"Only players I'd definitively place ahead of her - Graf, her sister Serena Williams, Navratilova, Chrissie, Seles, Court, & Billie Jean" - Greg Brady on Venus Williams
Renowned tennis broadcaster Greg Brady feels Venus Williams is only behind Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Monica Seles, Margaret Court, and Billie Jean King on his list of best female tennis players.
Brady, who is a big fan of the American veteran, wrote a series of tweets to lavish praise on the legendary American player. The 51-year-old Canadian host wants the 42-year-old to return to the 2023 US Open to play her swansong in front of her home crowd.
Brady added that he wants Venus Williams to have her own moment before her last hurrah.
"Watching Venus Williams do her presser - what utter class, dignity, grace, & a powerful personality in her own right. I want her to have her OWN moment being honoured at the US Open & for all of tennis. It's beyond deserved. I worry it will fall through the cracks," Grey Brady wrote.
"So I hope she plays one more year at the US Open & gets HER time & HER moment. Only players I'd definitively place ahead of her - Graf, her sister, Navratilova, Chrissie, Seles, Court, & Billie Jean. Could listen on Henin. What a career. Big Venus fan," he concluded.
Watching Venus Williams do her presser - what utter class, dignity, grace, & a powerful personality in her own right. I want her to have her OWN moment being honoured at the US Open & for all of tennis. It's beyond deserved. I worry it will fall through the cracks. 1/
So I hope she plays one more year at the US Open & gets HER time & HER moment.
Only players I'd definitively place ahead of her - Graf, her sister, Navratilova, Chrissie, Seles, Court, & Billie Jean. Could listen on Henin. What a career. Big Venus fan.
Meanwhile, Alison Van Uytvanck defeated the two-time US Open champion in the opening round by 6-1, 7-6(5). Venus was outplayed in the first set by the Belgian but fought hard till the end of the second set before losing the match in the tiebreaker.
A look at Venus Williams' glorious career
Venus Williams has ticked all the right boxes in her illustrious career. She has won five Wimbledon titles and two US Open Majors. However, many tennis experts reckon that she was always overshadowed by her younger sister, Serena Williams, who will likely retire after the 2022 US Open.
Serena won her opening-round match against Danka Kovinić in straight sets at Flushing Meadows.
Aside from winning seven Majors, Venus Williams has also won 42 more WTA singles titles, 22 WTA doubles titles and a Gold medal in singles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
She first reached the singles World No. 1 ranking back in February 2002, becoming the first African American woman to achieve the feat in the Open Era, and the second all-time after Althea Gibson. Venus was last ranked in the top-5 in January 2018 and reached her last Major final at Wimbledon in 2017, nearly 20 years after reaching her first Grand Slam final at the 1997 US Open.