Gold Medal and U.S. Open Quarterfinal
In 2000, Venus Williams won a gold medal in women's doubles with her sister Serena at the Sydney Olympics. She also reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open.
2000: Olympic Gold Medals
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Venus Williams won gold medals in both singles and doubles, becoming the second player to achieve this at a single Olympic Games.
2001: U.S. Open and Year-End Ranking
In 2001, Venus Williams won against her sister Serena in the U.S. Open's fourth round but lost in the quarterfinals. She finished the year ranked No. 10, higher than Serena for the first time since that year.
2001: Season Prize Money Leader
Venus Williams led the season in prize money earnings in 2001.
2001: Wimbledon Victory and Grand Slam Title
In 2001, Venus Williams won her third Wimbledon singles title, and her fifth Grand Slam singles title overall. She also reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in two years.
2001: Wimbledon Victory and Doubles Title with Serena
In 2001, Venus Williams won her fifth Wimbledon singles title against her sister Serena. They also won the women's doubles title together.
2001: Wimbledon and US Open Wins
Williams secured victories at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2001.
2001: Indian Wells Win
In 2001, Venus Williams won a match at Indian Wells.
2001: Recognized Among Powerful Women
In 2001, Venus Williams was recognized as one of the 30 most powerful women in America by the Ladies Home Journal.
2001: Australian Open Semifinal and Doubles Career Golden Slam
In 2001, Venus Williams reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and, with Serena, completed a Career Golden Slam in women's doubles.
2001: Indian Wells Boycott
In 2001, Venus Williams boycotted the Indian Wells tournament.
February 2002: Venus Williams Becomes World No. 1
In February 2002, Venus Williams achieved the world No. 1 ranking in singles, becoming the first African American woman to do so in the Open Era.
2002: World No. 1 Ranking and Tournament Wins
In 2002, Venus Williams achieved the world No. 1 ranking for the first time, becoming the first African-American woman to do so. She won tournaments in Gold Coast, Paris, and Antwerp.
2002: Top 5 Finish
In 2002, Venus Williams finished the year in the top 5 for the first time since that year.
2002: Venus Williams's World No. 1 Ranking
In 2002, Venus Williams held the World No. 1 ranking in women's tennis for 11 weeks.
2002: Head-to-Head Lead Against Serena
In 2002, Venus Williams took the lead in career matches against her sister Serena for the first time since that year.
May 2003: Williams Sisters at Top 2
In May 2003, Venus Williams reached the No. 2 ranking, marking the fourth time the Williams sisters occupied the top two spots.
2003: Wimbledon Victory, Grand Slam Title, and Doubles Win
In 2003, Venus Williams won her seventh Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon by defeating her sister Serena. This was their first Grand Slam final against each other since 2003 and Venus' first Grand Slam final win against Serena since 2001. They also won the women's doubles title, their first together since 2003.
2003: First Grand Slam Absence Since 2003 US Open
Venus Williams' absence from the 2011 French Open marked the first Grand Slam tournament without either Williams sister since the 2003 US Open.
2003: Return to two slam finals
The 2017 Wimbledon marked the first time since 2003 that Venus Williams reached two Grand Slam finals in a single season.
2003: Death of Yetunde Price
In 2003, Yetunde Price, Venus and Serena Williams's older sister and personal assistant, was tragically shot and killed in Compton, California.
2003: U.S. Open Quarterfinal Loss to Serena
In 2003, Venus Williams lost to Serena in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, despite playing well.
2003: Australian Open Quarterfinal Win
In 2003, Venus Williams won a quarterfinal match at the Australian Open.
2003: Australian Open Quarterfinal
In 2003, Venus Williams reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time since that year.
2003: Australian Open Final and Doubles Title
In 2003, Venus Williams reached the Australian Open final, losing to Serena. They also won the women's doubles title. This marked the first time in the Open Era where the same two players met in four consecutive Grand Slam finals. Coincidentally, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic later matched this record between 2011-2012.
2003: U.S. Open Semifinal and Record Serve
In 2003, Venus Williams reached her first Grand Slam semifinal outside of Wimbledon since that same year and set a Grand-Slam record 129 mph serve.
2003: Start of Injury Struggles
From 2003 onwards, Williams began to experience injury setbacks.
