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World of Sport

09th Nov 2015

Venus Williams ends resurgent season with remarkable achievement

Longevity

Gareth Makim

It’s hard to remember a time when neither Venus nor Serena Williams was the outstanding player on the women’s tour.

Injuries might have taken them out of the limelight for brief spells, but the tall, powerful shadow of the American sisters has hung over the sport for the best part of 20 years.

The pair have won a combined 28 Grand Slam titles, and while Serena remains the preeminent force in women’s tennis and sits atop the world rankings, the exploits of Venus, 15 months her senior, are worthy of just as much praise.

After being diagnosed with Sjogen’s Syndrome in 2011 and falling to 137 in the world, the 35-year-old has enjoyed a resurgence this season, and capped things off by winning the Elite Trophy in China over the weekend, her third title of the year.

The victory saw her rise to No.7 in the world, her first top ten ranking since April 2011, and also made her the oldest player in the top ten since Martina Navratilova 2o years ago, around the time young Venus was kicking off her own glittering career.

Topics:

Tennis