Tennis takes star player all over
The world-renowned tennis player Venus Williams, 37, who has won seven major singles titles and reached the finals this year at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon, will tell you that one of the best parts of her career is the chance it has given her to see the world.
“I travel so much for tennis that I don’t count how often I’m on the road, but the sport has definitely taken me to some interesting places,” she said.
On a recent trip to New York City, Williams spoke about her travels.
Q: What are some of your favorite destinations that you’ve traveled to for tennis?
A: I am a huge fan of Hong Kong because
I am a night person, and it is a night city. I love to walk around at 11 or 12 in the evening because there are restaurants and other spots still open, and the streets are full of people. Also, although it is a big city with tall buildings, there’s a nature feel because you’re surrounded by mountains, water and greenery. Another top spot is Rome. I love the energy of the city. ... And earlier this year, I went to St. Petersburg. It was my first trip to Russia, and I was really taken by Russian history, culture and art.
Q: When you are traveling to compete in tournaments, how much free time do you have in a destination, and what do you enjoy doing with that time?
A: Seeing small museums always interests me whenever I have downtime because they feel manageable. In Paris, I enjoyed the Musée de Cluny. It takes an hour to get through the whole museum, and it has cool Roman baths and medieval art. In London,
I like the Museum of London, where you can learn about the city’s history, but as a tennis player, I never want to be seeing too much of any place where I am for a tournament, because that means I’ve lost. If you leave the city at the end of a tournament, you may not have seen much, but at least you won or came close to winning. It’s nice to like a city and be able to go back and see it properly.
Q: You’ve spoken previously about your love of good food. What kind of food do you seek out when you’re traveling?
A: I do enjoy good meals and like to call myself a cheating vegan, which means that I’ll normally try to seek out something vegan, but may cheat depending on what I’m craving. In trips to Paris and Las Vegas, I really wanted a chili dog and found great vegan chili dogs in both cities.
Q: How do you stay in top physical form to compete when you have to combat jet lag and the other challenges that come with travel?
A: It takes some discipline, but wherever I am in the world, whether it’s China or Australia, I hit the gym the day I land and then practice for the match. I also don’t sleep during the day and push myself to stay up until 10. Between the travel and my training, I’m usually pretty tired by the evening and don’t have a hard time falling sleep.
Q: What, for you, makes for a great hotel?
A: In the past, I’ve liked staying at boutique hotels with a design element, and I’m still into properties with a focus on design, like the New York Edition, where I stayed when I was in the city last time, or the 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati. But lately, I’ve come to appreciate hotels with great service and comfort, and I think that the Four Seasons is a winner for both. I also love the Lotte New York Palace, which has such a classic New York atmosphere. And despite where I am staying, I like visiting other hotels in the city and asking to see a room so that I can get a sense of what the property is like. My company, V Starr Interiors, designs hotel spaces so I love to see what other hotels do with their space and aesthetic.