Venus Williams's Success and Achievements in Timeline

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

Venus Williams is a highly accomplished American professional tennis player. She has achieved the world No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles. Her impressive career includes 49 WTA Tour-level singles titles, with seven being major championships. She's also an Olympic gold medalist in singles (2000) and has won the WTA Tour Championships (2008). In doubles, she has secured 22 titles, including 14 majors and three Olympic gold medals, highlighting her dominance in both singles and doubles play.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1994: First retirement from a Grand Slam since 1994

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

April 14, 1997: Top 100 Ranking

On April 14, 1997, Venus Williams was first ranked in the top 100 tennis players.

1997: Unseeded for the first time since 1997

At Wimbledon 2012, Venus Williams was unseeded for the first time since 1997.

1997: First Major Final

In 1997, at the age of 17, Venus Williams reached her first major final at the US Open.

1997: Ranked outside top 50 since 1997

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

March 30, 1998: Top 10 Ranking

On March 30, 1998, Venus Williams achieved her highest world ranking yet, at No. 10.

July 27, 1998: Ranking Rose to World No. 5

On July 27, 1998, Venus Williams' ranking rose to world No. 5.

1998: Mixed Doubles Titles and WTA Doubles Titles

In 1998, Venus Williams and Justin Gimelstob won the mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and the French Open. Venus also won her first two women's doubles titles with her sister Serena.

1998: Finishing the Year Ranked No. 5

In 1998, Venus Williams finished the year ranked No. 5, despite withdrawing from the WTA Tour Championships due to tendonitis.

1998: Quarterfinals of All Majors

In 1998, Venus Williams reached at least the quarterfinals of all major tournaments for the first time in her career.

August 30, 1999: World Ranking Reached Third

On August 30, 1999, Venus Williams' world ranking reached third for the first time. At the 1999 US Open, she lost in the semifinals to Hingis but won the women's doubles title with Serena.

2000: Olympic gold medals in singles and doubles

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: Sydney Olympics Gold Medal

In 2000, Venus Williams won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics.

2000: US Open and Olympic Wins

In 2000, Venus Williams won the US Open, defeating Hingis and Davenport, and also won gold medals in both singles and doubles (with Serena) at the Sydney Summer Olympics.

2000: Wimbledon and US Open Titles and Olympic Gold

In 2000, Venus Williams won the Wimbledon and US Open titles, as well as Olympic singles gold at the Sydney Olympics.

2000: Won gold medal at Sydney Olympics

In 2008, Venus Williams earned a gold medal along with her sister Serena in women's doubles, their second gold medal as a team, having won together at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

2001: Wimbledon and US Open Titles

In 2001, Venus Williams claimed the Wimbledon and US Open titles.

2001: Australian Open Semifinals and Doubles Title

In 2001, Venus Williams reached the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time, losing to Hingis. However, she teamed with her sister to win the doubles title at the event, completing a Career Golden Slam in women's doubles.

2001: Named Among Most Powerful Women in America

In 2001, Venus Williams was recognized as one of the 30 most powerful women in America by the Ladies Home Journal.

2001: Season Prize Money Leader

In 2001, Venus Williams was the season prize money leader.

2001: Won San Diego, New Haven, and US Open titles

In 2001, Venus Williams won the tournaments in San Diego and New Haven for the second consecutive year. Venus also won the 2001 US Open singles title for the second consecutive year, without dropping a set, defeating her sister Serena in the final. She became the sixth woman to win Wimbledon and the US Open in consecutive years.

2001: First time since 2001 that Venus defeated Serena

In 2008, Venus won her fifth Wimbledon singles title, and seventh Grand Slam singles title overall, by beating sister Serena. This was the first time since 2001 that Venus had defeated her in a Grand Slam final.

2001: Defeated Serena Williams Since 2001

In March 2001, at the Miami Open, Venus Williams defeated sister Serena in the quarterfinals, the first time she had defeated her since 2001. In May 2001, she won her first title in over a year at the clay-courts at the İstanbul Cup. At the French Open, she lost in the third round to Sesil Karatantcheva.

2001: Won Wimbledon Championships

Venus Williams won the Wimbledon Championships in 2001. In the quarterfinals, she defeated French Open runner-up Pierce. In the semifinals, she defeated defending champion Maria Sharapova. Playing top-seeded Davenport in the final, Williams saved a match point with a backhand winner en route to winning.

February 25, 2002: World No. 1 Ranking

On February 25, 2002, Venus Williams achieved the singles world No. 1 ranking, the first African-American woman to do so in the Open era.

