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Tue, 06.17.1980

Venus Williams, Tennis Player, and Entrepreneur born

Venus Williams

Venus Williams was born on this date in 1980. She is a Black tennis player and interior designer.

Born in Lynwood, California, Venus Ebone Starr Williams is the daughter of Richard Williams and Oracene Price and the older sister of Serena Williams. She turned professional as a tennis player in 1994 at 14.  In that match in the second round of her first professional tournament in Oakland, Williams nearly upset the top seed, Arantxa Sanchez and Vicario, before losing the match.

As of 2019, her career singles record was  811-251 (76.4%), with 49 titles.  Her doubles record was 185–36 (83.7%), and with 22 titles,  she is one of the world's best women's tennis players.

As a businesswoman, Williams is the CEO of her interior design firm, "V Starr Interiors," in Jupiter, Florida. Her company garnered prominence by designing the set of the "Tavis Smiley Show" and the Olympic athletes' apartments as a part of the U.S. bid package for New York to host the 2012 games. V Starr Interiors has also designed clothing, residences, and businesses in Palm Beach, Florida.

Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title, ironically on the 50th anniversary of Althea Gibson becoming the first Black woman to win that tournament. The heavily favored Williams won, surprising finalist Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-1 for her sixth Grand Slam title.

In May 2020, the Tennis Channel ranked Williams as the eighth-greatest female player.  In September 2020, Newsday ranked Venus as the eighth-greatest female player.

To become a Professional Athlete
To Become a Fashion Designer
To become an Interior Designer

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I know I’m not sufficiently obscure to please the critics-nor devious enough. Imagery escapes me. I cannot find those mild and gracious words to clothe the carnage. Blood is blood and murder’s... I KNOW I’M NOT SUFFICIENTLY OBSCURE by Ray Durem.
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