Venus Williams's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Venus Williams.

Venus Williams is an American tennis player who has achieved world No. 1 rankings in both singles and doubles. She has secured 49 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including seven Grand Slam titles, and an Olympic gold medal in singles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In doubles, she has won 22 titles, including 16 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1975: Chris Evert

In 1975, Chris Evert held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

1976: Evonne Goolagong

In 1976, Evonne Goolagong held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis for 2 weeks.

1978: Martina Navratilova

In 1978, Martina Navratilova held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

1980: Tracy Austin

In 1980, Tracy Austin held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis for 22 weeks.

1985: Chris Evert

In 1985, Chris Evert held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

1987: Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf

In 1987, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

1991: Monica Seles

In 1991, Monica Seles held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

1994: First Grand Slam Retirement Since 1994

At the 2011 Australian Open, Venus Williams retired in the second game of her third round match, ending her record of most Grand Slam matches without ever retiring since 1994.

1995: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

In 1995, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis for 12 weeks.

1996: Monica Seles

In 1996, Monica Seles held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

1997: Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis

In 1997, Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

1997: Longest Span Between Grand Slam Final Appearances

In 1997, Venus Williams reached her first Grand Slam singles final at the US Open. In 2017, she set the Open era record for the longest span (20 years) between grand slam singles final appearances.

1998: Lindsay Davenport

In 1998, Lindsay Davenport held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

1998: Mixed Doubles Grand Slam & Women's Doubles Titles

In 1998, Venus Williams, with Justin Gimelstob, won the mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and the French Open, contributing to a "Williams Family Mixed Doubles Grand Slam." She also won her first two women's doubles titles with her sister Serena.

1999: Defended titles in Oklahoma City and Key Biscayne

In 1999, Venus Williams successfully defended her titles in both Oklahoma City and Key Biscayne, where she defeated her sister in three sets in the first final on the WTA Tour to be contested by two sisters.

2000: Olympic Gold Medals

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Venus Williams became only the second player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles at one Olympic Games.

2000: Wimbledon and Olympic Gold

In 2000, Venus Williams claimed the Wimbledon title and Olympic singles gold at the Sydney Olympics.

2000: Venus Williams Sydney Olympic gold medal

In 2000, Venus Williams had won together at the Sydney Olympics. At the 2008 Olympics she again won gold with her sister Serena.

2000: Olympic Gold Medal at Sydney Olympics

In 2000, Venus Williams won an Olympic gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in singles. She also won a gold medal in women's doubles with her sister Serena.

2000: US Open Victory and Olympic Gold Medals

In 2000, at the US Open, Venus Williams defeated No. 1 Hingis and No. 2 Davenport to win the title. She also won gold medals in singles and women's doubles at the Sydney Olympics. She finished the year ranked world No. 3.

2001: Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriati

In 2001, Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriati held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2001: US Open Title

In 2001, Venus Williams claimed the US Open title.

2001: Venus Williams ranked higher than Serena.

In 2001, Venus Williams ranked higher than her sister Serena Williams.

2001: Australian Open Semifinal and Doubles Title

In 2001, Venus Williams reached the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time, losing to No. 1 Hingis. However, she teamed with her sister to win the doubles title at the event, completing a Career Golden Slam in women's doubles for the pair.

2001: Most Powerful Women in America

In 2001, Venus Williams was named among the 30 most powerful women in America by the Ladies Home Journal.

2001: Venus Williams wins US Open

In 2001, Venus Williams won the US Open singles title for the second consecutive year without dropping a set. She defeated Clijsters, Capriati, and her sister Serena in the final, marking the first Grand Slam singles final contested by two sisters during the open era. Venus also became only the sixth woman in history to win the singles titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open in consecutive years.

2001: Venus Williams wins Wimbledon after saving match point

In 2001, Venus Williams won the Wimbledon Championships, defeating defending champion Maria Sharapova in the semifinals and top-seeded Davenport in the final. Venus saved a match point with a backhand winner. This was her third Wimbledon singles title, her fifth Grand Slam singles title overall and her first since 2001. It was the first time in 70 years that a player had won after being down match point during the women's final at Wimbledon.

February 2002: First African American Woman to reach World No. 1

In February 2002, Venus Williams reached the singles world No. 1 ranking, becoming the first African American woman to do so in the Open era.

2002: Venus and Serena Williams

In 2002, Venus Williams held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis for 11 weeks and Serena Williams also held the same ranking.

2002: Venus Williams becomes World No. 1

On February 25, 2002, Venus Williams assumed the world No. 1 position for the first time, dislodging Capriati. Venus was the first African-American woman ever to hold the ranking. She held it for just three weeks before surrendering it back to Capriati.

2003: Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin

In 2003, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2003: Venus Williams reaches Australian Open Final and wins doubles title

In 2003, Venus Williams defeated Justine Henin to reach the final of the Australian Open for the first time, where she lost to her sister Serena. Venus and Serena Williams teamed up to win the women's doubles title at the event, their sixth Grand Slam title in women's doubles.

