"Early on in my career there were definitely moments that opened my eyes to inequality between men and women" - Venus Williams opens up on gender equality in tennis
Venus Williams reflected on the early struggles she faced as a woman in the sport, before conveying an important message to the new generation of tennis players. Williams wants current and upcoming female tennis players to 'elevate women' in the world of sports.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the American education law that prohibits gender-based discrimination in all aspects of education, including sports, she wrote a column in Newsweek Magazine. Williams threw light on the challenges she had to face in her career with regard to discrimination and unequal pay.
"Early on in my career there were definitely moments that opened my eyes to inequality between men and women, like disproportionate court times. I saw how many women's matches were on center courts at combined events for women and men. When you're relegated to a side court, you notice that," Venus Williams said.
"Experiencing prize money that wasn't equal was incredibly significant. No man had to experience that, but every woman did. That was pretty glaring until I became the first woman to receive equal prize money at Wimbledon in 2007," she added.
The older of the Williams sisters, Venus Williams has been an active advocate of women's rights in sports, especially tennis. The five-time Wimbledon champion believes that despite the growth over the last 50 years in the fight for gender equality in the sport, there is a long way to go.
In light of the same, Williams vowed to continue to work tirelessly for equality in the sport.
"It's important that none of us tire out because there's a lot of work to do. And each person can do their part. So whether you're mentoring women, whether you're an athlete young women are watching or whether you're a parent, everyone is touching the lives of women and girls. So we all need to play our part," Williams said.
"Someone like Billie Jean King couldn't just think about her tennis, she had to carry all these other things. I love that there is now a generation that gets to focus on their sport. But at the same time, I want them to understand that they can continue to elevate women," she continued.
The 42-year-old tennis superstar also lauded US Soccer star Megan Rapinoe for her work in promoting women's rights and successfully achieving equal pay for the women's and men's soccer teams.
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"When you lose you have to learn" - Venus Williams on her approach throughout her career
Venus Williams also reflected on some of her learnings throughout her illustrious career. She admitted that while the big achievements in her career have often been highlighted, the difficulties and losses have taught her a lot.
"Something people don't realize about my journey is that all the ups are highlighted, but there have definitely been some downs and some losses. It's nice to appreciate the good times, but the times that aren't as good make you really appreciate the good times," Venus Williams said.
"I never complain or whine, but there have definitely been times when I've been injured or where things haven't been great. It's interesting, I appreciate those times too, because that's part of life. Good or bad, I enjoy it all. Because when you lose you have to learn. And if you don't learn, you're going to lose again," she added.
The former World No. 1 last participated in the WTA Chicago Open in August 2021, where she lost in the opening round. Her last appearance in a Grand Slam tournament came at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, where she lost to Ons Jabeur in the second round of the singles event. She also partnered with Nick Kyrgios for the mixed doubles event at Wimbledon and their campaign ended with a withdrawal before the 2nd round.
Venus Williams, who turned 42 today, also confirmed she won’t be joining Serena at #Wimbledon. https://t.co/zBK5OazhVR
Venus Williams is currently at No. 571 in the WTA singles rankings. While she was spotted in training recently, there is still no confirmation on a potential comeback in 2022 for the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion.