MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 21: Shuai Peng of China in action during her Women's Singles first round match against Nao Hibino of Japan on day two of the 2020 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 21, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)
Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for China's
Foreign Ministry, said the country's government is "not
aware" of any information related to the disappearance of tennis player Peng Shuai.
Lijian told reporters Friday the situation is "not a diplomatic question," according to the Associated Press.
On Nov. 2, Peng made a post on Weibo, a
Chinese social media site, alleging sexual assault by former
government official Zhang Gaoli during an encounter three years ago.
The allegations were quickly deleted
from the platform, and the former top-ranked doubles player in the
world hasn't been heard from since.
CGTN, a state-run broadcast outlet in
China, released an email it said came from Peng saying she was
safe and denying the sexual assault took place:
A statement “from Peng Shuai” and carried by Chinese state media, saying “everything is fine”… where have we seen similar things before? pic.twitter.com/GvQA3fbCTI
WTA Chairman Steve Simon released a
statement saying the unverified email "only raises my concerns as to
her safety and whereabouts:"
I have a hard time believing that
Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is
being attributed to her. Peng Shuai displayed incredible courage in
describing an allegation of sexual assault against a former top
official in the Chinese government. The WTA and the rest of the world
need independent and verifiable proof that she is safe. I have
repeatedly tried to reach her via numerous forms of communication, to
no avail.
Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak
freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source. Her
allegation of sexual assault must be respected, investigated with
full transparency and without censorship. The voices of women need to
be heard and respected, not censored nor dictated to.
Many of tennis' biggest stars,
including Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka, have
raised questions about the well-being of two-time doubles Grand Slam
champion.
I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai. I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible. This must be investigated and we must not stay silent. Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time. #whereispengshuaipic.twitter.com/GZG3zLTSC6
Simon told CNN he's willing to cut the Tour's relationship with China if answers aren't provided.
"We're definitely willing to pull
our business and deal with all the complications that come with it,"
he said Thursday. "Because this is certainly, this is bigger
than the business."
Peng, who also reached the semifinals of the 2014 US Open as a singles player, most recently played the
Qatar Open in February 2020.
WTA's Steve Simon Calls for 'Verifiable Proof' of Peng Shuai's Safety After Email
Nov 17, 2021
SHENZHEN, CHINA - OCTOBER 27: CEO and Chairman of the WTA Steve Simon attends opening ceremony on Day one of the 2019 WTA Finals at Shenzhen Bay Sports Center on October 27, 2019 in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
WTA chief executive Steve Simon expressed concern Wednesday after Chinese state media released a statement it said was written by Peng Shuai.
"The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts," Simon said.
He added he wants "independent and verifiable proof that she is safe" since he has been unable to get in contact with the 35-year-old.
CGTN shared an emailed statement it said Peng had written and sent to Simon in which she said she was "not missing, nor am I unsafe."
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has sent an email to Steve Simon, the WTA Chairman & CEO, CGTN has learned. The email reads: pic.twitter.com/uLi6Zd2jDI
In a since-deleted post on Chinese social media platform Weibo, Peng alleged she had been sexually assaulted by Zhang Gaoli, a retired vice premier in the Chinese government.
"That afternoon, I was very afraid. I didn't expect it to be like this," she wrote of the alleged assault by Zhang. "I didn't agree to have sex with you and kept crying that afternoon."
She said in Wednesday's email the Weibo message was "released without my consent" and that the details included were not true.
Peng's post was subsequently deleted, and her general silence in the aftermath of the initial publishing has left some concerned.
Speaking with the New York Times' Christopher Clarey, Simon initially said that WTA officials had heard Peng was "fine and doing okay, and isn't under any threat." However, he couldn't confirm that with the player herself:
Peng has won 23 doubles titles in the WTA, including Grand Slam victories at Wimbledon in 2013 and Roland Garros in 2014. She climbed to the No. 1 ranking in the world in February 2014.
