Venus Williams wants to outdo sister Serena with her tennis - and her fashion
- at Wimbledon.
Venus modeled a corset-style white tennis dress Friday that she will wear at
Wimbledon, which starts Monday. All-white except for a navy "RbK" logo on the
front, the dress is open-laced up the back to show flesh rather than a sports
bra.
Venus designed the Reebok dress together with American
fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.
The Williams sisters are known for their love of on-court fashion and
glittering accessories, not to mention their domination of women's tennis.
Until the French Open, they had met in four of the previous five Grand Slam
finals. Serena won Wimbledon last year, breaking Venus' two-year hold on the
title.
Venus said she hopes to have the fashion edge over her sister at Wimbledon
after Serena's daring black skintight catsuit stole the headlines at last year's
U.S Open.
"Maybe this week I'm ahead of her," Venus said. "That black outfit she wore
was wonderful. We look at each other's outfits when they arrive at the house and
we decide who has the better outfit."
Von Furstenberg, who became known in American fashion in the 1970s with
printed jersey wraparound dresses, said her role was to make the sport "a little
prettier."
"It was important to be part of that and I did have a lot of input into the
designs," Venus said. "Things have to be just perfect. If I'm not happy, I'll
scream."
The sisters' father, Richard Williams, sat in the front row, videotaping
Venus as she posed for photographers on a fake grass catwalk.
Venus said it was strange not to be in the French Open final, where Justine
Henin-Hardenne beat fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters. Venus lost to Russia's Vera
Zvonareva in the fourth round - she's projected to play her again in the fourth
round at Wimbledon - while Serena fell to Henin-Hardenne in the semis.
"After I wasn't in the tournament, I transferred all my hopes to Serena,"
Venus said. "I don't know if I was more upset with my loss or her loss. You
definitely learn more when you lose. To win everything throughout your whole
career is almost impossible."
Venus dismissed any talk of retirement.
"I have a lot of years left," she said. "The joy is to keep challenging
yourself to keep on the top. If there was no challenge there would be no joy. I
think she (Serena) is a great player for sure but I don't see why I shouldn't be
around much longer. I don't know why this is a thought in anyone's mind."
