Serena and Venus Williams' sister was killed 15 years ago. This tragedy continues to put pressure on them - From the World to the Thread

American tennis star Venus Williams will undoubtedly be remembered as a great, but she spent much of her career in the shadow of Serena Williams, the world's most decorated female player. Her younger, more successful siblings have raised Venus from the yard in recent years. — Serena was a guest at Meghan Markle's lavish 2020 wedding to Prince Harry, which took place shortly after she tied the knot with business mogul Alexis Ohanian. She may have left it a little late to catch up with Serena professionally, but reports indicate that Venus has moved on and packaged herself up as a new beau with a huge fortune.

Nicholas Hammond is the child of socialite Dana Hammond and her ex-husband James. Dana's grandmother was the sister of the late Walter Annenberg, who at the height of his career headed a "vast communications empire" that included such titles as TV Guide, Seventeen Magazine and the Philadelphia Inquirer. When Annenberg died in 2002 at age 94, half of his $4 billion fortune was divided among his relatives according to his (and his wife's) wishes. "Family wealth is to remain within the family lines," the will states (via the Los Angeles Times), which means Dana—and thus Nicholas—presumably became filthy rich.

He's been described as a "wealthy financier who goes between California and New York" by sources close to him, but what else is there to know about Nicholas Hammond? Read on to find out.

He was her date at Serena's star-studded wedding

Meghan's wedding guest list was undoubtedly impressive, but so were the big names for her BFF, Serena Williams. Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Kim Kardashian were among the stars who descended on New Orleans to watch the athlete take on Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian (father of their baby girl Alexis Olympia) as her lawful husband. Around 250 lucky guests celebrated the night after the ceremony, and bridesmaid Venus Williams was apparently right in the thick of it - the Daily Mail obtained footage of her twerking on the dance floor.

The tennis player looked stunning in her custom Galia Lahav dress, but no one was talking about the guy she brought with her. Nicholas Hammond reportedly had a Venus day at his sister's wedding, but the presence of the likes of Queen Bey and Kim and K likely allowed him to slip under the media radar. In fact, some media outlets have misidentified him as Venus ex Elio Pis, according to Page Six. Williams was smitten with the Cuban model back in 2013 and she couldn't seem to keep her hands off him at the time, but they didn't last.

They were all over each other in public places

Venus Williams definitely wasn't afraid to pack on the PDA when she dated Elio Peace, and she was exactly the same with Nicholas Hammond, getting up close and personal with him in the open. In December 2017, the financier and Williams were spotted enjoying a special date at Tom and Anthony Martinetti's East Pole restaurant, where things got more than a little cozy. “They hugged the entire time they were in the restaurant, even kissing while waiting to sit down and continue their affection at their table,” a source confirmed to Page Six. The lovebirds enjoyed their meal and are said to have split the bill at the end of the night.

According to the insider, the couple "had been going on dates" for some time, being seen enjoying the kitchen (as well as each other's company) at the East Pole, but at this stage everything was still "relatively new." “I’m not sure she calls him [her] boyfriend yet,” the source said. However, the frisky dinner date was back in December 2020, and since then things seem to have moved into certain boyfriend territory.

They set serious goals in the gym

You may find this shocking if you've watched her on the court recently, but Venus Williams will turn 40 in 2020. How does the ageless tennis legend manage to stay in such good shape? In July 2020, she answered that question by sharing her "Grand Slam body" secrets with Vogue. Williams started her tutorial with some squats to help get those "firm butts" and moved on to side clams because they "help your butt look amazing." The decorated pro then went through a series of crunches, planks, squats and push-ups before she was done.

If just the thought of it makes you want to lie down, trust us, you're not alone, but one person who can apparently keep up with Williams in the gym is her new millionaire boyfriend. Any uncertainty regarding the nature of her relationship with Nicholas Hammond was washed away in April 2020 when the pair were pictured (via Entertainment Tonight) on a post-workout stroll in New York. A super-stacked Hammond braved the cold in a skimpy T-shirt, while Williams wore a Team USA jacket over her training gear. The couple walked down the street hand in hand and even stopped for a cheeky kiss.

He caused quite a stir at the Australian Open

Nobody knew who he was when Venus Williams became romantically involved with him, but Nicholas Hammond has actually been on the court side for some of Williams' biggest matches since they started dating. He was first spotted in Williams' family box at the 2020 US Open according to the Daily Mail, and Hammond even made the long drive down to cheer her on at the 2020 Australian Open, Entertainment Tonight confirmed.

