AllMovie

Factsheet

• Became a tennis pro at 14 years old in 1994.
• Faced sister Serena in the women's final of the 1999 Lipton Championships, making it the first time since 1884 that two sisters had played each other in the final of a pro event (Venus won).
• Named Sportswoman of the Year in 2000 by Sports Illustrated.
• Won two gold medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics, one for the women's singles title and one for the women's doubles title with Serena; in 2008 and 2012, she and Serena won gold again in women's doubles.
• In 2002, became the first black female tennis player to be ranked No. 1 in the world by the Women's Tennis Association.
• Starred with Serena in the reality TV series Venus and Serena: For Real, which debuted in 2005.
• Captured her fifth Wimbledon singles title in 2008, defeating sister Serena to improve to 2-5 in Grand Slam finals between the two. In 2007, Venus was the lowest-seeded winner ever at No. 23.
• Won a bronze medal in mixed doubles, with Rajeev Ram, at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
• Named the first Promoter of Gender Equality for UNESCO, through which she donates apparel from her EleVen clothing line to needy children. 
• Is the founder and CEO of V Starr Interiors, an interior decorating firm based in Jupiter, Florida.
• Owns a small stake in the Miami Dolphins franchise.