Venus eager to stay in tennis' orbit for long

Having turned professional at the age of 14, Venus Williams, now 34, knows a thing or two about the WTA Tour.

She, in fact, celebrated completing her 20th year on the circuit on October 31. While other players may have contemplated hanging up their racquets, Venus says she isn’t done yet.

“I never thought I would play for this long,” she says during an interaction at the KSLTA Stadium on Thursday. “But then, you never think about finishing either. I put so many years into being great at this so while I’m still playing amazing, I’m going to be here.”

Does she plan to swap racquets and enter the world of coaching when she is done swatting away opponents with her brute power? “No, I will not be into coaching.

“I don’t mind helping someone one day a month but tennis has been my whole life and once I am done with it, I see my life in other places and there will be other challenges for me. I don’t want the same challenge my whole life.”

But the American has kind words for both Gala Leon Garcia (Spain’s Davis Cup captain) and Amelie Mauresmo (Andy Murray’s coach).

“Obviously they know the game and people try to hire the best people.”

Venus’ campaign in the fight for ‘equal pay’ in all the Majors has become a huge story, even culminating in an ESPN documentary, ‘Venus Vs.’ Writing an essay in ‘The Times’ in 2006, she attacked Wimbledon saying they were on the ‘wrong side of history’.

Eight years on, she feels delighted. “Yeah, equal prize money has been at the Majors for seven years now. It’s a wonderful milestone and I’m looking forward to women’s sports and women’s tennis continuing to grow.”

A winner of seven singles Majors in her pomp, Venus then turned philosopher. “In sport you are always learning, you never stop. So I expect 2015 to be another year where I’m learning and I will get better because of it,” she explains. “You are just one match away from a loss so every time you lose, you learn from it.”