Venus Williams – Wimbledon Ladies’ Tennis Player

Defending champion and winner of no less than four Wimbledon titles, Venus Williams has to be the favourite going into the 2008 season. The only variables that could possible stop the tall American from claiming her fifth Wimbledon singles title is her ongoing battle with anaemia, and the form and fight of some of the other top ladies’ contenders.

Since the 2007 US Open, when Williams was defeated in a closely contested semi-final match with Belgian and world number one, Justine Henin, she has been battling with dizziness. The problem was allegedly diagnosed as chronic anaemia, and the former world number one has had to pull out of several matches, including the year-end WTA Championships.

What makes Venus Williams, Wimbledon ladies’ tennis player, such an enduring champion at the All England Club is that on two occasions in 2005 and 2007 she has won the title as the lowest seed in Wimbledon’s history! Her fighting spirit is remarkable and her triumphs at Wimbledon are an accolade to this tenacity. Make no mistake - the lady has heaps of talent too.

Williams probably reached her peak in 2001 when she won an unprecedented seven titles including her second US Open and Wimbledon singles crown. Up to that point she and sister, Serena, had been totally dominant on the doubles scene – they lifted Olympic gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

In 2002 she emulated some of her earlier success by claiming six titles, none of which were Grand Slams, and thereon in her career, together with sister, Serena’s, took a major dive. Their older sister was murdered during the 2003 season and neither of the girls really fully recovered, as their professional careers have shown.

Venus Williams’ highlights package:

• In 1998 she reached at least the quarterfinals of all four Grand Slams.
• In 1999 she and sister, Serena, claimed the doubles title at the French Open and the US Open.
• In 2000 she won the ladies’ singles at both Wimbledon and the US Open. She and Serena also claimed their first doubles at the All England Club, and went on to win an Olympic gold medal in Sydney.
• In 2001 she successfully defended her Wimbledon and US Open titles.
• She became the world number one in 2002 and the sisters won the doubles at Wimbledon for the second time.
• In 2003 she reached her fourth successive Wimbledon final, only to be beaten by sister, Serena, 4-6 6-4 6-2.
• In 2005 she defeated defending champion Maria Sharapova in the semi-finals of Wimbledon and then went on to crush Lindsay Davenport’s hopes in the longest final of the tournament’s history, claiming her third title as the lowly 14^th seed.
• 2006 saw her out of tennis for near on four months due to injury, and as one of the favourites at Wimbledon, she crashed out in the third round losing to 26^th seed Jelena Jankovic.
• In 2007 she defeated Akiko Marigami, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and Ana Ivanovic en route to the final. Typically Williams clinched her fourth Wimbledon title with a power serve to opponent Marion Bartoli’s body, which she was unable to return!

In 2007 she won three titles, more than she has managed since 2002. Her overall win/loss record for the year was 50/10 and she is currently ranked eighth in the world. All indications are that she is on a resurgence, and if she can get her injury woes sorted out, there is absolutely no reason why the awesome Venus Williams cannot come back and claim the coveted ladies’ singles title for a fifth time.