Venus Williams said goodbye quickly but raised a stat that makes her the best of the Open era of tennis

In Flushing Mews everyone talks serene queen, great protagonist of the first day of competitions at the US Open, in which he attracted an audience, was honored and scored a great victory to enter the second round of what could be the last tournament of his career. But there is another Williams who also made history in New York, her sister Venuswhich debuted at US Open this Tuesday with a defeat against the Belgian Alison van Uytvanck (6-1 & 7-6 (5)) and extended his Grand Slam attendance record. At the age of 42, and after receiving an invitation from the organization, she played hers 91st main singles draw in a singles event.

No one has played more Majors than her in It was open tennis. Those who escort them in that statistic, serenethe Swiss Roger Federer and Spanish Feliciano Lopezthey add up “just” 81 participations in events of that level.

At that level, the American amasses a record of 271 wins and 63 losses. Your best tournament? Wimbledonwhere he won 90 of the 108 games played.

A professional since 1994 – he was only 14 when he played his first tournament, in San Jose, California – Venus first appeared on the main draw of a “big” in Roland Garros 1997.

Since that debut, the North American only missed eleven appointments. This year he was absent from the top three on the calendar; and also missed the Australian Open from 2000, 2007 and 2012; Paris in 2011; Wimbledon in 2013 (not played in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic); and the United States open in 2003, 2006 and 2021.

That record of 91 participations has a peculiarity: Venus has never contested a quality; he always entered the scoreboard by ranking or with some jokers. When she first appeared in the French Grand Slam a quarter century ago, she was almost 17 and was already 90th in the WTA rankings, so she went straight into the tournament, where she made it to the second round and said goodbye. to French Natalia Tauziat.

A little more than two months later, at his baptism a Flushing Mewsreached his first final, which he lost in two sets to the Swiss Martina Hingisnumber one in the world.

Venus had to wait three years to lift her first “big” trophy. It was inside Wimbledon 2000, on its thirteenth appearance in that level. That year, at the All England, he beat Hingis, who was still at the top of the table in the quarter-finals; defeated Serena in the semifinals, who had inaugurated her Majors record the previous year in New York; and she won the final against her compatriot Lindsay Davenportsecond in the world rankings.

Racquet prodigy, her growth and successes were somewhat overshadowed by those of her sister, who broke into the circuit a few years after her and ended up becoming one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Yet, in Serena’s shadow, Venus has built an enviable career for any player who dreams of reaching the top. She has won 49 individual titles, including 7 Grand Slams, five Wimbledons (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008) and two US Open (2000 and 2001). She was also a finalist twice in Melbourne (2003 and 2007) and one more time in Paris (2002).

It first reached number one in February 2002 and held that position for eleven weeks. The last time he appeared at the top was on July 7 of that year.

In the double, always with Serena as a partner, he was a power. In that specialty she has conquered 14 major crowns: four from Australia, two from Roland Garros, six from Wimbledon and two from the US Open. And he too came to lead the standings.

It was also a double gold medal in Sydney 2000 Games (singles and doubles female), he climbed the top step of the podium in pairs in Beijing 2008 Y London 2012; and on the second pass of the mixed doubles Rio de Janeiro 2016 alongside Rajeev Ram.

After revealing in 2011 that he is in pain Sjogren’s syndromean autoimmune disease that causes dryness, particularly in the eyes and mouth, and causes fatigue, pain, and inflammation in the joints and other organs, she has started to be more selective in putting her calendar together before each season.

In recent years, also affected by some injuries, their races have become less frequent. The same is still active and has not yet officially talked about retirement. At 42 and ranked 1,504th in the rankings, she accepted an invitation from her country’s federation and played her 91st major.

Stainless, Venus Williams is, even in Serena’s shadow, a living tennis legend.