Venus Ebony Starr Williams was born on June 17, 1980, in Lynwood California. Her parents are Richard and Oracene, and she grew up one of five sisters. Williams first learned about tennis from her father, who taught her how to play on the courts of LA, based on what he could figure out from videos and books. After learning to play tennis, her raw talent was obvious.

By the young age of 10, William’s serve was over 100 miles per hour. Her arm serving as a cannon, she was able to go 63-0 on the United States Tennis Association Junior Tour. She beat 5-seeded Shaun Stafford at the Bank of the West Classic in California, and she officially went pro in October of 1994. Her father famously yelled, “That’s one for the ghetto!”

During her professional career, she has won seven Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in singles play. She has also teamed up with her sister Serena to win several doubles championships, boosting her victory total even after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2011.

Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan. Similar to her sister, she learned about tennis from her father, beginning at the age of four. After moving to Florida, Serena began taking lessons with Rick Macci but eventually was coached full-time by their father in 9th grade. 

By 1991, Serena was 46-3 on the Junior United States Tennis Association Tour and ranked first in the 10-and-under division. Her sheer power and skill made her the name to watch in the tennis world, and she turned pro in 1995. By 1999, she won her first Grand Slam win when she captured the U.S. Open title. In her career, she has amassed 23 Grand Slams, the last while she was two months pregnant with her daughter. She currently holds the No. 7 Place in the Women’s Tennis Association.

Throughout their careers, the Williams sisters have dominated the tennis world. Winning 30 Grand Slams between the two of them, Olympic Medals, and Wimbledon Trophies, making them truly unstoppable. 

Sources:

https://www.biography.com/athlete/serena-williams

https://www.biography.com/athlete/venus-williams

 Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine. 

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