Serena Williams 'Can't Wait' for Naomi Osaka's Return to Tennis: 'Gonna Be Amazing'
Nov 15, 2021
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 18: Naomi Osaka of Japan shakes hands with Serena Williams of the United States in their Women’s Singles Semifinals match during day 11 of the 2021 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on February 18, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images)
Count Serena Williams among those looking forward to seeing Naomi Osaka back on the tennis court.
Williams recently discussed Osaka's potential return in an interview with TMZ Sports:
"Oh my goodness," Williams said. "It's gonna be amazing. I can't wait."
Osaka had been focusing on her mental health and stepped away from the sport after a third-round loss in the U.S. Open in early September.
"I'm kind of at this point where I'm trying to figure out what I want to do and honestly don't know when I'm going to play my next tennis match," she told reporters in September.
The former No. 1 player in the world had also withdrawn from the French Open and Wimbledon.
Osaka announced on Instagram earlier this month that she was back at training, building anticipation for her eventual return to competitive events.
Paula Badosa Beats Victoria Azarenka to Win 2021 Indian Wells Women's Final
Oct 17, 2021
INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 17: Paula Badosa of Spain celebrates winning the first set against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during the final of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden October 17, 2021 in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Sunday's BNP Paribas Open women's singles final between Victoria Azarenka and Paula Badosa was one of the best matches of the year as it came down to a tiebreaker in the third set.
Badosa won the Indiana Wells final for the first time in her fledgling career, defeating Azarenka 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (2) in Southern California.
The Spaniard had never faced Azarenka before this match and knocked off some of the world's best players en route to the final, including Barbora Krejcikova, Angelique Kerber and Coco Gauff.
Many believed Azarenka would get an easy victory, but in a back-and-forth battle, Badosa looked more confident as the games went on in the first set, winning 7-6. In the tiebreaker, the No. 21 seed almost threw away a 4-0 lead, allowing No. 27 Azarenka to even things up 5-5 before winning 7-5 to take the set.
The second set was a completely different story as Azarenka looked as dominant as she had all night.
Badosa looked a step slower as Azarenka turned things around, jumping out to an assertive 3-0 lead before winning 6-2 with an ace to force a decider for the BNP Paribas Open title.
Never count her out 💪
The two-time champion blasts past Badosa to claim the second set 6-2 and force a decider for the title!#BNPPO21pic.twitter.com/ylZZKJKC2n
The tide began to turn back in Badosa's favor early in the third set, which was far more competitive than the second. Badosa jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but Azarenka refused to give in, winning the third and fourth games to tie Badosa 2-2.
The fifth game of the final set was the most entertaining, as Badosa and Azarenka went back and forth before the latter ended it with an ace to take a 3-2 lead.
However, it was Badosa in the end who took the final set 7-6 to win the BNP Paribas Open title. She won in a 7-2 tiebreak.
The match was the biggest of Badosa's career thus far. She previously defeated Ana Konjuh at the Serbian Open in May, her only WTA win.
Entering Sunday, Azarenka had won 21 WTA singles titles, including two Grand Slam singles, six Premier Mandatory singles and four WTA Premier 5 singles. If she had won this match, she would have been the first woman to win three titles at Indian Wells.
Indian Wells Tennis Women's Semifinals 2021 Results, Updated Finals Schedule
Oct 16, 2021
Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, returns to Jelena Ostapenko, of Latvia, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Victoria Azarenka will go for her third title at Indian Wells in the women's singles final on Sunday.
Azarenka reached the championship match in thrilling fashion, as she rebounded from a set down against Jelena Ostapenko.
Azarenka's first two titles in the California desert came three years apart. There have been three tournaments played at Indian Wells since her last title in 2016. The event was not played in 2020 and was pushed back to October this season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paula Badosa will be Azarenka's opponent. The Spaniard cruised to a straight-set victory over Ons Jabeur in Friday's second semifinal.