2004: Amélie Mauresmo

In 2004, Amélie Mauresmo held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2005: Maria Sharapova

In 2005, Maria Sharapova held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2005: Tennis Magazine Ranking

In 2005, Tennis Magazine ranked Venus Williams as the 25th-best player of the past 40 years.

2005: Contextual Title

In 2005, Venus Williams had a Wimbledon victory

2005: Venus Williams sets low record

In 2005, Venus Williams set a record as the lowest-seeded Wimbledon champion in history, which she broke herself in 2007.

2006: Lindsay Davenport

In 2006, Lindsay Davenport held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2006: First King Trophy

In 2006, Venus Williams claimed her first King Trophy with the Philadelphia Freedoms.

February 2007: Wimbledon Announces Equal Prize Money

In February 2007, Wimbledon announced it would award equal prize money to all competitors, following pressure from Venus Williams's advocacy and a campaign with the Women's Tennis Association and UNESCO. The French Open followed suit a day later.

2007: Wimbledon Win and Equal Prize Money

In 2007, Venus Williams became the first woman to benefit from the equalization of prize money at Wimbledon, winning the tournament and being awarded the same amount as the male winner, Roger Federer.

2007: Wimbledon Win

In 2007, Venus Williams returned to form, winning Wimbledon.

2007: Venus Williams wins Cellular South Cup in Memphis

In 2007, Venus Williams withdrew from the Australian Open due to her recurring wrist injury. She returned in February at the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, defeating Shahar Pe'er in the final to win her first singles title since her Wimbledon victory in 2005.

2007: Venus Williams wins Wimbledon as lowest-seeded champion

In 2007, Venus Williams, seeded 23rd, won her sixth Wimbledon final by defeating Marion Bartoli in straight sets. Venus became only the fourth woman in the open era to win Wimbledon at least four times and the lowest-seeded Wimbledon champion in history, breaking the record she set in 2005.

2007: Fastest Serve at US Open

Up to 2014, Venus Williams held the record for the fastest serve on the WTA Tour, recorded at the 2007 US Open, at 208 km/h (129 mph).

2007: Wimbledon Straight Sets Streak

Venus Williams held a 34 straight sets streak at Wimbledon which started in 2007.

2008: Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Janković

In 2008, Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Janković held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2008: Winning the Year-Ending Tournament

In 2008, Venus Williams had a remarkable run, starting with defeating Dinara Safina at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart in October to reach the semifinals. She then won the Zurich Open, securing a spot at the WTA Tour Championships in Doha. At the Championships, she defeated top-ranked players and ultimately won the tournament by defeating Vera Zvonareva in the final. She finished the year ranked No. 6 with three titles.

2008: Venus Williams wins gold medal in doubles at Beijing Olympics and loses at US Open

In 2008, Venus Williams lost in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics to Li Na. However, she earned a gold medal along with her sister Serena in women's doubles, their second gold medal as a team. At the 2008 US Open, Venus was defeated in the quarterfinals by Serena Williams.

2008: Olympic Gold Medal in Doubles

In 2008, Venus Williams won an Olympic gold medal in women's doubles.

2008: Venus Williams wins Wimbledon singles and doubles titles

In 2008, Venus Williams won her fifth Wimbledon singles title and seventh Grand Slam singles title overall by defeating her sister Serena in the final, marking their first Grand Slam final since 2003. Venus and Serena Williams then teamed to win the women's doubles title, their first Grand Slam doubles title together since 2003.

June 2009: Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities

In June 2009, Venus Williams was named 77th in the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities list compiled by Forbes magazine.

2009: Jelena Janković and Dinara Safina

In 2009, Jelena Janković and Dinara Safina held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2009: Winning Australian Open Doubles Title and Singles Success

In 2009, Venus Williams, partnered with her sister Serena, won the Australian Open women's doubles title, marking their eighth Grand Slam doubles title together. In February, she won the Dubai Tennis Championships, defeating top players including her sister Serena, and then won the Abierto Mexicano in Acapulco, marking her first clay title since 2005. This success put her in the top five rankings for the first time since 2003 and marked her 40th professional singles title.

2009: Defeated Dinara Safina at Wimbledon 2009

In 2009, Venus defeated Dinara Safina at Wimbledon. It was also the first time since 2009 that Williams had beaten her younger sister Serena.

June 7, 2010: World No. 1 in Doubles

On June 7, 2010, Venus Williams became the world No. 1 in doubles for the first time, alongside Serena, after the pair completed a non-calendar-year Grand Slam at the French Open.

2010: Caroline Wozniacki

In 2010, Caroline Wozniacki held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2010: Madrid Open Title in 2010

In 2010, Venus Williams won her biggest title since the Madrid Open.

2010: Doubles Competition With Serena at Wimbledon

In 2012, Venus Williams returned to doubles competition alongside her sister Serena at Wimbledon for the first time since 2010 Wimbledon, leading to their fifth Wimbledon doubles title.

