Venus Williams

Venus Williams' seven Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals showcase her as a Wimbledon icon, winning five championships between 2000 and 2008 and reaching the final at age 37 in 2017, a remarkable longevity unmatched by #4 Martina Navratilova, who played until 40 but not at that level. She was the first Black woman to be ranked world number one in the Open Era, achieving this in 2002, and her powerful serve averaged 125 mph in 2007, 10% faster than the average of top-10 players that year. Her 2005 campaign for equal prize money at Wimbledon, which convinced the All England Club to match the men's structure by 2007, influenced all four Grand Slams, adding a 15% prize increase for women overall. Venus also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Serena, a partnership that secured 3 Olympic gold medals.