Sports Saturday on Empty Streets: Venus Williams

Sports Saturdays is a bit delayed today due to some technical difficulty however, I am just grateful to finally get to write again. :) Today's special is about Venus Williams.



I am sure that a lot of people have seen her work her muscles and whip that tennis ball from one side of the court to another. So here on empty streets I would like to talk about her playing style. Williams is one of the most powerful baseliners on tour, equipped with an attacking all-court game. Also Venus' game is adapted to grass where she feels most comfortable. Across her career Venus has developed into a skillful volleyer and effectively utilizes her long 'wingspan' (1,85m) and relative agility around the net. Venus stated during an interview at the 2008 Australian Open that she was working to improve her volley. Venus also has great court coverage using her long reach to play balls that most players wouldn't be able to reach and is capable of hitting outright winners from a defensive position.

Although Venus has the most powerful and feared serve on the Women's Tour, she has an extremely elegant and graceful service action. She holds the record for the fastest serve struck by a woman in a main draw event: at Zurich Open she recorded 130 mph (210 km/h). She also holds the record for fastest serve in all four Grand Slam: Australian Open 2003 (QF) - 125 mph (201 km/h), French Open 2007 (2R), Wimbledon 2008 (F), US Open 2007 (1R) - 129 mph. At Wimbledon 2008 Venus' average first serve speed was 115 mph (185 km/h) in the 1/4 final, a remarkable 116 mph (187 km/h) in the semi-final and 111 mph (179 km/h) in the final - rather faster average speeds than any woman (including her sister, Serena Williams) records (data from IBM/Wimbledon). To put this into further perspective, the top men's seed (and world no.1) at the tournament, Roger Federer, registered average first serve speeds of 119 mph (1/4 final), 117 mph (semi-final) and 117 mph (final) in his last three matches at the tournament. This kind of confluence in men's and women's service speeds is unusual in professional tennis, and sets Venus Williams apart from her contemporaries in the women's game. To further illustrate the difference, the no.1 seed at the tournament, Ana Ivanović, recorded an average first serve speed of 98 mph (fastest serve 108 mph) in her last match at the tournament. The no.3 seed at the tournament; Maria Sharapova, recorded an average first serve speed of 104 mph (fastest serve 111 mph) in her last match. Also during a match at Wimbledon 2007, Williams' average first serve speed was 115 mph (185 km/h) while tennis pro Rafael Nadal's average first serve speed was 113 mph (182 km/h) on the same day.

Venus Williams has always been a explosive hitter of the ball off the ground but her backhand is the more consistently reliable of her groundstrokes. Venus' backhand is equally effective down-the-line or crosscourt (frequently for a set-up approach shot). Venus' forehand does occasionally break down under pressure. However, it is still the more powerful of her groundstrokes, and a stroke that yields many winners, from a variety of court positions. Additionally, it is one the most powerful forehands in the women's game, frequently struck in the 85 - 90 mph (140 km/h) range. In the 2008 Wimbledon women's final, Venus struck a forehand winner measured at 94 mph (IBM/Wimbledon). Only a few women (notably Ana Ivanović, Serena Williams and the now-retired Justine Henin) hit to these speeds off the ground. Venus's forehand drive-volley (a shot that she popularized at the top of the sport) is the most decisive and devastating in the game.



But aside from playing games Venus has lent her tennis stardom for a good cause:


USTAPSA_Venus Williams_Paper from itsyournature on Vimeo.