Tennis Player Williams

Born: 17 June 1980

Birthplace: Lynwood, California

Best known as: Sister of Serena Williams and five-time winner of Wimbledon

Venus Williams dominated women's tennis in 2000, winning singles titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Sydney Olympics, and winning doubles titles at Wimbledon and Sydney with her younger sister Serena. (Her victory at Wimbledon made her the first black female champion there since Althea Gibson in 1957 and 1958.) Williams was already a famous figure in tennis for her size (6'1"), overpowering strength, and unusual tennis background: she and Serena learned to play on public courts in tough Compton, California, coached by their self-taught father Richard. After her breakthrough 2000 campaign she was named Sportswoman of the Year by Sports Illustrated magazine. In 2001 she repeated as Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion (defeating Serena in the U.S. Open finals) and she won again at Wimbledon in 2005, 2007 and 2008.