Venus Launches WTT Season In New York
By Richard Pagliaro
07/17/2007

It has become a bit of a tradition: Venus Williams quiets her critics by
resurrecting her career as a Grand Slam champion with an inspired effort on
the most prestigious patch of pasture in tennis then follows her Wimbledon
win by multi-tasking in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

The four-time Wimbledon champion will likely play singles, doubles and mixed
doubles when she returns to World TeamTennis action at 7:30 Tuesday night at
Harbor Island Park in the Manhattan suburb of Mamaroneck.

Two years ago, Williams transformed the All England Club's Centre Court turf
into a trampoline of triumph in elevating herself airborne in a jubilant jump
for joy after fighting off a championship point to capture her third career
Wimbledon championship with a thrilling 4-6, 7-6(4), 9-7 victory over
top-ranked Lindsay Davenport. Williams followed that effort with an
appearance in the Fed Cup semifinals, as the USA lost to Russia on the red
clay of Moscow, before playing against the New York Sportimes in Mamaroneck.

Less than two weeks ago, the 23rd-seeded Williams broke her own record in
becoming the lowest-seeded woman in history to win Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-1
victory over Marion Bartoli. Once again, Williams followed her Wimbledon win
by keeping her Fed Cup commitment in the United States' 3-2 loss to Russia in
Stowe, Vermont of the weekend and once again she will hit the carpet court in
Mamaroneck when she leads the Philadelphia Freedoms into Harbor Island Park
at 7:30 p.m.

The traditional champion's ball is over, but the buzz of winning another
major still lingers for the former World No. 1.

"It's exciting. I always believed I could do it," Williams said in a
conference call with the media today to promote her WTT appearances. "To do
it is definitely really, really hard work. I feel really, really excited,
obviously really blessed."

The six-time Grand Slam champion will make four World TeamTennis appearances
in the next six days. Following her match against the Sportimes on Tuesday
night, Williams and the Freedoms will play at Boston against the Lobsters on
Wednesday, the team hosts the Houston Wranglers on Friday before Williams
wraps up her WTT schedule on Sunday at Newport Beach.

Williams was so drained by her global travel prior to her 2005 WTT appearance
in Mamaroneck, she stretched her 6-foot-1 frame out in a back room of the
player lounge and engaged in her vital pre-match preparation: a much-needed
nap.

Fresh of the weekend's Fed Cup tie in which she won two singles matches and
partnered Lisa Raymond in a losing effort in doubles, Williams will need no
wake-up call this time around.

"I think it's a great idea, becoming a little bit of a tradition for me,"
Williams said. "But I had a great time there last [time]. I was a little bit
off. I think I was just coming off Wimbledon, on a whirlwind. I hadn't had a
chance to practice. I remember it was a little bit tough. But this time I've
been well practiced. I just came off Fed Cup, so I'm hoping to have a great
showing."

Playing WTT reunites Williams with Fed Cup doubles partner Lisa Raymond on
the Philadelphia squad.

"I enjoy it, have fun. I love playing on the team with the people I play on
the team with," Williams said. "I love playing with Lisa Raymond...: Lisa is
a great person, she really is. She's fun. She's enthusiastic. She has a great
personality, a lot of energy. I really enjoy knowing her and being on the Fed
Cup with her and obviously being on TeamTennis with her. We just played in
Fed Cup this weekend. In general, I just have a great time. It's a great way
to play tennis and really enjoy the moment. I love playing on the team."

She starts the summer returning to Team Tennis, could she conclude it
reprising the doubles partnership with sister Serena? The Williams sisters
doubled up at Wimbledon last month in accepting a wild card into the doubles
draw of the grass-court Grand Slam. Venus and Serena won one round before
conceding a walkover. Asked if she plans to play doubles with Serena at next
month's U.S. Open, Williams was noncommittal.

"We haven't thought about playing doubles at the Open. We were in Wimbledon,
playing quite well," Williams said. "Obviously injury stopped our run, our
brief run."

Venus plans to play two U.S. Open Series tournaments in preparation for the
U.S. Open: the Tier I Acura Classic in San Diego, which starts on July 30 and
the Tier I Rogers Cup in Toronto beginning on Aug. 13. It is the farewell
season for San Diego, which will not have a place on the Sony Ericsson WTA
Tour schedule next year and Williams, who claimed three consecutive Acura
Classic championships from 20000-2002 said the event will be missed.

"It's going to be strange. All the players love San Diego," Williams said.
"It always gets voted favorite tournament. I know a lot of players will be
sad because not only did we come and play great tennis, but we also get to
relax, which is rare. I think it's sad for the players and the fans."

Standing on Centre Court clutching the famed Rosewater Dish following her
Wimbledon win on the 50th anniversary of Althea Gibson's historic triumph as
the first African American to win Wimbledon, Williams showed her own
appreciation for history in thanking both Gibson and Hall of Famer and WTT
founder Billie Jean King for their contributions to women's tennis and their
efforts to further equal rights.

"I thought it was important because obviously equal prize money has been a
huge issue for the last few years, and Billie Jean King has long been
fighting for it also, actively fighting for it alongside all the other WTA
Tour players the last couple years," Williams said. "I wanted to acknowledge
what she's done for tennis, for women's tennis, and single handedly starting
the tour, being such a visionary. People should know and recognize that and
appreciate that. There's Venus and Serena because of Billie."