Badosa earned her first-ever title on the WTA Tour in May in Serbia. Her final appearance at Indian Wells is a continuation of her career-best season in which she advanced to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Women's Semifinals Results
No. 27 Victoria Azarenka def. No. 24 Jelena Ostapenko, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
No. 21 Paula Badosa def. No. 12 Ons Jabeur, 6-3, 6-3
Azarenka battled through her toughest match of the tournament to date to reach her third final at Indian Wells.
The No. 27 seed lost her first set of the tournament to open the match against Ostapenko.
Ostapenko got out to a two-game lead in the second set before Azarenka flipped the match on its head.
Azarenka captured six of the next seven games in the second set to level the contest. She gained a slight advantage in the third set to win 7-5.
Azarenka won despite not having a massive advantage in any of the major statistics. Ostapenko had the better percentage on first serves and first-serve returns. She also delivered 49 winners over the three-set match.
Two-time champ Victoria Azarenka pulls off a stunning comeback to defeat Jelena Ostapenko, 36 63 75, advancing to her 3rd #BNPPO21 final.
Azarenka withstood a barrage from Ostapenko, who fired 49 winners on the night, saving 3BPs in the final game to seal the win.
The 32-year-old last reached a final on the WTA Tour last October, when she fell to Aryna Sabalenka in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Azarenka advanced to the 2020 U.S. Open final. She was unable to discover form at this year's majors. Her best finish was in the fourth round of the French Open.
Azarenka owns a perfect record in finals at the BNP Paribas Open. She beat Maria Sharapova in straight sets in 2012 and defeated Serena Williams in the same fashion in 2015.
Azarenka will face Badosa for the first time in her career in Sunday's final. The Spaniard survived a surge in the final few games of the second set from Jabeur to close out her straight-set win.
Badosa put away Jabeur on her sixth match point of the second set. The win was an extension of a remarkable run in Indian Wells for the Spaniard.
Paula Badosa into her first big-ticket WTA final. Playing and moving so well. Beats Ons Jabeur 6-3, 6-3 to set up final with Victoria Azarenka in Indian Wells
If Badosa maintains her level, it will be a very good one
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) October 16, 2021
The French Open quarterfinalist defeated Coco Gauff and Barbora Krejcikova in straight sets to reach the final eight. She took care of Angelique Kerber in two sets in the previous round.
Badosa will be playing in the biggest final of her career on Sunday. She won the Serbia Ladies Open over Ana Konjuh in May. Konjuh retired from that match after two games in the second set.
If Badosa wins, it would cap off a fantastic season that has also featured an Olympic quarterfinal berth.
It will be hard for the Spaniard to beat Azarenka in the manner she defeated the four seeded players in the previous rounds. Azarenka has experience in finals at Indian Wells and has been on this stage countless times before.
US Open Tennis 2021 Results: Final Look at Women's Bracket and Prize Money
Sep 12, 2021
Emma Raducanu, of Britain, reacts after defeating Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, during the women's singles final of the US Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Emma Raducanu arrived in New York City having played in only one previous Grand Slam event. She's leaving as the 2021 U.S. Open women's singles champion. Not only that, but she also rolled through the tournament without dropping a set.
It was a dominant display by the 18-year-old from Great Britain, who was not expected to win a Grand Slam title this early in her professional tennis career. After all, she had only made her debut at a major tournament earlier this summer when she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Yet Raducanu stormed through the U.S. Open, finishing with a victory against Leylah Fernandez, a fellow unseeded teenager, in Saturday's final. Raducanu won 6-4, 6-3 to become the second teenager in three years to win this event. (Bianca Andreescu was 19 when she won in 2019).
Here's a look back at how the women's singles tournament unfolded over the final four rounds, resulting in that improbable meeting between Raducanu and Fernandez in the final, along with prize money.
U.S. Open Women's Bracket: Round of 16 Through Final
While Raducanu had practically no Grand Slam experience heading into this year's U.S. Open, her final opponent barely had more. Fernandez had played in only six previous majors and had never made it past the third round.
