Megliola: Venus shines at Bright

By Lenny Megliola/Daily News staff
GHS
Wed Jul 18, 2007, 11:46 PM EDT
Cambridge, Mass.

Wimbledon champ Venus Williams gave Steve Belkin a belated birthday present
last night.

Williams, playing for the WTT Philadelphia Freedoms, was in town to face the
Boston Lobsters at Harvard's sweltering Bright Arena. Weston resident Belkin,
the owner of Natick's Lookout Farm, who once tried to buy the Celtics and is
embroiled in an ownership dispute over the Atlanta Hawks, played tennis at
Cornell. He recently turned 60 and still plays a vigorous game. His daughters
Julie and Amy had arranged, through Lobsters' owner Bahar Uttam, for their
father to play against Williams for about 20 minutes, and Belkin even earned
a hand from Williams for a terrific lob shot she couldn't get to.

Both left the court sweating profusely. Belkin was thrilled for the
opportunity to play against a future hall of famer. As for Venus, she simply
smiled the night away in her happy new world. There is an inner peace within
Williams now, in large part due to winning Wimbledon for the fourth time.

In the Freedoms' 18-14 win, Williams made it a clean sweep, dominating Julie
Ditty, 5-1, winning 24 of the 28 points, then teaming up to win in women's
and mixed doubles.

The crowd of 1,925 never took its eye off Williams. The attention began hours
before the matches began. Everywhere she went (when she left the arena she
had a police guard), she was besieged for autographs and photo ops, and was
unfailingly considerate, although after about two hours she was clearly ready
to stop smiling and play serious tennis.

She was asked why she would even come here. Wouldn't it be more fun basking
in the glory of the Wimbledon triumph? "I committed (to this) before I knew
I'd win Wimbledon," she smiled. She felt obliged to play against the
Lobsters. Venus had been to Boston before, "but there's never been enough
time" to check it out.

Over the years Williams has been up and down in the rankings, her play
falling off at times and injuries setting her back. Both Williams sisters
have been criticized for putting off-court opportunities ahead of tennis. But
you don't win Wimbledon without committing to the sport. "Playing well
against the best players makes you confident," Venus said. "The best player
usually wins a tournament. For two weeks (at Wimbledon) I was the best
player."

There were no telling signs in previous tournaments that she was ready to
take Wimbledon for the fourth time. "I hadn't put it together yet." Then she
rediscovered her old magic, "at the right time."

Her life has been spinning ever since. She went from London to playing in the
Fed Cup. Now she's with the Freedoms. The demand on her time as Wimbledon
champ "is very demanding," she said, but well worth it. The prize money
boosted her career earnings over $17 million.

A young and skinny Venus started hacking away with sister Serena on the mean
streets courts of Compton, Calif., poor kids who turned out to be profoundly
gifted. Still, she wouldn't change a thing. "There's nothing I'd take back,"
said Williams, who turned pro at 14. From Compton to Centre Court, "My life's
been amazing. It's been awesome."

While Venus grew to a sleek six-foot, one-inch machine of athleticism, it was
Serena who made the bigger splash on and off the court. But maybe now it's
Venus' time, starting with yet another Wimbledon title, in an emerge from
what seemed like the tennis' wasteland.

There is no better athlete in women's tennis than Venus. Her power game and
speed are simply too much for opponents. Foes get discouraged, then Venus'
flytrap sucks them in: Game, set, match.

In the early years Williams gave off an air of arrogance and was somewhat
hurt by the perception. "Some people say I have attitude, and maybe I do, but
you have to," she once said. "You have to believe in yourself when nobody
else does."

Belief has come in the form of 29 singles titles. Grand Slam wins were
another matter. Venus needed one, especially after Serena had won the U.S.
Open in 1999. Venus' time was just around the corner.

She beat Martina Hingis and Serena (in a semifinal), then dispatched Lindsey
Davenport in the Wimbledon final in 2000. Venus was just warming up. She beat
Davenport again, this time in the U.S. Open final, and in 2001 defended her
Wimbledon crown by beating Justine Henin in the final.

