Breaking the Williams Mystique

Each time Tiger Woods surpasses any and all of our expectations, The New York Times publishes a editorial praising the golf pro--and rightfully so. He possesses extraordinary talent and he has developed into a refreshing and respected American hero. Yesterday morning, however, the Times neglected to applaud another accomplished and inspirational American athlete in the aftermath of her athletic victory: Venus Williams.

Granted, Williams has yet to break records like Woods has and Williams' two Grand Slam titles are a drop in the bucket as compared to Woods' index of accolades and titles. But the 20-year old woman is undeniably making history. Williams' U.S. Open victory last Sunday was as much a celebration of exceptional athletic prowess as it was of femininity. She stunned her equally hard-hitting opponent, Lindsay Davenport, with 117 m.p.h. serves, eight aces, 12 saved break points and, of course, she did so in style.

Her style and her presence, of course, are not what we usually associate with the U.S. Open's green cement courts, and certainly not with Wimbledon's trimmed lawn courts, where Williams won her first major tennis title earlier this summer. There is an edge to Williams' vogue that seems to embrace her womanliness as much as it rejects its conventions and etiquette. Williams' most recognizable feature is her braided and beaded hair. And while her flashy, swinging braids rebel against the tennis decorum of ponytails or cropped hair, the style also admits to her vanity.

Although Venus always plays in a dress--an admittedly popular yet quintessentially feminine article of clothing--her choice of color and style create her unique and personalized feminine image. She won America's most prestigious tennis tournament donning an orange sherbet number with cut-outs that exposed her back's muscular physique. Williams chooses to wear jewelry on the court, but certainly not the adornments that Tracy Austin or Chris Evert wore in 1979, the last time two American women faced-off in the U.S. Open. Instead of dainty gold chain necklaces, Venus opts for studded chokers and instead of fragile stud earrings, she chooses bold drops.

But there is little traditional or ordinary about Venus. She towers above many of her opponents but views her long legs as "wheels"--tools that aid her solid, far-reaching returns and agility on the court. Her sibling rivalry with her equally talented sister Serena undoubtedly taxes her game in ways most players do not endure.

Williams stands out as an athlete, an African American and a woman. It seems fitting that Williams won this award at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, named after the first black man to win a major tennis title. But Williams encompasses a different model than that of the late Arthur Ashe himself. We remember Ashe as the perfect gentleman, molded to the etiquette of his day and sport. We view Williams, however, as an athlete and a woman pushing to the extremes of her physical and mental strength through personal expression and dedication.

Tennis is a sport historically grounded in the Wimbledon-esque model of gentility. A player like Venus Williams should be commended for challenging what it means to be a tennis player--and a female athlete.

--Jordana R. Lewis