2002: Leading career matches against Serena

In 2002, Venus Williams led the head-to-head in career matches with her sister Serena for the first time.

2002: Won Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts, Open Gaz de France and Proximus Diamond Games

In 2002, Venus Williams started by winning the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts. She then won the Open Gaz de France in Paris and the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp. As a result of her strong start to the season, on February 25, 2002, Williams assumed the world No. 1 position for the first time.

2002: Won San Diego and New Haven; Runner-up at US Open

In 2002, Venus Williams won the titles in San Diego and New Haven for the third consecutive year. At the 2002 US Open, Williams made the final, playing her younger sister Serena where her sister won. Williams finished the year ranked No. 2 having won seven titles.

2002: Ranked fifth in singles since 2002

In 2010, Venus Williams' knee injury forced her to miss the rest of the year. She ended the year ranked fifth in singles, the first time she ended a year in the top five since 2002.

May 2003: Williams sisters ranked at the top

On May 17, 2010, Venus's ranking improved to No. 2, behind Serena. The Williams sisters occupied the top two spots for the fourth time, and the first time since May 2003.

2003: Top five ranking since 2003

In 2003 Venus was ranked in the top five for the first time since 2003, after winning the Dubai Tennis Championships.

2003: Runner-up at Australian Open & Won Doubles Title

In 2003, Venus Williams lost to her sister Serena in the final of the Australian Open. Venus and Serena Williams teamed to win the women's doubles title at the event, their sixth Grand Slam title in women's doubles.

2003: Ranked in top three for the first time since 2003

In 2003, after reaching the semifinals in Rome, Venus Williams was ranked in the top three for the first time since 2003.

2003: First Grand Slam doubles title together since 2003

In 2008, Venus and Serena Williams won the women's doubles title, their first Grand Slam doubles title together since 2003.

2003: Absence from the Grand Slam tournament since 2003

In 2011, Williams missed the clay court season which caused her ranking to drop to No. 29. Her absence from the French Open marked the first Grand Slam tournament since the 2003 US Open where neither of the Williams sisters were competing.

2004: First retirement since 2004

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

2005: First title on clay since 2005

In 2005 Venus won another title at the Abierto Mexicano in Acapulco, which marked her first title on clay since 2005.

2005: First Title Since Wimbledon

In 2005, Venus William's victory at the Cellular South Cup in Memphis was her first singles title since her victory at Wimbledon in 2005.

2005: Ranked Among Best Players of Past 40 Years

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

2005: Won Wimbledon Championships

Venus Williams won the Wimbledon Championships. Williams was a game away from defeat in her first round match against Alla Kudryavtseva and in her third round match against Akiko Morigami she was two points away from defeat. Williams thus became only the fourth woman in the open era to win Wimbledon at least four times.

2006: First King Trophy with the Philadelphia Freedoms

In 2006, Venus Williams won her first King Trophy with the Philadelphia Freedoms in World TeamTennis.

February 2007: Wimbledon Announces Equal Prize Money

In February 2007, Wimbledon announced it would award equal prize money to all competitors, followed by the French Open a day later. This decision was heavily influenced by Venus Williams' advocacy, and she was hailed as a key figure in achieving this milestone.

2007: Advanced to US Open Semifinal

In 2007, Venus Williams advanced to her first major semifinal outside of Wimbledon since 2003. Williams won her third title of the year at the Korea Open in Seoul, before then losing in the final of the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo. Venus withdrew from the year-ending WTA Championships in Madrid because of continuing problems with anemia.

2007: First Woman to Benefit from Equal Prize Money at Wimbledon

In 2007, Venus Williams became the first woman to receive equal prize money at Wimbledon after winning the tournament, matching the amount awarded to the men's champion, Roger Federer.

2007: Wimbledon Victory

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

2007: Won Cellular South Cup

In 2007, Venus Williams withdrew from the Australian Open. She returned in February at the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, defeating top-seeded Shahar Pe'er in the final, her first singles title since her victory at Wimbledon in 2005.

2007: Winning streak since 2007 Wimbledon

In 2007, prior to her eighth Wimbledon final, Venus Williams had won 34 straight sets since Wimbledon 2007.

2007: Fastest Serve on WTA Tour

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

2008: Olympic Gold Medals in Doubles

In 2008, Venus Williams won Olympic gold medals in women's doubles with Serena.

2008: WTA Tour Championships Title

In 2008, Venus Williams won the WTA Tour Championships.

