Elle_UK_-_June_2018

E
PLAY
SISTER SISTER
crazy! When I’m out there, all I think
about is, “Why am I not better? Why
didn’t I shoot better?” But suddenly,
these milestones just creep up on you.
I’m just excited that my [1,000th game]
was a win. I would like to think that the
next 1,000 on a professional tour will
be when I retire,’ she laughs.
Venus is a fighter in the game because
she’s had to be in life. She’s
battled with Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune
disease that severely attacks
the muscles, and she’s fought racism on
and off court. When she first emerged
onto the scene, unmistakably and unapologetically
black in a sport dominated
by white males, Venus and her sister
were subjected to criticism of everything
from their bodies to their outspoken
nature on court. Venus often wore a
crown of braids adorned with a rainbow
of beads, masterminded by her mother
Oracene, who saw the ornamentation
as a chance for her daughters to express
their heritage. ‘Our mom has been
reallycommittedtomakingsurethatallmy
sisters have a strong mentality to thrive in
this world,’ sister Serena explains when
I speak with her about Venus.
In 1999, an umpire docked points
from Venus’s Australian Open match
against Martina Hingis when the impact
of her powerful serve caused her beads
to come loose and fall on the court.
The umpire’s reason? ‘A disturbance.’
A controversy now known as ‘beadgate’ ensued. It troubles Venus
that, more than 20 years later, young black women athletes still face
similar challenges. For example, black American gymnast Gabby
Douglas was criticised throughout the 2012 London Olympics for not
wearing her hair ‘neatly’ enough, while internet trolls picked apart
her teammate Simone Biles. ‘Venus is someone who has overcome
so many obstacles – from tennis to her health – and she runs two
businesses. She faces obstacles every day. I think that everything
she’s gone through, from age 18 to now, has shaped her to become
the amazing woman she is,’ Serena says.
Serena also points out that, a whole decade before the current
global uprising for women’s rights, Venus was campaigning for equal
pay in the game. ‘She’s always wanted to be a strong woman and set
an example. With her campaigning [for equal pay], she laid out an
example for her country to stand up and show that you can do more
than just be a tennis player.’ Until 2007, female Wimbledon champions
‘I have a lot of memories of Venus,
mostly of me doing whatever she did.
She always set an example for me.
I remember playing with Venus in the
yard when we were kids. It was back
when we were in elementary school,
and some of the other kids were picking
on me. I was a grade younger than her
and was about to defend myself, but
I hadn’t even opened my mouth and she
was somehow there – it was so weird.
I wanted to do it on my own, but I never
really had to because she was always
around. That’s how it’s been my whole
life: Venus has been there, protecting
me. She’s very calm and I want that
from her sometimes; my life has never
been as calm. She’s a thinker, she really
analyses things, and she’s extremely
rational – always coming up with the
best-possible solution. I’ve actually
become more like that because of her.
I think Venus’s best qualities are just how
incredibly strong and powerful she is
– she is a true overachiever. She’s one
of the best tennis players in the world and
still always has that desire to continue to
better herself; it’s insane. Venus is truly one
of the best human beings on this planet.’
won a smaller cash prize than their male
champion peers; Venus was instrumental
in getting that changed. Venus reflects:
‘For me, the conversation [around equality]
was never there. There are always
challenges that you have to overcome on
a daily basis. Unfortunately, people have
the tendency to want to dominate one
another, but fortunately, there are people
who want to build other women up. It’s
up to those people who want to build to
hopefully eliminate all that negativity.’
Venus is keen to clarify that she
doesn’t identify with the word ‘feminist’.
‘I don’t like labels – though I do think
as women we have much more power
and opportunities in our hands than ever
before. We truly don’t know how powerful
we are. There’s nothing like a powerful
woman walking into a room; her presence
is like nothing else. It’s inspiring. Using it
in a positive way is important.’
However, Venus does embrace the
traditional tropes of femininity. She has
a deep appreciation for the worlds of
beauty and fashion, and references the
emerging style scenes of Brazil and Russia,
where she often travels for work,
as the main sources of her sartorial
inspiration. ‘They are less influenced by
trends there,’ she explains. And in her
downtime, Venus loves to dance: ‘My
ideal week would be going to a jazz or
hip-hop class at least a couple of times.
Oh, and karaoke – I love karaoke!’
Though she’s still fully committed to the tennis circuit, Venus has
become more reflective about her life beyond the game. She admits
to wanting to start a family of her own after recently becoming an
aunt to Alexis Olympia, Serena’s daughter with new husband Alexis
Ohanian. However, Venus keeps her rumoured romance with TV
Guide heir Nicholas Hammond under wraps. ‘I have worked so
hard all my life, so one of my personal goals after this chapter is to
actually have a life. Because I work and travel so much, it’s become
a goal to one day slow down,’ she says.
Whatever that means for Venus, her story will no doubt keep
momentum: a prodigy who carved a space for herself in a place where
there wasn’t one, and left a ladder for the next generation to climb.
‘There are so many emerging forces; there’s been so much growth
for women in sports. It’s very exciting. You have to be able to stand
up for what you believe in and I think I’ve done a good job.
I guess I don’t have too many regrets.’
Venus wears: cotton top, £250; and viscose skirt, £655, Jacquemus. Metal earrings, £22, The Shiny Squirrel. Brass, cubic zirconia and leather necklace (worn as bracelet), £239, Fallon Jewelry.
Styling: Solange Franklin. Hair: Nikki Nelms. Make-up: Johanna Rollins. Nails: Yukie Miyakawa at Kate Ryan Inc using Essie. Seamstress: Lisa Sanders at Lars Nord. Local production: Urban NYC
76 E L L E J U N E