2003: Return to Top 3 Ranking
In 2003, Venus Williams reached the semifinals in Rome, leading to her return to the top 3 ranking for the first time since that year.
2004: Svetlana Kuznetsova Wins U.S. Open
Svetlana Kuznetsova won the U.S. Open in 2004, a tournament that Venus Williams participated in.
2004: First Match Retirement Since 2004
Venus Williams retired from a match at the 2011 Australian Open, her first retirement since 2004, ending a streak of 294 consecutive matches without retiring.
2004: Return to Tour and Inconsistent Results
Venus Williams returned to the tour in 2004 with a protected ranking but faced inconsistent results, reaching the third round of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals of three subsequent tournaments.
2005: Return to Competition and Wimbledon Win
In 2005, Venus Williams returned after missing the Australian Open to win her first title in over a year at Wimbledon.
2005: Wimbledon Victory and Record
In 2005, Venus Williams won her sixth Wimbledon final, becoming the lowest-seeded Wimbledon champion, a record she previously set in 2005.
2005: Ranked Among Best Tennis Players
In 2005, Tennis Magazine ranked Venus Williams as the 25th-best player of the past 40 years.
2005: Bangalore Open Semifinal and Match Against Serena
In 2005, Venus Williams reached the semifinals at the Bangalore Open, where she played against her sister Serena for the first time since that year.
2005: Plays for Delaware Smash
In 2005, Venus Williams played for the Delaware Smash in World TeamTennis.
2005: Williams' Performance in 2005
In 2005, Venus Williams lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Alicia Molik, reached the final in Antwerp but lost to Mauresmo.
2005: Advocacy for equal prize money
In 2005, Venus Williams advocated for equal prize money for women in tennis, particularly at the French Open and Wimbledon, which still had unequal pay structures.
2006: Continued Injury Troubles
Williams' injury problems persisted until 2006.
2006: Joins Philadelphia Freedoms and Wins King Trophy
Venus Williams began playing for the Philadelphia Freedoms in 2006 and won her first King Trophy.
2006: Australian Open Upset and Injury
In 2006, Venus Williams suffered her earliest-ever loss at the Australian Open, losing to Tsvetana Pironkova in the first round. A wrist injury caused her to be out of action for three months.
2006: Essay on gender equality in tennis
In 2006, Venus Williams published an essay in The Times advocating for equal prize money, which garnered significant support and put pressure on Wimbledon.
2006: 2006 Australian Open
In 2006, Venus Williams participated in the Australian Open.
2006: French Open and Doubles Ranking
In 2006, Venus Williams advanced past the third round of the French Open for the first time since that year. She and Serena also won the doubles title, achieving the No. 1 doubles ranking and becoming the sixth and seventh women to hold the No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles.
February 2007: Wimbledon and French Open award equal prize money
In February 2007, due in large part to Venus Williams's advocacy, Wimbledon announced equal prize money for men and women, followed by the French Open.
2007: Associate degree in fashion design
In 2007, Venus Williams earned an associate degree in fashion design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.
2007: Wimbledon Final and Doubles Victory
In 2007, Venus Williams reached her eighth Wimbledon final, having won 34 straight sets since Wimbledon of that year. She lost the final to her sister Serena but won the doubles tournament with her.
2007: Australian Open Withdrawal and Comeback
In 2007, Venus Williams withdrew from the Australian Open but returned to win the Cellular South Cup in Memphis.
2007: Fastest Serve Recorded
Williams recorded her fastest serve at the 2007 US Open.
2007: Wimbledon Victory
Williams returned to form and won Wimbledon in 2007.
2007: First woman to benefit from equal prize money at Wimbledon
In 2007, Venus Williams became the first woman to benefit from equal prize money at Wimbledon after winning the tournament.
2007: EleVen Fashion Line Launch
In 2007, Venus Williams partnered with Steve & Barry's to launch her fashion line, EleVen.
2008: Second Olympic Doubles Gold
The Williams sisters won their second Olympic gold medal in women's doubles in 2008.
2008: Continues with Philadelphia Freedoms
Venus Williams played her last season with the Philadelphia Freedoms in World TeamTennis in 2008.
2008: Victory against Serena Williams
In 2008, Venus Williams last defeated her sister Serena in straight sets at the Wimbledon Championships final, almost a decade before their match at Indian Wells in 2018.