June 2011: "30 Legends of Women's Tennis"

In June 2011, Venus Williams was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by Time.

2011: Kim Clijsters

In 2011, Kim Clijsters held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2011: Historical context for consecutive Grand Slam finals.

In 2011, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic matched Venus and Serena Williams' record by meeting in four consecutive Grand Slam finals, starting from Wimbledon 2011 through the French Open 2012.

2012: Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka

In 2012, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2012: Historical context for consecutive Grand Slam finals.

In 2012, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic matched Venus and Serena Williams' record by meeting in four consecutive Grand Slam finals, starting from Wimbledon 2011 through the French Open 2012.

2012: Winning Third Gold Medal in Doubles at London Olympics

In 2012, Venus Williams participated in the London Olympics, reaching the third round in singles and winning her third gold medal in doubles with her sister Serena. This victory made the Williams sisters the most decorated Olympic tennis players.

2012: Olympic Gold Medal in Doubles

In 2012, Venus Williams won an Olympic gold medal in women's doubles.

2012: Won Major Title with Serena Since 2012

In the doubles tournament, Venus and Serena Williams won their 14th major title together and sixth at Wimbledon since 2012.

2013: Victoria Azarenka

In 2013, Victoria Azarenka held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2014: King Trophies with Kastles

In 2014, Venus Williams won King Trophies with the Kastles

2014: End of Fastest Serve Record

Up to 2014, Venus Williams held the record for the fastest serve on the WTA Tour, recorded at the 2007 US Open, at 208 km/h (129 mph).

2015: Won 46th Career Singles Title in 2015

In 2015, Venus Williams won her 46th career singles title at the Auckland Open and reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open.

2015: Fifth King Trophy with Kastles

In 2015, Venus Williams won her fifth King Trophy with the Washington Kastles.

2016: Olympic Medal Record

After winning silver in mixed doubles at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Venus Williams became the first tennis player to win a medal at four Olympic Games, as well as the first player in the Open Era to win an Olympic medal in all three events (singles, doubles, mixed).

2016: US Open Major Appearances Record

At the 2016 US Open, Venus Williams broke the record for the most major appearances, surpassing Amy Frazier's record of 71. She was seeded in the top ten at all four Grand Slam tournaments for the first time since 2010. She reached the fourth round before losing to Karolína Plíšková.

2016: Angelique Kerber

In 2016, Angelique Kerber held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2016: 2016 Season Start and Taiwan Open Title

In 2016, Venus Williams started the season with losses in exhibition and official tournaments but later won the Taiwan Open, earning her 49th career title.

2016: Olympic Silver Medal in Mixed Doubles

In 2016, Venus Williams won a mixed doubles silver medal.

2016: Rio Summer Olympics

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

2017: Serena Williams, Karolína Plíšková, Garbiñe Muguruza and Simona Halep

In 2017, Serena Williams, Karolína Plíšková, Garbiñe Muguruza and Simona Halep held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2017: Longest Time Between Major Singles Finals

With her run to the 2017 Wimbledon singles final, Venus Williams claimed the record for the longest time between a player's first and most recent major singles finals appearances.

2018: Caroline Wozniacki

In 2018, Caroline Wozniacki held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2018: Tennis Magazine Ranking

In 2018, Tennis Magazine ranked Venus Williams as the eighth-best female player of the Open Era.

2019: Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep and Ashleigh Barty

In 2019, Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep and Ashleigh Barty held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2019: Record Surpassed by Serena Williams

The record for the longest time between a player's first and most recent major singles finals appearances was later surpassed by her sister Serena at the 2019 US Open.

May 2020: All-Time Ranking

In May 2020, both the Tennis Channel and Newsday ranked Venus Williams as the eighth-greatest female player of all time.

2021: All-Time Grand Slam Leader

At the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, Venus Williams extended her record as the all-time leader in Grand Slam tournaments played, with 90.

2021: 2021 Season

In 2021, Venus Williams started the season at the Yarra Valley Classic, where she won against Arantxa Rus, but lost to Petra Kvitová. She also reached the second round of the Australian Open. After a five-match losing streak, her ranking dropped out of the top 100 in May. She lost in the first round of the French Open to Ekaterina Alexandrova. At Wimbledon, after receiving a wildcard entry, she won her first round match against Mihaela Buzărnescu. This marked her record breaking 90th Grand Slam appearance and her 90th match win at Wimbledon.

2022: Ashleigh Barty and Iga Świątek

In 2022, Ashleigh Barty and Iga Świątek held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2023: Aryna Sabalenka

In 2023, Aryna Sabalenka held the world No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.

2023: 2023 Season Struggles

In 2023, Venus Williams received a wildcard at the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships but lost in the first round. She won her first match as a 43-year-old at the Birmingham Classic, defeating Camilla Giorgi, marking her first victory over a top 50 player in almost four years. However, she lost in the second round and suffered a knee injury at Wimbledon, expressing frustration over the impact of injuries on her form.