Before Venus and Serena Williams stormed onto the scene, Black grand slam champions were rare. Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe, and Yannick Noah were the only ones who had lifted major trophies. Then came the Williams sisters, rising from the tough streets of Compton, Los Angeles, to the top of a sport that had long been considered “lilywhite.” Their father, Richard Williams, had a vision.”My plan was simple: to bring two children out of the ghetto to the forefront of a white-dominated game,” he wrote in his 2014 memoir ‘Black and White.’

And while he succeeded, it wasn’t without a fight. Now, Serena’s ex-coach Rick Macci is shedding light on their remarkable struggles in the early days.

In 1994, 14-year-old Venus Williams made her professional debut in front of 300 spectators. According to Macci, she was like a “lion out of the cage.” She faced 57th-ranked American Shaun Stafford, a former NCAA champion who had once been inside the top 30. But rankings didn’t matter. Venus, serving at 115 mph, out-ran and out-hit Stafford, taking the match 6-3, 6-4.

That’s right. A 14-year-old with no sponsors, swinging a logo-free racquet and wearing clothes without a brand name. And Macci just revealed why.

The Hall of Fame coach took to X and wrote, “When VEE made her debut in 1994 the racquet company would not give Richard any cheddar. So the Compton Controller the master of MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY had the hitters paint all of her sticks with WHITE SHOE POLISH not to show the logo. UNREAL!”

The story behind her outfit? Just as wild. In another post, Macci shared, “In 1994 Vee made her debut as a 14-year-old. The company that gave her clothes did not want to give Richard MR. KING OF CHA CHING any bones for the exposure. So, Mom got clothes at JC PENNY and on the shirt/ skirt taped a patch that said FOR RENT. UNREAL.”

One year later, everything changed. Reebok came knocking, offering Venus a five-year, $12 million deal in 1995. Five years after that, she signed a $40 million contract with them—at the time, the biggest deal for a female athlete. Throughout her career, she also had a long-standing partnership with Wilson.

That early experience left a mark on the 7-time Grand Slam champion, shaping her love for fashion. “Fashion started at a grassroots level for me,” she told Fashionista. “My mom ended up sewing my tennis skirts for my first professional tennis match. I still love it at that creation level. I studied fashion, and it was a great experience. It taught me so much about the garment, what that means and how to create something that’s entirely you.”

In 2007, she turned that passion into reality, launching her activewear brand, *EleVen.* Stylish yet functional, the line caters to women in tennis and fitness. In 2022, she took another big step, joining Lacoste as a global ambassador. Venus has come full circle from wearing rental clothes to becoming a fashion icon.

And she might not be done on the court just yet.

Venus Williams spotted on the practice courts

At the end of this month, Venus Williams will lose her WTA ranking after a year without competition. Her profile will fade to gray, marking her as inactive. Retirement rumors are swirling, but there’s still a glimmer of hope.

The 44-year-old was offered a wildcard for Indian Wells this year but declined because of prior commitments. The Miami Open extended an invitation as well, but after some thought, Venus turned it down. Yet, just days later, fans caught her practicing. On March 19th, Williams hit the court with Ons Jabeur at Hard Rock Stadium. She isn’t listed in the Miami Open doubles draw, but her presence in training sparked fresh speculation.

Last season, Venus only played two tournaments—Indian Wells and Miami. Her last Grand Slam appearance was at the 2023 US Open. Her most recent victory? A win over Veronika Kudermetova in Cincinnati just weeks before that. She hasn’t played a full season since 2019, and she continues to battle Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that causes fatigue and joint pain.

So, is this the end? Or is Venus Williams preparing for one last comeback?