Venus Williams is no stranger to smashing records and stereotypes. Alongside her iconic sister, Serena Williams, the Williams duo didn’t just play tennis—they transformed it.

They became global household names, inspiring countless budding players to dream big and push boundaries. But even after reshaping the sport and achieving legendary status, Venus has revealed that people still doubt their skills, confronting lingering misconceptions about their greatness.

The 44-year-old engaged in an interaction with American Artist Titus Kaphar for the Cultured Magazine as the two deliberated on several factors related to their lives and career growth over the years. In the interview, Kaphar highlighted the dominant rule of Venus and lauded her skills. “You all perfected it. Now people are looking at your game and trying to decipher and take it apart,” the painter noted. However, Williams was quick to present a different and astonishing claim.

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Williams also claimed that many in the community still doubt her and Serena’s prowess. “Maybe they still think it was a fluke, Serena and I. Otherwise they would be copying every single thing. Lots of things did change, but there are certain concepts that they didn’t understand,” she said. However, she exuded her satisfaction over the fact that all the concepts about their lives and skills were not emulated by others.

“Which is fine, because if your opponents aren’t taking that from you, then you’re the only one that has it,” the star player added. This claim is indeed interesting given the accolades that both sisters have amassed throughout their lives. Remember, while Venus has won 7 Grand Slams, her younger sister has 23 such titles under her belt. Besides, both sisters have won Olympic Gold medals in 2000, and 2012, respectively. Interestingly, Venus’ statement comes despite the praises that the sisters have received from several players in the past.

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Remember, American youngster Coco Gauff has often highlighted how Venus and Serena helped her mold herself. Speaking about the sisters, Gauff said, “I had mentioned that I play tennis but nobody cared. But I feel like for me, having role models like Serena and Venus to look up to made a difference,” she said. “Honestly, I just remember watching Venus at the US Open. My dad got second-row tickets and we were so close and that was a cool thing,” she added. Similar reactions also came from Swiss player Celine Naef, who despite beating Venus in the 2023 Libemma Open, did not fail to laud her dominance.

“She’s an amazing player and really a role model for anyone. For me, it was the biggest stage I ever played,” she said. However, Venus’ latest remark reveals that there are always two sides to a coin, and despite the praise that the sisters have witnessed, their skills were considered to be a fluke by many.

But irrespective of the sometimes negative comments Venus Williams has witnessed from the community, she has always enjoyed the support of her sister Serena Williams which is also one of the reasons why she has continued to delay her retirement despite not playing enough on the courts.

Venus Williams has struggled to make a dominant comeback on the courts for quite some time now. This year, the seven-time Grand Slam champion has participated in only two events: the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open, where she experienced early exits. While these situations have caused many to deliberate on her retirement, Venus has reflected that she is encouraged to continue playing the sport by her young sister.

In a video on her YouTube channel in January this year, Venus highlighted the Serena Williams factor which keeps her going. “My little sister, Serena, told me I’m not allowed to quit, and of course, I would never quit. But it’s the mandate. She said no, so I will be back on the court.” In fact, Williams also claimed that retiring from the sport before turning 50, is out of question for her.

For now, what remains to be seen is whether Venus Williams will shed more light on who she believes continues to doubt her and her sister’s legacy. While she hasn’t called out anyone specifically, such revelations could certainly add more weight to her statements and spark further discussions.