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Venus Williams, Who Fought Actively for Women’s Tennis, Once Downplayed Her Contribution With Modesty – ‘Get Too Much Credit..’

Published 12/14/2022, 6:45 AM EST

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Venus Williams, the seven-time Grand Slam champion, once shared her views about her fight for equal prize money. In a 2008 interview, she explained to her host how she continued to fight and win major titles. The WTA legend also talked about the struggle for equality in fields outside of sports, particularly when it comes to pay and other areas.

In 2005, Williams met with French Open officials to lobby on behalf of women’s professional tennis players. She had pushed the officials to grant the female players the same prize money as their male competitors.

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Venus Williams once downplayed the importance of her role in the heroic struggle for equal pay

Venus, who entered the professional circuit at a young age, was one of the few to fight for equal pay for men and women in professional tennis. It was a crucial battle that is still ongoing in many other sports. Billie Jean King, the legendary women’s tennis player, effectively led the fight for gender pay parity at the 1973 U.S. Open. In the interview with CNN in 2008, Venus Williams said, “You know, in a way I feel like I get too much credit for equal prize money,” She credited players like Billy Jean King for igniting the fight for equal pay.

via Imago

Williams had been asked to lead the campaign for gender equality in sports by the Women’s Tennis Association and UNESCO. In a major victory for such campaigns, Wimbledon announced in February 2007 that all competitors would receive the same prize money despite intense pressure.

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‘They Say It’s Not About the Money’ – Venus Williams Sends a Strong Message as She Continues to Fight for Women’s Equality

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Williams further added in the interview, “I won the first Wimbledon where there was equal prize money. So in a way it’s starting to set in, what it means, it’s about just women around the world, and not just about tennis.” Williams won the 2007 tournament and received the same amount in prize money as Roger Federer. This battle made her the first woman to profit from Wimbledon’s equal prize money movement.

Williams has stated her intention to compete in 2023

Numerous fans and ex players wonder what Williams has planned for 2023. The seven-time Grand Slam champion announced her intention to play again in 2023 via her YouTube channel. On February 4 in Dallas, Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, is slated to compete against Danielle Collins.

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WATCH THIS STORY- Will Smith Shows How King Richard Cast Trained Like Serena and Venus Williams

Williams updated her fans on her YouTube channel, seemingly unfazed by the fact that she did not win a singles match in 2022—the first time this has happened since 1994. Venus Williams will return to the court soon and fans are excited to see her play. Let us know what you think about Venus Williams in the comments below.

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Written by:

Dr Aditya Raveendran Menon

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Aditya Menon is a Tennis Author at EssentiallySports. A dentist by profession, he developed an unbridled love for tennis from the moment his father introduced him to the sport. Watching Roger Federer dominate the ATP tour with his unique and effortless style played a pivotal role in pushing Aditya to write about tennis for national publications.
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Edited by:

Tony Thomas