The wealthy New Yorker appeared to be the talk of town when he appeared in Melbourne for the first Grand Slam event of the season, and sources close to Williams' camp told the New York Daily News that Hammond's name was thrown around frequently during the tournament. His decision to join her on the other side of the world seemed to reassure those close to the tennis player that he was interested in more than just adding to his already significant net worth. “He’s definitely not a fortune hunter,” a camp insider said. "She's head over heels in love with him."

Scandals

In the summer of 2020, a real scandal involving Venus Williams broke out in the press. She was found responsible for the car crash that led to the deaths of 78-year-old Jerome Barson and his wife, 68-year-old Linda. Of course, no one put the sports star behind bars, but the relatives of the victims did not agree with this and filed a lawsuit against Williams, demanding a harsher punishment.

In 2020, both Venus and Serena Williams found themselves at the center of a doping scandal that erupted due to information posted online by unknown hackers. It was clear from the files that both tennis players were taking illegal steroid hormones. But Williams was able to justify herself by proving that taking the drugs was necessary for medical reasons.

He took her entire entourage to the dream holiday

Did Nicholas Hammond's presence put Venus Williams out of her game? Whether he had anything to do with it or not, the 2020 Australian Open was one Grand Slam that Williams would probably choose to forget. In a turn of events that not many saw coming, she was knocked out of the competition in the first round by raw 20-year-old Swiss player Belinda Bencic, although the veteran was humble in defeat. "I don't think I played a bad match," Williams said (via BBC). “She just played higher and higher. I just have to give her credit."

Presumably to cheer her up, Hammond treated Williams to a luxury holiday, according to the Daily Mail, which reported that Williams' "entire entourage, including her mother Oracene Price, 65, and older sister Isha, 42" were together for the trip. The crew chose tropical Hamilton Island in North Queensland for their retreat. According to another daily mail report, once Williams was excluded from the open house, the whole gang flew out to a nearly $9,000 per night mansion with stunning ocean views, luxury pools and an outdoor bar; one of the benefits of having a millionaire boyfriend.

Angelique Kerber

Australian Open 2016 (6:4, 3:6, 6:4) – 28 years old

Achievements after winning Serena:

Stuttugart 2016.

Last year, Serena took her 21st major and came close to Steffi Graf in major titles. Since then, she has been unable to take the final step. In January, she was thwarted by Kerber, who had long been in the top 10 but had never played in a Slam final; in the decisive match of the major, Angelika played on her 33rd attempt. And she immediately became a champion. The victory is especially valuable, because in the first round match the German won back a match point.

The main thing in matches against Serena, who has lost her sharpness, is not to break down psychologically. And Kerber succeeded. Even after Williams almost came back in the second set with a score of 2:5, Angelika continued to kill herself and won the title on her opponent’s serve.

Usually, after great success, tennis players of Kerber’s level experience a decline. This happened with the last finalists of the majors - Muguruza and Halep, and Angelika did not escape this. Soon after winning in Melbourne, she lost in the Fed Cup to Bencic, and then in the first round of the tournament in Qatar - to the 72nd ranked Chinese woman Zheng Saisai. The quality of tennis has always been different. After failure in Qatar, the German defended last year's title in Stuttgart.

And very soon she lost in a match that looked like a giveaway. Together with Bouchard, they scored more than 100 in Rome due to unforced errors, but the Canadian won. In addition, sores began to appear. Kerber did not go to Dubai due to a hip injury, and in Charleston she withdrew during the tournament after contracting the virus.

At Roland Garros, Kerber met future tournament semi-finalist Kiki Bertens in the first round, sending the German to prepare for Wimbledon.

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He definitely likes it, but is he wearing a ring?

Rumors that Venus Williams is engaged have been swirling ever since she was spotted wearing a silver Diamond band on that finger, but did Nicholas Hammond really put a ring on it? According to legendary Page Six editor Richard Johnson, yes, but it's not that kind of ring. "It's not an engagement ring, but a 'friendship ring,'" one friend of Hammond's told me, and it's not to be confused with the diamond ring Venus has owned for years, which has sparked speculation in the past." The gossip veteran also contacted the source. who knew the situation well, and confirmed that wedding bells would not be ringing for the couple anytime soon. “They are in love,” the insider said, “but no one has mentioned any engagement.”