2008: Australian Open Quarterfinal and Loss to Ivanovic
In 2008, Venus Williams, seeded eighth, reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open but lost to Ana Ivanovic.
2008: Venus Williams' 2008 Season Highlights
In 2008, Venus Williams achieved several milestones. She reached the semifinals at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix after defeating Dinara Safina, won the Zurich Open by beating Flavia Pennetta, and triumphed at the WTA Tour Championships in Doha, defeating top-ranked players like Jelena Janković and Vera Zvonareva. She finished the year ranked No. 6.
June 2009: Forbes' Powerful Celebrities List
In June 2009, Venus Williams was ranked 77th on Forbes magazine's list of the 100 Most Powerful Celebrities.
August 2009: Miami Dolphins Ownership
In August 2009, Venus and Serena Williams became minority owners of the Miami Dolphins, marking them as the first African-American women to own an NFL franchise.
2009: WTA Finals Finalist
In 2009, Venus Williams reached the finals at the year-end championships which she did again in 2017, where she faced Caroline Wozniacki.
2009: Year-End Ranking
Venus Williams finished 2009 ranked No. 6 in singles and No. 3 in doubles with Serena, despite playing only six doubles events together.
2009: Venus Williams' 2009 Season Highlights
In 2009, Venus Williams won the women's doubles title at the Australian Open with her sister Serena. She also claimed singles titles at the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Abierto Mexicano in Acapulco, marking her 40th professional singles title.
2009: Wimbledon Final
Venus Williams reached the Wimbledon final in 2009.
2009: 2009 WTA Tour Championships
In 2009, Venus Williams participated in the WTA Tour Championships.
2009: Victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova
In 2009, Venus Williams achieved a victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova.
2009: Victory over Dinara Safina
In 2009 at Wimbledon, Venus Williams defeated Dinara Safina in the semifinals.
2009: Year-End Tour Championships
At the 2009 year-end Tour Championships, Venus Williams reached the final for the second consecutive year but lost to Serena. In doubles, she and Serena reached the semifinals.
2009: US Open Doubles Title
At the 2009 US Open, Venus and Serena Williams won the doubles title, defeating defending champions Cara Black and Liezel Huber.
2009: Wimbledon Semifinal
In 2009, Venus Williams made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon.
June 7, 2010: Doubles World No. 1
On June 7, 2010, Venus and Serena Williams became the world No. 1 doubles team after completing a non-calendar year Grand Slam at the French Open.
June 2010: "Come to Win" Book Release
In June 2010, Venus Williams co-authored and released her first book, "Come to Win; On How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession," which became a New York Times Best Seller.
2010: Grand Slam Seeding
In 2010, Venus Williams was seeded in the top ten at all four Grand Slam tournaments.
2010: Return to World No. 2 and Further Injuries
Williams regained the world No. 2 ranking in 2010, but subsequently faced further injuries.
2010: US Open Semifinal
Venus Williams reached the semifinals of the US Open in 2010.
2010: Joins Washington Kastles
Venus Williams joined the Washington Kastles in World TeamTennis in 2010.
2010: U.S. Open Performance
In 2010, Venus Williams reached the third round of the U.S. Open.
2010: US Open Semifinal
In 2010, Venus Williams reached the semifinals of the US Open, becoming one of only two women to reach at least the fourth round of all four Grand Slam singles tournaments that year.
2010: Reaching the Second Week of All Majors
In 2010, Venus Williams reached the second week of all major tournaments for the first time and also reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open, which she did again in 2017.
2010: US Open Quarterfinals
In 2010, Venus Williams reached the quarterfinals of the US Open.
2010: French Open Fourth Round
In 2010, Venus Williams reached the fourth round of the French Open for the first time since that year.
2010: WTA Finals Qualification
In 2010, Venus Williams qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time since that year.
2010: 2010 Wimbledon Doubles with Serena
In 2010, Venus Williams paired with her sister Serena for the doubles competition at Wimbledon.
2010: Top 20 Finish
In 2010, Venus Williams finished the year ranked inside the top 20.