2008: Defeated Safina at Porsche Tennis Grand Prix

In 2008, at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart in October, Venus Williams defeated No. 3 Dinara Safina. She won the Zurich Open, and won the year-ending tournament for the first time by defeating Vera Zvonareva in the final. Venus ended the year ranked No. 6 with three titles and a winning percentage of 78.

June 2009: Ranked Among Most Powerful Celebrities

In June 2009, Venus Williams was ranked 77th in Forbes magazine's list of the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities.

2009: US Open doubles title

At the 2009 US Open, Venus Williams reached the fourth round in singles and, teamed with Serena Williams, won the doubles title.

2009: Wimbledon Semifinal

At the 2016 Wimbledon Championships, Venus Williams made it to her first Wimbledon semifinal since 2009, losing to Angelique Kerber.

2009: Victory over Dinara Safina at Wimbledon

In 2009, Venus Williams defeated Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championships, marking her 14th victory over a reigning No. 1 player.

2009: 2009 Ranking

In 2009, Venus Williams finished the year ranked No. 6 in singles and No. 3 in doubles with Serena Williams.

2009: 2009 Tour Championship

In 2009, Venus Williams participated in the year-ending Tour Championships. Despite initial losses, she advanced to the semifinal in singles, defeating Jelena Janković. She lost the final against her sister Serena. In doubles, the Williams sisters lost in the semifinal.

2009: Wimbledon Final Appearance

In 2009, Venus Williams reached the Wimbledon final. In 2017, she advanced to her first Grand Slam final since Wimbledon 2009 and her first Australian Open final since 2003.

2009: Australian Open, Dubai Championships and Abierto Mexicano wins

In 2009, at the Australian Open, Venus Williams lost in the second round in singles but won the women's doubles title with her sister Serena. In February 2009, she won the Dubai Tennis Championships, defeating Serena in the semi-finals and Razzano in the final, reaching the top five in rankings for the first time since 2003. Venus also won the Abierto Mexicano in Acapulco, her first clay title since 2005.

2009: First top-3 victory since 2009

In 2012, during the Miami tournament, Venus Williams defeated No. 3 Petra Kvitová, her first top-3 victory since beating Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2009.

2009: Year-End Championships Final Appearance

In 2017, Venus Williams advanced to her first final at the year-end championships since 2009.

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, partnering with Serena, after completing a non-calendar-year Grand Slam at the French Open.

2010: US Open

At the 2016 Wimbledon Championships, Venus Williams made it to her first major semifinal since the 2010 US Open, losing to Angelique Kerber.

2010: Ended year ranked fifth in singles

In 2010, Venus Williams' knee injury forced her to miss the rest of the year. She ended the year ranked fifth in singles, the first time she ended a year in the top five since 2002.

2010: Australian Open & Mexican Open

In 2010, at the Australian Open, Venus Williams lost in the quarterfinals in singles but successfully defended her doubles title with Serena. At the Mexican Open in Acapulco 2010, she won her 43rd career title.

2010: Wimbledon doubles title

In 2012, The Williams sisters claimed their fifth Wimbledon doubles title, in their first tournament since 2010.

2010: US Open Quarterfinals since 2010

In 2015, Venus Williams made it to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time since the 2010 US Open.

2010: WTA Finals Qualification

On September 26, 2017, Venus Williams qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time since 2010, eventually finishing as runner-up to Caroline Wozniacki after being down a set and 0-5 in the final.

June 2011: Named a Legend 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: WTA Comeback Player of the Year Award

After a strong season, Venus Williams became an Alternate for the WTA Finals in Singapore, qualified for the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, won the WTA Elite Trophy, re-entered the top ten for the first time since 2011, and ended the year at No. 7 in the WTA rankings. She was also named the WTA Comeback Player of the Year.

2011: King Trophy with the Washington Kastles

In 2011, Venus Williams won a King Trophy with the Washington Kastles in World TeamTennis.

2011: Matched Open Era Record for Grand Slam Finals

In 2011, it was noted that Venus Williams and Serena Williams marked the first time in the open era that the same two players had met in four consecutive Grand Slam finals.

2011: Miami and Charleston Tournaments

In 2012, Venus Williams participated in the Miami and Charleston tournaments after receiving wildcards. This was her first singles match since the 2011 US Open.

2011: Highest ranking since 2011

In 2017, after her result at the Stanford Classic, Venus Williams ascended to No. 6 in the rankings, her highest position since being diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome in 2011.

2011: Top-10 Player

The 2016 Auckland Open loss was also Venus Williams's first tournament since the 2011 Australian Open as a top-10 player.