Johnson also reached out to Hammond for comment, but the muscular millionaire refused to divulge any information about the status of his relationship with Williams. “We have a strong commitment to each other to keep our relationship confidential,” Hammond said. According to the New York Daily News intel, the fact that he likes to keep things under the radar has been a big plus for Williams. “She likes that he’s very private,” the source said.

Williams has been engaged before. According to Hello!, golfer Hank Kuehne was spotted "at her matches between 2007 and 2010," with engagement rumors starting a year into the relationship.

Career continuation

Throughout her career, Venus Williams periodically met on the court with her sister, where they no longer played for the same team, but were rivals. Their first meeting was in 2001 in the final of the US Open in America (she beat Serena in 2 games). Subsequently, they met about 7 times in various tournaments. In pairs they performed as a single unit, such a game can be envied. And this is what allowed them to win 13 victories at the TBS.

Since the beginning of her playing career, she has been gradually moving up the rankings, starting at 224th place. Her best results were 2nd place in singles (2002) and 3rd in doubles (2009).

But in 2011, tragedy struck. She was diagnosed with an incurable disease, Sjögren's syndrome, which became an ordeal. But having gathered all her will and aspiration, she returned. And together with her sister she beat athletes from Belarus at the Fed Cup.

The American is currently ranked 49th in the singles rankings and 63rd in the doubles rankings. In addition to sports, she appears in commercials. Her prize money won throughout the game is amazing. They amount to approximately $29 million.

She has already met her parents.

Nicholas Hammond's family reportedly owns several luxury properties in the States, but they appear to spend most of their time in the Hamptons, a longtime haven for wealthy New Yorkers. Telling Sotheby's about her passion for collecting wine, Nicholas' mother Dana Hammond was asked about her favorite hotel in the city, and only the crazy rich responded. "I've never stayed in a New York hotel, so I have no idea," said the socialite turned philanthropist. "But I'd probably choose the square because I like the food court." She's clearly a woman with very high standards, although Venus Williams reportedly gets along great with her new beau's mom.

“Nikki met with Venus in Palm Beach, where his family has a $20 million mansion, and in the Hamptons, where they have a $20 million home,” one insider told the New York Daily News. This has been reinforced by local news outlets in Palm Beach, where sightings of Williams and the Hammonds are becoming increasingly common. “Nicholas has already brought her home to meet his mother and stepfather, Dana Hammond and Dr. Patrick Stubgen, at their giant home on North Lake Way,” The Palm Beach Daily News confirmed. "His mom loves her, and she likes her mom, who, as heiress to the Annenberg fortune, is one of the few people who is as rich as she is."

Venus Williams: biography

Venus Williams is an American tennis player, one of the most titled athletes of our time. Now the athlete has won five Wimbledon tournaments, four Olympic gold medals, and won two Grand Slam tournaments.

The future tennis star was born in the summer of 1980 in the small Californian town of Linwood. Father Richard Williams ran a security company, mother Oracene Price worked as a nurse. This was the second marriage for each of the parents; the eldest daughters of Orasin from her first husband were already being raised in the family. The girls' names were Yetunda, Isha and Lindreya.

Tennis player Venus Williams

Before Venus was born, his father saw the performance of tennis player Virginia Ruzici at the French Championships, where the amount of winnings was reported to exceed the Williamses' annual earnings. Richard was so inspired by the idea of a sports career for children that he seriously began studying this issue.

For Venus and her younger sister Serena Williams, their father became their first mentor in sports. Richard gave little girls to play with adult rackets straight away, without being able to purchase children's rackets. First of all, the children spent hours practicing hitting the ball.

Venus Williams as a child with his sister

Little Vinny first played on the court at the age of 4, and began playing tennis seriously when the family moved to another Californian city, Compton. The Macchi Children's Sports Academy is located there, which Venus Williams began to attend. Over time, the girl spent more and more time there.

The training took several hours a day, before and after school. Richard showed his daughters to renowned trainers Zina Garrison and Laurie McNeil. In 1990, his father ensured that Venus and Serena entered a tennis academy in Florida, run by Rick Macchi.

Serena and Venus Williams

Sports zeal quickly yielded results. In children's competitions, Venus repeatedly climbed to the podium, often to the highest level. But soon the father forbade his daughters to go to competitions. One of the main reasons for this was racial discrimination, which spread among fans, opponents and even judges, because the Williams sisters are African-American.