Last night the road took Venus Ebone Starr Williams to Harvard. Such a name
to live up to. And she has.

(Lenny Megliola is a Daily News columnist. His e-mail is [e-mail])
________________________________________________

Boston part of her kingdom
Venus drops by, stymies Lobsters

Wearing a tiara of diamonds and pink rubies, Venus Williams visited Boston
yesterday, giving an audience at Harvard's Bright Arena. The queen of
Wimbledon touched down in Allston to play World TeamTennis for the
Philadelphia Freedoms and they vanquished the Boston Lobsters, 18-14, last
night.

"My life has been my life -- it's been a good life," said the 27-year-old
Williams, winner of six Grand Slam events and 35 WTA Tour singles titles. "I
don't think I would take any of it back. When I just looked back with
[younger sister] Serena at what we've done, I said, 'Wow! That's my life.' "

Truth was, Williams was wearing a headband, and it was probably made of
Swarovski crystals, not precious jewels, but she nevertheless presented a
portrait of royalty. Still giddy from her fourth Wimbledon victory July 8,
Williams had the look of the cat who swallowed the canary, as if she was
holding on to a secret so spectacular it was starting to make her glow.

Her results coming into Wimbledon were not the stuff of trophies and titles:
She lost in the third round of the French Open, in the round of 16 in
Istanbul, and in the quarterfinals in Warsaw. Ranked 31st in the world, she
was seeded 23d for The Championships, likely a nod to her three Wimbledon
titles.

Williams was unimpressed. Her confidence comes from that secret source, that
canary.

"It was definitely one of the most interesting Wimbledon victories," said
Williams, who also won in 2000, 2001, and 2005 . "The best player usually
comes out winning the tournament. For two weeks, I was the best player."

And last night there she was, at the Harvard hockey rink, its ice replaced
with green DecoTurf hard court, its temperature tropic after sporadic rain
showers forced the Lobsters to commit to an indoor match in the
un-air-conditioned arena.

No sweat for Williams. She was the workhorse for the Freedoms: meeting with
the media, going on a walk-through of the sponsors' tents, hitting balls for
a few minutes with kids from the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, then
playing singles, doubles, and mixed doubles for Philadelphia.

Just for fun.

"I committed to TeamTennis before I even sent in my entry for Wimbledon,"
Williams said. "I love playing TeamTennis. I love being on a team. If you
make a mistake, it's all right, they pull you right back up."

Williams blasted Julie Ditty, 5-1, in the women's singles; teamed with Lisa
Raymond to shut out Ditty and Christina Fusano, 5-0, in women's doubles; and
wrapped up her evening in the mixed doubles. She and Daniel Nestor dropped
Ditty and Amir Hadad, 5-3. Williams's most impressive shot of the night might
have been a backhand cross-court volley in the last match as she ran in to
the net to catch the ball, then sliced it so hard her racket whistled.

The queen had her way: Williams won 28 of 33 service points.

"She's on her game," said Ditty. "I didn't have much time to get into it."

"I felt good," Williams said. "I'm out here smiling.

"I want to win [in WTT] just as much, but I guess it doesn't hurt as much;
five other players can lose. When we walk on the court on the regular tour,
we are at work. Here it's work, but it's also fun. We have a good mix."

Venus and Serena have taken an unconventional approach to their careers:
playing when they wanted, not when they were told; indulging strong interests
outside tennis; being circumspect about some of their motivations; and, most
frustrating for opponents, dropping in unheralded on Grand Slam events and
ripping up the field to take home the trophy. Serena came to this year's
Australian Open ranked 81st in the world and won the title. Venus followed
suit in London.

"I'm very emotional right now," Venus said, struggling not to smile at, well,
everything, "just from putting out so much physically on a Grand Slam event,
especially on my serve. My main goal is to try and get some rest, to go into
the US Open. Physically, I feel fresh.

"I feel really good. Playing well under the best pressure gives you some
confidence."

No question at Wimbledon, and no question last night: Williams rules.

Barbara Matson can be reached at [e-mail]