However, the Canadian proved to be a strong player throughout her tournament run. She knocked out three players who were seeded in the top five (Sabalenka, Osaka and Svitolina), and she continued to find ways to pull out victories in close games, going a full three sets in four straight matches prior to the final.
It seemed like Fernandez was finally going to be the first player to win a set against Raducanu. Yet not even she could halt the Brit's momentum.
Raducanu surprised everybody at the U.S. Open—including herself.
"You say, 'I want to win a Grand Slam.' But to have the belief I did, and actually executing, winning a Grand Slam," Raducanu said, per Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press, "I can't believe it."
How rare is it for somebody to win the U.S. Open women's singles title without dropping a set along the way? It hadn't happened since 2014, when Serena Williams did it, putting Raducanu in some pretty elite company.
Before Andreescu's triumph, the previous woman this young to win a U.S. Open title was Maria Sharapova, who was 19 when she captured the championship in 2006. And there hadn't been a British woman win a major tournament since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977.
Raducanu kept her composure throughout her run. She never even had to play a tiebreaker. None of her opponents won more than four games in a single set. It was complete dominance.
Saturday's final wasn't the first time Raducanu had played against Fernandez. The two met at the 2018 Wimbledon junior tournament, with the Brit coming out on top then too. The 2021 U.S. Open final may not be the final meeting between the pair, either.
"I hope we play each other in many more tournaments and hopefully finals," Raducanu said, per ESPN's Aishwarya Kumar.
Not only is it possible that may happen, but these teenagers could be the future of women's tennis as well. And given the quality on display Saturday, that would be nothing but positive for the sport.
US Open Tennis 2021 Women's Final: Leylah Fernandez vs. Emma Raducanu Preview
Sep 11, 2021
Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, returns a shot to Aryna Sabalenka,of Belarus, during the semifinals of the US Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Ashleigh Barty won't be adding a U.S. Open title to her resume, Naomi Osaka won't be winning for the third time in four years and Aryna Sabalenka won't be capturing her first Grand Slam title. Instead, an unseeded teenager will be leaving the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as the 2021 U.S. Open champion.
In an improbable matchup of two inexperienced youngsters, 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez of Canada and 18-year-old Emma Raducanu of Great Britain will be playing in Saturday's U.S. Open women's singles final. Neither player had previously even reached the quarterfinals of a major tournament, with Fernandez playing in only her seventh Grand Slam event and Raducanu her second.
Make no mistakes about it, though: Fernandez and Raducanu deserve to be here. They've each had impressive runs through the tournament, taking down some of the biggest names in tennis along the way.
Here's everything you need to know heading into Saturday's match.
2021 U.S. Open Women's Singles Final Information
Date: Saturday, Sept. 11
Start Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Preview
While Fernandez and Raducanu have each made it to the U.S. Open final, they've done so in different ways. Fernandez has been pushed to the limit. Raducanu has showcased complete domination. And now, the teenagers must face off against each other.
Fernandez's list of defeated opponents is the more impressive of the two, considering she beat four players who were seeded in the top 16. And while she went a full three sets against each of them, playing a tiebreaker once in each match, she continued to find ways to win.
After winning in straight sets in each of the first two rounds, Fernandez made it known she was here to stay by defeating No. 3 Osaka 5-7, 7-6(6), 6-4 in the third round.
"From the very beginning, right before the match, I knew I was able to win," Fernandez said, per ESPN's D'Arcy Maine.
Fernandez followed that up by beating No. 16 Angelique Kerber 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 in the fourth round. Things didn't get easier, yet Fernandez kept prevailing. She defeated No. 5 Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) in the quarterfinals, then No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals.
While Fernandez can't add a win against another seeded opponent, her next victory would be her biggest yet, considering it would award her a Grand Slam title.