Richard ordered the girls to pay more attention to secondary school, took them out of the tennis academy, but allowed them to continue training under their own leadership. Venus Williams returned to competition only at the age of 14, and immediately started as a professional athlete. Talent largely influenced Venus’s sports biography. The girl made up for her lack of tournament experience with incredible energy, quick movements from corner to corner and lightning-fast reactions.

He's in it...preferred age

It may be true that most rich men tend to go for younger women, but Nicholas Hammond takes it after his mother's collection that he has developed a taste for something a little more mature. Venus Williams is 12 years older than the financier, although despite the age difference (and despite both preferring to keep things private), they looked more like a teenage couple when they were together, kissing and cuddling without a care in the world. It's a relief for tennis fans to see her so happy, but the truth is that she's been there with a much younger guy before.

Cuban model Elio PiS was just 24 years old when he started dating Williams, who was 32 at the time. The couple's relationship was made public in 2013 when photographs of them hugging at a trial in Miami appeared in the press. According to the Daily Mail, Pis joined Williams in Miami for the 2013 Sony Open, cheering her on court, as Hammond did later. The world-famous athlete met her handsome ex for a meal when she returned to Miami in 2020, and while there was no suggestion today that they are anything other than friends, perhaps Hammond should consider lining up that ring "friendship" just to be sure.

Tennis

From the very first days, the academy’s teachers noted the young tennis player’s promise. The girl has already developed her own playing style - fast-paced, assertive and unpredictable. During her matches, Serena Williams literally swept her opponents off the court.

Serena and Venus Williams in childhood

The girl took an active part in various competitions for juniors. Even then, the countdown of her triumphant victories began. The athlete confidently moved into adult tennis.

At the age of 14, the girl became a professional player. At this point, Serena left the academy. Only the father was involved in the preparation. Subsequent events resembled a real miracle.

Serena Williams on the court

In 1997, when Serena Williams was only 304th in the world rankings, the girl managed to beat the strongest tennis player of that time, Monica Seles. Another incredible victory soon followed - over the athlete Marie Pierce. This allowed Serena to get into the top 100 world tennis players. From that moment on, the athlete became a regular participant in WTA tournaments.

The following year, an African-American woman appeared at the Grand Slam tournament. After several rapid victories, Williams, who is 175 cm tall and weighs 70 kg, took 20th place in the world ranking of the Tennis Association. A few months later, the star managed to win the Grand Slam tournament. Serena managed to accomplish this at Wimbledon, at the mixed doubles tournament. The girl played together with Belarusian Maxim Mirny. With him she snatched victory at the US Open.

Serena Williams with the trophy

In singles, Serena Williams managed to win an impressive victory in 1999, leaving behind her strongest rivals Lindsay Davenport and Martin Hingis. As a result of this brilliant victory, the tennis player raised the United States Open Cup over her head.

From that moment on, Serena's leadership at the highest level tournaments became common practice. Williams won the Grand Slam tournament 32 times. Together with her sister, she achieved Olympic gold three times. She managed to win the singles competition.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams is the only athlete who managed to regain her former positions after a long break in her sports biography. In 2003, the tennis player experienced a huge shock due to the death of her half-sister. For 8 months the girl could not return to the court. And when she came out and began to regain lost ground, she received an unfortunate injury. And again a season-long pass.

But Serena is not called a legend for nothing. Williams found the strength to fully recover and again took first place in the WTA world rankings.

Serena and Venus Williams at the Rio Olympics

The Williams sisters expectedly took part in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Unexpectedly for the fans, they lost in the first round of the tournament to the pair of Lucia Safarova and Barbora Strycova. Serena was also disappointed in the singles tournament; the athlete lost to Elina Svitolina.

In 2020, a doping scandal erupted due to the exposure of the activities of the WADA association by the Fancy Bears hacker group. The documents provided showed that the Williams sisters had been using illegal drugs for a long time. WADA regularly issued doping licenses to tennis players.

Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams

According to the data provided by the hackers, Serena Williams has been taking the drugs oxycodone, hydromorphone, prednisolone and others since 2010, which were recommended to the girl for medical reasons. Serena Williams herself did not deny this fact, arguing that taking medications was due to the presence of chronic diseases. At the same time, Maria Sharapova was disqualified for 2 years for using mildronate.