2012: Wimbledon Doubles Title

At the 2016 Wimbledon Championships, Venus and Serena Williams advanced to their first major final since 2012. They then won their 14th major title together and sixth at Wimbledon.

2012: Olympic Gold Medals in Doubles

In 2012, Venus Williams won Olympic gold medals in women's doubles with Serena.

2012: King Trophy and WTT Final MVP

In 2012, Venus Williams won a King Trophy with the Washington Kastles and was named the WTT Final MVP.

2012: Matched Open Era Record for Grand Slam Finals

In 2012, it was noted that Venus Williams and Serena Williams marked the first time in the open era that the same two players had met in four consecutive Grand Slam finals.

2013: Winning match in a Fed Cup

In 2013, Venus Williams won a match against Johanna Larsson in Fed Cup, leading the United States to victory over Sweden. However, she withdrew from the Madrid Open and the Wimbledon Championships due to injury.

2013: First Time Since 2013 Finishing Outside Top 20

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

2014: King Trophy with the Washington Kastles

In 2014, Venus Williams won a King Trophy with the Washington Kastles in World TeamTennis.

2014: Grand Slam Doubles Match

In 2016, Venus Williams won her first Grand Slam doubles match with sister Serena Williams since the 2014 US Open.

2014: Return to Form

Starting in 2014, Venus Williams gradually returned to form after injuries.

2014: Retained fastest serve record until 2014

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

2015: 2015 Auckland Open Title and Australian Open Quarterfinals

In 2015, Venus Williams won her 46th career singles title at the Auckland Open. Later that year, she reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open for the first time since the 2010 US Open.

2015: King Trophy with the Washington Kastles

In 2015, Venus Williams won her fourth King Trophy with the Washington Kastles in World TeamTennis.

2016: Silver in mixed doubles at Rio Olympics

After winning silver in mixed doubles with Rajeev Ram 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: 2016 Rio Summer Olympics

At the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, Venus Williams failed to medal in her singles and doubles events but won a silver medal in mixed doubles with Rajeev Ram. This accomplishment made 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.

2016: Mixed Doubles Silver Medal

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

2016: US Open and Major Appearances Record

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

2017: Major Final Appearances

In 2017, Venus Williams made two major final appearances at the Australian Open and Wimbledon Championships.

2017: US Open Series and Semifinal

In 2017, Venus Williams played in the US Open Series, reaching the semifinals of the US Open for the first time since 2010, where she lost to Sloane Stephens. She also reached the second week of all majors in a single season for the first time since 2010.

2017: Australian Open Final and Other Tournaments

In 2017, Venus Williams reached the Australian Open final, losing to her sister Serena. She also competed in other tournaments, including Auckland, St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, Indian Wells Open, and Miami Open, achieving notable wins and losses. She set the Open era record for the longest span (20 years) between grand slam singles final appearances, having first reached a Grand Slam singles final at the 1997 US Open.

2017: Wimbledon Quarterfinal Win and Final Appearance

In 2017, Venus Williams reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the 13th time in her career, defeating Jeļena Ostapenko. She advanced to her ninth Wimbledon final but lost to Garbiñe Muguruza. This marked the first season since 2003 that Williams reached two slam finals, and she gained the No. 9 ranking.

2017: Season Prize Money Leader

In 2017, Venus Williams was the season prize money leader for the second time.

2017: Wimbledon singles final record

In 2017, with her run to the 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: Ranked Among Best Female Players of Open Era

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

2019: Serena surpasses Venus' record at US Open

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

May 2020: Ranked Among Greatest Female Players of All Time

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

2021: Grand Slam Appearance and Wimbledon Win

In 2021, Venus Williams won her first-round match at Wimbledon against Mihaela Buzărnescu, marking her record-breaking 90th Grand Slam appearance and 90th match win at Wimbledon. She also reached the second round of the Australian Open and experienced a five-match losing streak, dropping out of the top 100 for the first time since 2011.

November 2025: Career Prize Money Winnings

As of November 2025, Venus Williams had earned over US$42 million, ranking fourth in all-time career prize money winnings.

2026: Record at Australian Open

At the 2026 Australian Open, Venus Williams extended her record as the all-time leader, male or female, in Grand Slam singles tournaments played, with her 95th appearance.

2026: First Round Eliminations and Combined Age Record

In 2026, Venus Williams was eliminated in the first round of the Auckland Open and the Hobart International. The match at the Hobart International set a record for the highest combined age of a match in WTA Tour history. She also received a wildcard to the Australian Open, where she was eliminated in the first round.