As for her biggest role models, Serena Williams says she really doesn’t have to look beyond her own mother and four sisters. However, “I definitely look up to a different, interesting set of women,” she says. “Of course, who doesn’t love talk show host, television producer, Oprah Winfrey.”
Someone else Williams greatly admires is Anni Albers, the late German artist known for her bold, geometrically patterned textiles and prints. “She ended up having to work in textiles because that was what was kind of accepted during that time,” says Williams. “But she was an incredible artist who really just broke down barriers for women.”
Williams also singled out the late multiple world-record-holding Olympic champion Wilma Rudolph, who despite being diagnosed with polio as a child and told she would never walk again, pursued her dream to be an international track and field star: “I don’t know how you become an Olympic champion having polio, but she did. Incredible.”
Williams, of course, is herself an Olympic champion, and on Feb. 25, 2002, became the first Black tennis player to be ranked No. 1 in the world. Venus is training for a forthcoming tournament, details of which she declined to discuss at this time.
I asked if she’s thinking about retiring sometime in the near future. “I can’t imagine it’s that far [off] now,” she acknowledges. Williams hasn’t played in a major tournament since competing at Wimbledon last year, so she’s had a small taste of what life might be like when she wraps her career as a tennis pro, having had some time “to do things outside the court.” That included serving as a hands-on executive producer of the Oscar-nominated movie based on her own family, “King Richard,” alongside her sisters Serena and Isha Price.
Williams says she was very motivated by that experience to pursue more entertainment projects with Isha. “And there are so many amazing women in Hollywood that would be great to work with,” she says, noting she’d love to collaborate on a scripted project with director Ava DuVernay, who directed ESPN’s 2013 documentary “Venus Vs.,” chronicling Williams’ fight for pay equity in tennis.
“I want to continue to tell sports stories because that’s my nature, but I don’t think you always have to tell a sports story through the lens of sports,” says Williams. “I want to continue to tell stories that resonate with me,” including those aimed at children. While Williams enjoys wearing a producer hat, she is very clear about what she doesn’t want to do on projects: “I will never, ever be an actor. I don’t want to be in front of the camera — ever.”
She loves consuming movies — everything from kids films from Pixar to period pictures like “The King’s Speech” — and she says sometimes in bed she finds it “extremely comforting” to watch a TV show like “How I Met Your Mother” repeatedly. “I’ve seen it so many times, and it’s just like 15 minutes and then you’re off to dreamland.”
And, it turns out, she’s musical. When I asked her to tell me something about her that many may not know, she said: “I’m a karaoke queen. I love to sing throughout the day, and I also have a karaoke mic I travel with.”
Venus Williams, an extraordinary athlete and cultural icon is celebrating her as she has become one of the most influential figures in the world of tennis, and her journey to greatness is a testament to her unwavering determination and resilience.
As for her biggest role models, Serena Williams says she really doesn’t have to look beyond her own mother and four sisters. However, “I definitely look up to a different, interesting set of women,” she says.
Someone else Williams greatly admires is Anni Albers, the late German artist known for her bold, geometrically patterned textiles and prints. “She ended up having to work in textiles because that was what was kind of accepted during that time,” says Williams. “But she was an incredible artist who really just broke down barriers for women.”
Williams also singled out the late multiple world-record-holding Olympic champion Wilma Rudolph, who despite being diagnosed with polio as a child and told she would never walk again, pursued her dream to be an international track and field star: “I don’t know how you become an Olympic champion having polio, but she did. Incredible.”
Venus Williams is a champion on and off the tennis court. The seven-time Grand Slam title winner has been in the game since she was just a teenager, and she has grown beautifully as both a person and an athlete over the years.
When Venus has a moment to herself, she occasionally takes time to relax by the beach or at the pool, wearing a form-fitting, stylish bikini or swimsuit.
“I ain’t got yacht type,” the athlete captioned an Instagram post in December 2019, which featured her posing on a boat sporting a sexy white two-piece, a hat and sunglasses.
The Florida resident has also enjoyed an occasional tropical trip in the past, including one to the Bahamas in November 2021.
“Bahamas photo dump,” Venus captioned an Instagram carousel post at the time, which included one snapshot of her rocking a white one-piece bathing suit and a matching baseball cap.
She also made sure to include the scenic views of the island as well as one image of her niece, Olympia, whom Venus’ sister, Serena Williams, shares with husband Alexis Ohanian.
Venus has promoted a positive self-perception when it comes to body image in the past.
In July 2015, the Lynwood, California, native told Image she is “proud to be strong” and have a capable physique.
”I always thought of it like, ‘What can my body do for me?’ and not, ‘How do I look?’” Venus explained at the time. “I’ve always been happy with my body.
Of course I want to look well and fit — and as an athlete, I want to look strong. I want my opponents to look at me across the net and just not want [to] play me because I look so fit and amazing and strong.”
The tennis pro also weighed in on how she has maintained a robust stature, noting that she lets her body “do whatever it wants to do.”
“I’m an athlete, so my main concern is how to achieve my top performance, whatever that takes,” Venus added.
Although she boasts confidence and encourages her fans to embrace their natural selves, Venus has also addressed the pressuring societal standards that women face.
“We have to focus on what our bodies can do for us, especially as women,” she told Byrdie in June 2022. “There’s so much focus on whether our bodies fit the standard of what society says [it should].
That’s always changing. Nowadays, people want to look a certain way, wear certain things, or whatever it is.
We have to let go of those norms and refocus on what our bodies are doing for us. My job is to focus on what my body is doing for me and how it’s performing, and I’m one of those people who wants to be perfect.”
Venus then pointed out that one of her goals is to keep eating healthier food options.
However, she also advised growing teens who are struggling with their self-image to avoid comparing themselves to other people.
“Just be you and find out what you want and what is important to you,” the former California resident concluded. “You get to be an individual. You don’t have to be everyone else.”
Serena and Venus Williams stun again with hot dance in bikini while on vacation to post a rather daring video on Instagram.
The sisters are inseparable on and off the court and they never miss an opportunity to have fun together.