There's one important thing to know about Raducanu's run: She hasn't even lost a set since showing up to New York City. And it's not like she was playing easy opponents, either.
Raducanu had to get past a pair of seeded players in the previous two rounds. In the quarterfinals, she notched a 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 11 Belinda Bencic, who won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this summer. Then, Raducanu defeated No. 17 Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals.
"I personally think inside I knew I had some sort of level inside of me that was similar to these girls, but I didn't know if I was able to maintain it over a set or over two sets," Raducanu said, per Maine. "To be able to do it and play the best players in the world and beat them, I honestly can't believe it."
Either way, the U.S. Open women's singles title will be going to a teenager for only the 10th time. The last time it happened was in 2019, when Bianca Andreescu won the tournament at 19.
This won't be the first time that Fernandez and Raducanu have played each other. In 2018, Raducanu defeated Fernandez in two straight sets in the second round of the junior Wimbledon tournament.
The stakes will be much higher this time the two take the court.
US Open Tennis 2021 Women's Final Schedule, Prediction and Prize Money
Sep 10, 2021
Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, reacts after defeating Aryna Sabalenka,of Belarus, during the semifinals of the US Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The winner of the 2021 U.S. Open women's singles tournament will be a teenager who had never even reached the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam event before.
The fourth and final major tournament of the year has been filled with surprises on the women's side, resulting in a matchup between Leylah Fernandez, a Canadian 19-year-old, and Emma Raducanu, a British 18-year-old, in Saturday's final. One of these two unseeded players will be leaving the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City as a Grand Slam champion.
It's the first time that the U.S. Open women's final has featured a pair of teenagers since 1999, when Serena Williams (then 17) defeated Martina Hingis (then 18).
Here's everything else you need to know heading into the women's singles final at this year's U.S. Open.
Women's Final Information
Date: Saturday, Sept. 11
Start Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Prize Money: The winner will receive $2.5 million, with the runner-up getting $1.25 million.
Preview, Prediction
Prior to this event, Fernandez had made only six appearances at major tournaments and had never made it past the third round. And she's the more experienced of the two players in Saturday's final.
Raducanu made her debut at a Grand Slam event at Wimbledon earlier this summer, when she reached the fourth round. Now, she could win a championship at her second career major tournament.
This is an unlikely encounter, but it's happening because these two knocked out a bunch of top players and made impressive runs through the bracket, particularly Fernandez.
Over the past four rounds, Fernandez has defeated No. 3-seeded Naomi Osaka, No. 16 Angelique Kerber, No. 5 Elina Svitolina and No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka. Each of those four matches went a full three sets and featured Fernandez winning one set in a tiebreaker.
On Thursday, Fernandez continued her surprise run by knocking off Sabalenka, rallying for a 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 victory. Yet again, Fernandez advanced in thrilling fashion.
"I'm glad that whatever I'm doing on court, the fans are loving it—and I'm loving it, too," Fernandez said, per Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press. "We'll say it's magical."
Raducanu's run has been pretty special, too. But she's made it this far in dominant fashion. She has yet to drop a set during the tournament in six matches. Not only that, but none of her opponents have even won more than four games in any of those sets.
Although Raducanu hasn't faced quite as tough competition, she's knocked off some strong players, including No. 11 Belinda Bencic and No. 17 Maria Sakkari in the past two rounds. Raducanu defeated Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals to reach this point.
"I've just been taking care of each day, and before you know it, three weeks later, I'm in the final and I can't believe it," Raducanu said, per Fendrich.
As entertaining as it's been to watch both of these teenagers excel, one of them has to lose.
Expect the final to be the first three-set match that Raducanu has played, because neither of these women are going to go down without a strong fight. It should be a competitive match that features at least one tiebreaker (which has been the norm for Fernandez), and it truly could go either way.
However, Fernandez may be better prepared after facing the likes of Sabalenka, Osaka and Svitolina. And because of that, she'll notch the win by pulling away late in the third set and closing out her incredible run with one final impressive victory.
