Venus Williams taking on teens
37-year-old enjoying success on court, innocent in crash causing death off the court
LONDON (AP) — Venus Williams beat one 19-year-old opponent at Wimbledon on Friday. She’ll face another on Monday.
Both of those players were born months after Williams made her debut at the All England Club. Think about that for a minute. Williams’ 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over Naomi Osaka of Japan made the 37-year-old American the oldest woman to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon since Martina Navratilova was that age when she was the tournament’s runner-up in 1994.
“I’ve had to step it up. I imagine that’s going to continue,” Williams said. “All I can do is try to be my best.”
This is the 20th appearance at the grasscourt major for Williams, who has won the championship five times since her first match at the All England Club in 1997. Next up for Williams on Monday, with a quarterfinal berth at stake, is another foe not yet 20: Ana Konjuh of Croatia.
Osaka spoke about growing up admiring Williams and her younger sister, Serena.
“I actually feel like it’s better that she beat me, because I can learn more from her, and there’s something more I can look forward to,” the 59th-ranked Osaka said. “There’s more of a goal for me to practice every day and stuff.”
The 27th-seeded Konjuh had never been past the third round until upsetting 2014 Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4 on Friday.
With Serena off the tour because she is pregnant, and Maria Sharapova recovering from a leg injury, Williams was one of only two past Wimbledon winners in the women’s field when the tournament began.
After a second-round loss by Petra Kvitova, Williams is the lone champ standing.
The 10th-seeded Williams is playing in her first tournament since a two-car crash in Florida on June 9. A 78-year-old man in the other vehicle died about two weeks later and his estate has since filed a lawsuit against Williams.
On Friday, police said video shows that Williams legally entered an intersection seconds before she drove into the path of the other car.