Wimbledon 2017: Venus Williams’ remarkable year that led to her moment in the final
Nine years since her last title at Wimbledon and eight years since losing to her sister Serena at the same tournament, Venus Williams is back in the Ladies’ final on Saturday, at the age-defying milestone 37.
In a year where Serena Williams beat Stefi Graf’s record of most singles titles in the Open Era, with her 23rd grand slam in Australia, and making headlines with first her engagement, pregnancy announcement, and gracing the cover of Vanity Fair expectantly nude, it might seem easy to forget that her older sister was who she faced in the Australian Open final, the first grand slam final Venus Williams had been in since 2009. But it’s not so hard if you consider the incredible year Venus has had.
In 1997 Venus Williams appeared in her first grand slam final, ultimately losing to Martina Hingis at the US Open, two years before her sister Serena won her first slam. In February 2002, she was the first of the two sisters to reach the world No. 1 spot, only to be overtaken by her sister in July of the same year. The last grand slam title Venus won was at Wimbledon, in 2008, over her sister, in two sets.
Then, in 2011, the American player was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, Sjogren’s Syndrome, leaving her lethargic, and it showed in the results, not making it past the fourth round the years she suffered from the ailment, 2011-2014, only getting to that round once, at the tournament where she now plays in the final Saturday. The year after that, she was ousted in the first round at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships and the French Open in 2013. During that time, she made it to the second round of the grand slams five times and the third round four times. For a seven-time grand slam champion who paved the way for her younger, record-breaking sister, the results were shocking. The consensus was that the tennis legend was a spent force and her best days were behind her.
“If Venus wins it, I think this one might mean more to her than any other one just because of everybody writing her off, no one thinking she could ever continue to play the level that she wanted to play,” her coach, David Witt, said to The New York Times.
“There’s definitely a lot of ups and downs,” Williams added, citing her health issues. “I just try to hold my head up high, no matter what is happening in life.”
Recovering since 2015, the former world No. 1 has been building back up to a top player, remarkably in her mid-30s. While the men’s side has been making headlines with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal coming back at ages 31 and 35, respectively, Venus Williams started on her resurgent career at the age Federer is now, making two quarterfinals at the Australian and US Opens in 2015 and the Wimbledon semifinals last year. It’s the career buildup that no one saw coming until the 37-year-old faced her sister again in the Australian Open final earlier year. Since then she progressed deep into two Masters 1000 events, the quarters at Indian Wells, and losing to the opponent she just beat to make the Wimbledon finals, Jo Konta in the Miami semis. She also made the quarters in Rome, where she lost to the Spanish player she will be facing on Saturday, Garbine Muguruza.
Off everyone’s radar, Venus Willliams has been playing commanding tennis all year long. At age 37, 20 years after she faced her first grand slam final, and 17 years after her first grand slam win, the 10th seed will equal Martina Navratilova’s record as the oldest grand slam singles finalist. If she wins, she will own the record outright.
Serena Williams may have made history with the most singles titles in the Open Era this year, but Venus Williams, is continuing to make history of her own.