
via Getty
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 31: Venus Williams of the United States celebrates victory in her match against Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands during day one of the WTA 500 Yarra Valley Classic at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

via Getty
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 31: Venus Williams of the United States celebrates victory in her match against Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands during day one of the WTA 500 Yarra Valley Classic at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Tennis practice sessions are, for the most part, heavy and intense, unless you are Venus Williams, of course. Some of the inside details of her practice sessions have emerged, and it brings out the casual and jovial side of the great champion.
Tennis, no doubt, is an intense sport and can extract a lot of energy out of one’s mind and body. Jermaine Jenkins shared some details regarding how it was to practice with Venus Williams. He was her hitting partner for almost 3 years and revealed some interesting details about Williams’ flippant and jolly approach to training.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
‘Silly’ side of Venus Williams
Jenkins was also a former coach of Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka. Recently, during a podcast on a tennis channel called ‘ Baseline Intelligence’, the host Jonathan Stokke asked a pretty straightforward question. And Jenkins, too, reciprocated with the same straightforward tone, giving an honest answer.
Here was the question regarding Venus Williams to Jenkins:
“Was there anything about you that surprised you? About her process, about her game, the mindset that you weren’t prepared for?”
Jenkins replied: “I don’t think I have the freedom to say this, I couldn’t believe how silly she was, and like how fun she was. Here I am my man, I can’t miss a ball and trying to give her the best practice ever. In the middle of the practice, she bursts out doing a dance or singing making you feel comfortable.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Venus Williams The casual multiple-time Grand Slam Champion
If the 20-time Grand Slam champion (including doubles) could play this well with not much intense practice, one could only imagine how much more she could have achieved had she practiced even harder. The champion player is less decorated in comparison to her highly achieving younger sister, Serena Williams. But she has her own lion’s share of records to be proud of.
There hasn’t been any sister or brother duo that has been more dominant on a tennis court than these two. Venus is calm, composed, and not that much intense. She is less aggressive when compared to her iconic sister, Serena Williams. And Jenkins has audaciously, though, in a funny manner, called Venus ‘silly’ in their practice sessions as she dances and sings without proper focus.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
While no one can blame her for being casual, it has surprised some people how tennis practice sessions can be this fun. And this can only do good for the sport as some people naively consider tennis as boring.
Watch This Story: 42-year-old Venus Williams’ compassion in full display as an emotional tale comes to light days ahead of her grass-court comeback
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT