Ten years.
That’s how long it’s been since Venus Williams last hoisted a Grand Slam trophy. It was the 2008 Wimbledon final against her little sister, Serena.
In the intervening years, her career has been no less exemplary—just for different reasons. There is her inspiring battle with Sjogren's Syndrome, an energy-robbing auto-immune disorder that initially left the longevity of her career in question.
The 37-year-old is also a very successful entrepreneur. She has asserted herself as a leader of the WTA as a member of the Player’s Council, weighing in with authority on hot-button issues like equal pay. There is the grace with which she’s always handled herself, even as her younger sister surpassed her as the greatest in the sport. Where other siblings might feel the pangs of jealousy, Venus is Serena’s biggest fan. And like Roger Federer, she has demonstrated what’s still possible at the “old” age of 37.