CLOSE

2013 Australian Open – Day 5

Ever since Venus hit the tennis scene at 14 with hair in beaded braids, she’s been a force to be reckoned with and revered. She was the first unseeded player to appear in a Grand Slam final and the first African American woman in a Grand Slam since Althea Gibson in the 50s. She’s racked up an impressive seven Grand Slam titles, including five Wimbledon titles, the same number as her younger sister, Serena. Off the court Venus has become quite the businesswoman with her own athletic wear line and interior design company. It turns out she’s breaking records there, too. When the sisters became part owners of the Miami Dolphins, they became the first women to own an NFL team.