"To this day, I am introduced as the first person ever to play Venus Williams"- Shaun Stafford on her match against former World No. 1
Shaun Stafford won two WTA titles during her career but she will always be remembered as Venus Williams' very first opponent.
The two faced off in the first round of the Bank of the West Classic (now known as the Silicon Valley Classic) in 1994. Only 14 at the time, Williams had little trouble defeating Stafford 6-3, 6-4.
Venus Williams in 1994 in Oakland after winning the first match of her pro career: 6-3, 6-4 over Shaun Stafford
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In an interview with The Mercury, Stafford recalled that neither of them played particularly well on the day. However, she was quick to point out that the match against Venus was her claim to fame.
Stafford said:
“I remember the WTA called me — and they never called me. And they said, ‘Shaun, you’re playing Venus.’ I just said, ‘Oh, my god. I was disappointed after the match. I don’t feel like she played up to her potential and I didn’t play well, either. Neither one of us served well. I think we were a bundle of nerves. It just wasn’t a great match."
"To this day, my brother-in-law will introduce me to people and say, ‘Shaun is the first person ever to play Venus Williams'. It was fun to be a part of that.”
In the second round Williams' opponent was Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, who was having the best year of her career. The Spaniard was expected to cruise to victory but Williams began the match firing on all cylinders, taking the first set 6-2.
The American was up a break in the second set and it looked like she would script an upset. However, Sanchez Vicario took a bathroom break that turned out to be decisive as Williams lost momentum afterwards. The Spaniard won the second and third sets to win the match. She eventually won the competition by defeating Martina Navratilova in the final.
Nonetheless, the Bank of the West Classic in 1994 gave us a glimpse of Williams' talent and a sign of what was to come.
Stafford retired from tennis two years after her clash with Williams, with a highest singles ranking of 48. Her best performance at a Grand Slam was reaching the fourth round at Roland Garros in 1994.
Williams played a few tournaments in 1995 and 1996 but her first full season on tour came in 1997. That year, the American reached the final of the US Open on her very first attempt, losing to Martina Hingis. She eventually finished 1997 ranked 22nd.
How did Venus Williams fare in 2021?
Venus Williams did not have a good 2021 and couldn't advance past the second round in any tournament she took part in. As a result, her WTA ranking dropped to 318.
However, the American has had a stellar career with 7 Grand Slam singles and 16 Grand Slam doubles titles to her name. She has also won 4 olympic gold medals, including one in the singles at the 2000 Sydney games.
Off court, the 41-year-old along with Serena Williams was an executive producer of 'King Richard', a film based on the life of their father. She was played by actor Saniyya Sidney in the film.
"Me at age 10 in Compton California. @Saniyyasidney as me in @Kingrichardfilm. She's kind of perfect as me and is a good tennis player as well," Williams captioned her Instagram post.
Venus Williams is in the twilight of her career and 2022 could well be her final year on tour.