Venus Williams was born on this date in 1980. She is an African American tennis player and entrepreneur.
Born in Lynwood, California, Venus Ebone Starr Williams is the daughter of Richard Williams and Oracene Price and the older sister of Serena Williams. She turned professional tennis player on October 31, 1994. In that match in the second round of her first professional tournament in Oakland, Williams nearly upset the top seed Arantxa Sanchez andVicario before losing the match.
With career singles record of over 400 wins, almost 100 playing doubles, and over 40 combined titles, she is one of the best women tennis players in the world.
As a businesswoman, Williams is the CEO of her interior design firm, “V Starr Interiors,” located in Jupiter, Florida. Williams’ company garnered prominence by designing the set of the “Tavis Smiley Show” and the Olympic athletes apartments as a part of the U.S. bid package for New York to host the 2012 games. V Starr Interiors has also designed residences and businesses in the Palm Beach, Florida area.
Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title, ironically on the 50th anniversary of Althea Gibson becoming the first Black woman to win that tournament. The heavily favored Williams won, surprising finalist Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-1 for her sixth Grand Slam title.
Written by Dianne Washington