2010: Venus Williams' 2010 Season Highlights
In 2010, Venus Williams achieved notable victories and faced tough competition. She finished as runner-up in Auckland, lost in the first round of the Australian Open, and reached the second round in Doha. However, she won her biggest title since 2010 in Dubai, defeating several top-40 players. She also experienced losses in Miami, Charleston, the Italian Open, and the French Open. At Wimbledon, she lost to eventual champion Petra Kvitová in a hard-fought match, taking a set off Kvitová.
2010: End of Year Ranking and Injury
Due to a knee injury, Venus Williams missed the latter half of 2010, including the WTA Championships and Fed Cup final. She finished the year ranked fifth in singles, her first top-five finish since 2002, despite playing only nine tournaments.
January 2011: Return to Top 5
In January 2011, Venus Williams had not yet reached top 5 ranking, something she would do later in 2017 following the U.S. Open.
June 2011: "30 Legends of Women's Tennis"
In June 2011, Time magazine named Venus Williams one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future."
2011: Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis and dietary changes
In 2011, Venus Williams withdrew from the US Open due to a Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis. Following this, she adopted a vegan diet and modified her calorie and sugar intake.
2011: Wins King Trophy with Kastles
Venus Williams won the King Trophy with the Washington Kastles in 2011.
2011: Sjogren's Syndrome Diagnosis
Venus Williams was diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome in 2011.
2011: Lowest ranking since 2011
In 2021, Venus Williams dropped out of the top 100 in May, before the French Open. This was her lowest ranking since 2011.
2011: Nadal-Djokovic Rivalry
Between Wimbledon 2011 and the French Open 2012, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic met in four consecutive Grand Slam finals, matching the record set by Venus and Serena Williams.
2011: 2011 US Open and Diagnosis
In 2011, Venus Williams withdrew from the Rogers Cup and Western & Southern Open due to illness. At the US Open, she withdrew before her second-round match after being diagnosed with Sjögren syndrome.
2011: Return to Top 10
In 2011, Venus Williams re-entered the top 10 of the WTA rankings.
2011: Australian Open Performance as Top 10 Player
In 2011, Venus Williams played in the Australian Open as a top-10 player.
2011: 2011 Wimbledon Championships
In 2011, Venus Williams participated in Wimbledon. She won her second and third round matches but lost in the fourth round against Tsvetana Pironkova.
2011: Wimbledon Warmup
2011 was the last year before 2019 that Venus Williams played a Wimbledon warmup event. In 2019, she accepted a wildcard into the Birmingham Classic.
2011: Wimbledon Performance
In 2011, Venus Williams reached the second week of the Wimbledon Championships.
2012: Wins King Trophy and WTT Final MVP
Venus Williams won the King Trophy with the Kastles and was named WTT Final MVP in 2012.
2012: Grand Slam Doubles Final
Venus and Serena Williams competed in a Grand Slam Doubles final in 2012.
2012: Third Olympic Doubles Gold
Venus and Serena Williams achieved their third Olympic gold medal in women's doubles in 2012.
2012: Earliest Wimbledon Exit
Venus Williams's loss at Wimbledon 2019 matched her earliest exit at the tournament in 2012.
2012: V Starr Interiors and Design Projects
In 2012, Venus Williams, as CEO of her interior design firm V Starr Interiors, took on notable design projects including the set of the Tavis Smiley Show and Olympic athletes' apartments for New York City's 2012 Olympic bid.
2012: Rome Quarterfinal
Venus Williams reached the quarterfinals in Rome in 2012.
2012: Relationship with Elio Pis
Venus Williams began dating Cuban model Elio Pis in 2012 after hiring him as a model for her clothing line. They dated until 2015.
2012: Nadal-Djokovic Rivalry Continued
The four consecutive Grand Slam finals between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic concluded at the 2012 French Open.
2012: EleVen at New York Fashion Week
In 2012, Venus Williams's fashion line, EleVen, debuted at New York Fashion Week, featuring athletes as models.
2012: 2012 London Olympics
In 2012, Venus Williams competed in the London Olympics, reaching the third round in singles and winning the gold medal in doubles with Serena.
July 2, 2013: Documentary on fight for equality
On July 2, 2013, a documentary titled "Venus Vs." about Venus Williams's fight for equal prize money in tennis premiered as part of the Nine for IX series.
2013: US Open and other tournaments
In 2013, Venus Williams played in various tournaments. She reached the second round at the US Open and the semifinals at the Pan Pacific Open.