Prediction: Fernandez wins in three sets.
Sloane Stephens Shares Photos of Threatening Messages on IG After US Open Loss
Sep 4, 2021
USA's Sloane Stephens hits a return to Germany's Angelique Kerber during their 2021 US Open Tennis tournament women's singles third round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, on September 3, 2021. (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)
Sloane Stephens shared racist, sexist and threatening messages she received following her third-round loss to Angelique Kerber at the U.S. Open on Friday night.
On her Instagram story, Stephens said she received more than 2,000 messages of "abuse/anger from people upset by yesterday's result" and posted a few of them (warning: contains graphic language):
Sloane Stephens details the horrific racist and sexist abuse and threats she received after yesterday’s loss (and most other losses).
"This isn't talked about enough, but it really freaking sucks," Stephens wrote on the post.
Friday's match lasted nearly two hours, with Kerber winning the final two sets 6-2, 6-3 after Stephens took the opener 7-5.
The 28-year-old has had a tumultuous year. On Jan. 14, she announced her grandmother and aunt died from COVID-19 within two weeks of each other. She announced Jan. 19 her grandfather died but didn't specify his cause of death.
At the time of her grandfather's death, Stephens was in Australia in quarantine to prepare for the Australian Open. She played in the tournament, losing her first-round match to Yulia Putintseva.
Stephens wrote toward the end of her post Saturday that she was "choosing positive vibes over negative ones."
"Disappointing loss yesterday, but I'm heading in the right direction. Honestly, so much to be proud of! Been fighting battles all year and haven't backed down yet. Never stop fighting! You win or you learn, but you never lose," she wrote on Instagram.
Venus Williams Announces She Won't Participate in 2021 U.S. Open Because of Injury
Aug 25, 2021
US player Venus Williams reacts while playing Tunisia's Ons Jabeur during their women's singles second round match on the third day of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
The U.S. Open will be without both Williams sisters this year.
On the same day that Serena Williams announced she was withdrawing from the grand slam as she recovers from a torn hamstring, Venus Williams also pulled out of the event:
Not the best news everyone. I am joining @serenawilliams@RafaelNadal and @rogerfederer on the injured list. It’s still going to be a great US Open & many thanks to the @usta for the wild card. I was so looking forward to it, but it was not meant to be this year. I will be back! pic.twitter.com/s0PRgdSSx2
Venus Williams withdraws from the US Open because of a leg injury
This will be the first Grand Slam event in the main singles draw without Venus, Serena Williams, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal since 1997 pic.twitter.com/hLbPZtEKm4
"Having some issues with my leg all this summer," Williams said in her Twitter post. "And just couldn't work through it. Tried my best here in Chicago but I just was unable to figure out the equation."
She added that she didn't currently have a timetable for her return to the court.
"I am really disappointed," she said of missing the U.S. Open. "It's a tough time right now, but like all tough times, they don't last forever. ... Regardless, I'm wishing all players the best of luck this year. Be well—don't get hurt like I did. Stay safe, and everybody enjoy the U.S. Open, I know I'll be watching from home."
Williams, 41, was ousted in her first match at the Chicago Women's Open this past week, losing to Hsieh Su-wei in straight sets. The long-time star is currently ranked No. 147 in the WTA. Her low ranking also meant she didn't qualify to play at the Tokyo Olympics
If Williams' career is winding down, it has been an incredible one. She has won seven grand slam singles titles (five at Wimbledon, two at the U.S. Open), 14 grand slam doubles titles, four Olympic gold medals and a silver.
While her sister Serena will go down as the greatest player in the history of the women's game, Venus Williams was undoubtedly a force in her prime and one of the most decorated players in history. Before Serena dominated the sport, it was Venus who won four grand slam titles between 2000-01.
Injuries and Sjogren's syndrome shortened her prime, and she's largely struggled in recent years. But the story of women's tennis cannot be told without Venus Williams.
