Venus Williams' Childhood

Some people say that I have an attitude - maybe I do. But I think that you have to. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does - that makes you a winner right there.
- Venus Williams

Venus Williams, along with her sister Serena, have dominated the women's tennis in their time. This former World No. 1 has 22 Grand Slam titles to her credit, along with 4 Olympic gold medals.

Winning is an attitude for this personality which was deeply ingrained during her childhood years by her father Richard. Her journey as a rising star is one that continues to inspire millions across the globe. Venus and Serena have had an exciting journey to superstardom. She is considered to be the best tennis player on grass after Martina Navratilova.

Born on 17th June, 1980, Venus Williams stands at a towering height of 6 feet 1 inch. Known for her colorful attire, strange hairstyles and aggressive personality, she started attracting attention when she was just a kid. This lady was born in Lynwood, California in a gang infested neighborhood.

She is the fourth of the five daughters in her family. She along with her sister Serena, received coaching from their parents, Richard and Oracene Williams. It was Richard who began to love the game when he watched the television coverage of the same.

This was the time when he wanted his daughters to be famous tennis stars. However, it was only Venus and Serena Williams who showed a natural flair and liking to the game. They soon began training at the local courts. However, they often had the fear of being a victim due to the stray gunfire that was a result of gang violence in their neighborhood.

Venus began training at an early age of four years. She was not really wealthy to receive professional training and honed her skills by observing the matches aired on television. Richard made her practice for hours and hours together.

Later Venus would go on to say that she was brainwashed by her father to do just one thing - win. Richard inculcated a relentless work ethic in her. After grueling five-hour training sessions, Richard would give Venus lessons on Economics and social Darwinism.

Mother Oracene would train Venus to have high self-worth and she made her acquire a curious nature. All this grounding is the reason that she did not succumb to the side effects of stardom like competition and stress.

By the early half of the 1990s, the entire family shifted to Florida. This is the time when both sisters attended Rick Macci's Academy for tennis. Macci described Venus as raw talent, with little technical skills.

Venus, at the tender age of 11 was already 6 feet tall. This gave her an enormous physical advantage over her counterparts. Macci lauded her athleticism and powerful groundstrokes.

He did not always like Richard's style of dealing with Venus. He did not like how Richard allowed Venus to behave like a little girl, but this personal difference was kept aside and Macci coached her without any prejudice. Soon she was ranked as the number 1 in the under-12 division with an impressive win-loss record of 63-0.

After Venus turned 12, Richard stopped sending her to tournaments citing the reason that she had to take it slow and concentrate on studies as well. After this he withdrew Venus from the academy and coached her himself. Under him she practiced with great dedication and turned into a professional at the age of 14.

Venus Williams achieved fame in 1995. This was the first time she played for a tournament and lost to Martina Hingis. She won her first professional title in 1998. Since then, there has been no looking back for this talented personality.

Eager fans are always hoping and waiting with great excitement to watch this tennis player in action. Her grit and determination can serve to be a truly fine example for lovers of the game. Here's wishing all the luck to the Williams sisters!