2013: Charleston, Fed Cup, and French Open
In 2013, Venus Williams played in Charleston, reaching the semifinals. She also participated in the Fed Cup and the French Open.
2013: 2013 Hopman Cup
In 2013, Venus Williams participated in the Hopman Cup, representing the USA alongside John Isner. They played against South Africa, France, and Spain.
2013: Top 20 Finish
2013 marked the last year until 2018 when Venus Williams finished the season inside the top 20.
2014: Venus Williams' 2014 Season Highlights
During the 2014 season, Venus Williams achieved several key victories. At the Standford Classic, she secured her first Top-10 victory of the year against Victoria Azarenka. In the Rogers Cup, she reached the semifinals by defeating top players like Angelique Kerber and Carla Suárez Navarro, and notably, her sister Serena Williams, marking her first victory over Serena since 2009. She ultimately finished as runner-up in the tournament. Williams also competed in the Cincinnati Open and the U.S. Open, reaching the third round in the latter.
2014: Gradual Return to Form
From 2014, Williams began a gradual return to form.
2014: Venus Williams' 2014 Season: Bell Challenge and Other Tournaments
In 2014, Venus Williams participated in several tournaments, including the Bell Challenge in Quebec, where she reached the final. She also competed in the Wuhan Open and the China Open, withdrawing before the third round of the latter. Additionally, she joined the Bangalore Raptors team for the inaugural Champions Tennis League in India.
2014: US Open Doubles
In 2014, Venus and Serena Williams won a doubles match at the US Open.
2014: Fastest Serve Record Until 2014
Up to 2014, Venus Williams held the record for the fastest serve on the WTA Tour.
2014: Wins King Trophy with Kastles
Venus Williams won the King Trophy with the Washington Kastles in 2014.
2015: End of relationship with Elio Pis
Venus Williams's relationship with Elio Pis ended in 2015.
2015: Wins King Trophy with Kastles
Venus Williams won her fourth King Trophy with the Washington Kastles in 2015.
2015: Venus Williams' 2015 Season Highlights
In 2015, Venus Williams won the Auckland Open, marking her 46th career singles title. At the Australian Open, she reached the quarterfinals, her best Grand Slam result since the 2010 US Open. She continued competing in various tournaments including the Dubai Tennis Championships, Qatar Open, and Miami Open, securing wins against top-ranked players like Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwańska.
2015: Return to Indian Wells
In 2015, Serena Williams returned to Indian Wells after a 14-year absence due to a 2001 controversy where she and her father were booed. Venus had withdrawn from a semifinal match against Serena due to injury, leading to negative reactions from the crowd.
September 2016: WADA Database Leak Response
In September 2016, Venus Williams confirmed the use of banned substances under TUEs in response to the WADA database leak.
2016: Olympic Silver Medal and Record
By winning a silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Venus Williams became the first tennis player to win a medal at four Olympic Games and the first in the Open Era to win a medal in all three Olympic tennis events (singles, doubles, and mixed).
2016: Venus Williams' 2016 Season: Early Tournament Results
In 2016, Venus Williams began her season at the World Tennis Thailand Championship, an exhibition event. She then competed at the Auckland Open as the defending champion but lost in the first round. At the Australian Open, she also lost in the first round. Following this, she participated in the Fed Cup, helping the USA team secure a victory over Poland. She then won the Taiwan Open, her 49th career title.
2016: Rio Olympics
Venus Williams competed in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in mixed doubles.
2016: Mixed Doubles Silver
Venus Williams won a silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2016 Olympics.
December 21, 2017: Cleared of Fault in Car Accident
On December 21, 2017, authorities concluded that Venus Williams was not at fault for the June 9, 2017 car accident, attributing the cause to an unidentified third driver.
2017: Season Prize Money Leader
Williams again topped the season prize money list in 2017.
2017: Wimbledon Final and Record
With her appearance in the 2017 Wimbledon singles final, Venus Williams set the record for the longest time between a player's first and most recent Grand Slam singles final appearances.
2017: Major Final Appearances
Williams reached two major finals, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, in 2017.
2017: Returns to Kastles
Venus Williams returned to the Washington Kastles in World TeamTennis in 2017.
2017: First Top Five Win Since 2017 WTA Finals
Venus Williams achieved her first top-five win since the 2017 WTA Finals at the 2019 Indian Wells tournament, defeating Petra Kvitová.
