She's really nothing less than a tennis legend. Nearly 24 years after turning pro at age 14, Venus Williams heads into the 2018 U.S. Open ranked 16th in the world by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and with a No. 14 seeding. She has also won 49 career titles, including five titles at Wimbledon and two U.S. Open championships.
Speaking by phone on Monday, Williams talked about her mindset and achievements on the court along with what's changed and what has not in her evolution as a tennis player over two decades. She's also got a love of tech and creative pursuits and says her focus on winning has little to do with who is on the other end of the court.
You’ve won both the U.S. Open and Wimbledon multiple times. How does the U.S. Open compare to all other competitions?
Growing up, I watched the U.S. Open religiously and would watch matches that we taped, a second time. I feel very connected to the U.S. Open because of that. And then eventually getting a chance to play more than a few times makes this my favorite time of year.
You turned pro at a young age. Who did you watch growing up?
Growing up, I watched everyone, but my favorite player early on was Monica Seles. I watched Monica, and then I ended up playing her a bunch of times.
How did you find your style of tennis early on? How do you think your finesse and power have helped you evolve over the years?
Definitely finding my style came from training under my parents, and the style they wanted me to play was definitely very powerful and athletic. You are who you are — once you develop a style, it’s very difficult to try to change from that. So my style has been the same since the beginning. Then it’s all about being the best in every match. Not what you have to do different or how you adjust to each competitor, but what you have to do to win.
What about your on-court mentality, having started as such a young professional player? How does that evolve over time?
When you first play, you don’t have a plan, you’re green, so then you have to learn to plan your game mentality, and then it feels like a cycle. But you want to walk out there as confident as possible. Obviously, you evolve, and that’s the only way you stay relevant — by continuing to get better and being in your game.
From the outside, it looks like your parents, especially your dad, were big on learning to play with a certain measure of discipline. Tell us about that.
He definitely was big on discipline as a tennis player, and I’m grateful that I had the benefit of that at a young age — I’m grateful to have grown up in my household. We, my siblings and I all had a focus on our mental game and combining that with our physical game. That means being present on every single point, working hard no matter what the score is, not getting frustrated. It’s easier to follow apart than not to. But it was key to me to develop that maturity at a super young age.
If you had one, who was your best personal rivalry on the court?
I think it’s so funny that some people look at rivalries. But when you’re just a player, it’s every single person that is trying to beat you; that’s the biggest rival. For me, it’s not so much about a certain name or a face; it’s all essentially about inward focus, not outward.
You are a businesswoman, too. Does your interior design company V Starr Interiors provide an outlet for creativity? Does creativity energy off the court help on the court?
All athletes have interests off the court. I’ve always been very interested in pursuing all things artistic, so one of the manifestations of that is V Starr. There are a lot of things you learn as an athlete that are similar to the lessons you learn in business, and likewise, what you learn there you can bring on to the court. I don’t think I realized it at first, but it’s there. In tennis, you train so hard to be ready, not to overthink, but to react. That ability to trust your instincts, trust in your gut and your vision, is important as well.
You’ve partnered American Express for the U.S. Open before, but right now you are involved in their efforts to help teach new players via technology. Is Venus Williams a tech enthusiast, too?
I’ve worked with them for three years. This year we’re doing an augmented reality experience in which I give instructions on tennis technique and how to play. It’s called Super Rally and is also a great experience that tennis fans at the U.S. Open can participate in. They’ve also put out new wristband technology that lets cardholders pay for purchases with the tap of a wrist.
I love technology, and I definitely think you have to stay up to stay relevant or you become a relic. I don’t want to become a part of the past but to be a part of now (laughs), and that’s why I’m still focused on the game. And still on tour.
Following your successes, we've seen a big wave of top young women in tennis, like Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys and Simona Halep. Do you think you and Serena have inspired a new generation of players?
I sure hope so. For me, it’s important to try to grow the sport, and I definitely want to help influence or at least help grow the game. Hopefully, new players who take the court after us will continue to make tennis even better than what it was.
