Venus Williams is one of the finest tennis players we have ever seen. You literally cannot get much better than her, and we often forget about her because Serena is even better. I remember when Venus was the better older sister, and I think we need to give her the credit that she is due. She is good enough to have won a career grand slam in doubles with her sister, a gold medal, and more than enough tournaments to put her at the top of the sport.
Venus is a hard hitter
Venus is so thin compared to Serena that we often forget how hard she hits the ball.
Were I to stand across from her I would have to beg for mercy because I know she is nearly impossible to return. She has maximized the strength that she built up over years of practice, and she uses leverage well to create power. She does not have to be as muscular as Serena to be powerful and I think she still surprises people who do not realize precisely how strong she is.
She is cruising at the US Open
The US Open is a hard tournament to play because the courts are so fast in Flushing, and there are many people who are coming out to see the national championship of American tennis. Having an American near the top of the race is important, and it gives us all a bit of pride that we love to have.
It is much like seeing Andy Murray contending at Wimbledon.
She only has so long left
You cannot play tennis forever (unless you are Martina Navratilova) and that means that Venus only has so much longer to win these tournaments. She does not have Serena there and in her way, and I would like to see her triumph at the end of the two weeks.
The woman has won 74 matches at the US Open, and I imagine that she and Serena would be performing well if they were there together. We need to appreciate her while she is playing because I think the loss of the Williams sisters will be a major blow to tennis when they retire.
The tennis world is on notice
I enjoy seeing Venus play so well because she is reminding all the young players that she is still there.
There are so many people who likely do not remember how good she was in the beginning because they are too young. It was amazing to see women of color take over a sport that was once reserved for Caucasian kings and their courts. They play the game in a way that no one else does, and they have carried the torch for other women like Monica Seles -- who did not always want to be considered dainty. They play harder than everyone else, and that sets them apart.