2017: Wimbledon 2017
In 2017, Venus Williams reached the Wimbledon final, defeating players like Naomi Osaka and Johanna Konta along the way. This was her ninth Wimbledon final and marked her second appearance in the top 10 in 2017. She ultimately lost to Garbiñe Muguruza.
2017: U.S. Open 2017
During the 2017 U.S. Open, Williams reached the semifinals, guaranteeing her return to the top five in the WTA rankings. She also reached the second week of all majors for the first time since 2010.
2017: Australian Open Final
Venus Williams reached the Australian Open final in 2017, where she lost to her sister Serena.
2018: Parting with David Witt
At the end of the 2018 season, Venus Williams parted ways with her long-time coach, David Witt.
2018: Ranked Among Best Female Players
In 2018, Tennis Magazine ranked Venus Williams as the eighth-best female player of the Open Era.
2018: Early Australian Open Exit
In 2018, Venus Williams lost in the first round of the Australian Open to Belinda Bencic, ending her streak of seven consecutive appearances in the second week of Grand Slams.
2019: Serena Williams Surpasses Record
Serena Williams surpassed Venus's record for the longest gap between first and most recent Grand Slam singles final appearances at the 2019 US Open.
2019: Start of 2019 Season
Venus Williams began her 2019 season with an exhibition match victory against Serena at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
2019: Plays with Kastles
Venus Williams played with the Washington Kastles in 2019.
2019: End of relationship with Nicholas Hammond
Venus Williams's relationship with Nicholas Hammond ended in 2019 after two years of dating.
May 2020: Ranked Among Greatest Female Players
In May 2020, both the Tennis Channel and Newsday ranked Venus Williams as the eighth-greatest female player of all time.
August 2020: Drop in WTA Rankings
Following the Western & Southern Open in August 2020, Venus Williams dropped to no. 67 in the WTA rankings.
2020: Withdrawal from Brisbane and Adelaide
Venus Williams withdrew from both the Brisbane International and the Adelaide International before they began in 2020.
2020: Announced to Join Kastles
It was announced that Venus Williams would be joining the Washington Kastles for the 2020 WTT season.
2021: Record for Grand Slam Tournaments Played
At the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, Venus Williams extended her record as the all-time leader in Grand Slam tournaments played.
2021: Start of 2021 season and struggles
In 2021, Venus Williams began her season at the Yarra Valley Classic, reaching the second round. She also competed in the Australian Open, reaching the second round. However, she experienced a five-match losing streak afterwards and dropped out of the top 100, her lowest ranking since 2011.
March 2022: Career Prize Money Winnings Exceed $42 Million
By March 2022, Venus Williams' career prize money earnings surpassed US$42 million.
2022: US Open participation and doubles retirement
In 2022, Venus Williams received a wildcard for the US Open singles, losing in the first round. She partnered with Serena Williams for the doubles competition, where their first-round match was historically the first doubles match to be given the nighttime slot on Center Court. Following this tournament and Serena's retirement, Venus retired from doubles competition.
2023: Grass court season and Wimbledon
In 2023, Venus Williams competed in various grass court tournaments, including Rosmalen, Birmingham, and Wimbledon. She achieved her first victory as a 43-year-old player, defeating a top 50 opponent for the first time in four years. However, injuries continued to hamper her performance.
2023: 100th US Open match and lopsided loss
In 2023, Venus Williams played her 100th US Open match in the first round. However, she suffered a significant loss against qualifier Greet Minnen.
2023: Auckland Open and Australian Open withdrawal
In 2023, Venus Williams started her 30th year on the WTA Tour by participating in the Auckland Open. She won her first-round match but was injured during her second-round match. Consequently, she withdrew from the Australian Open and missed the subsequent hard court and clay seasons.
2023: Top 20 victory and "vintage Venus" performance
In 2023, during the hard court swing leading up to the US Open, Venus Williams secured her first Top 20 win in over four years at the Western & Southern Open. Despite losing the match eventually, her first set performance against Zheng Qinwen was described as "vintage Venus".
2023: U.S. Open Update
Information is current through the 2023 U.S. Open.
2023: End of season ranking
Venus Williams ended the 2023 season ranked 412 in the world.