Venus Williams displays an unguarded quality in her new YouTube videos.
You’ve heard of Venus Williams, the player. How about Venus TV?
The American legend and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion debuted her new YouTube channel in early July; since then Williams has released a second episode, with plans to do another in a week.
It’s a particularly entertaining watch, we must say. Williams tends to play hard to get in press conferences, but on her YouTube channel she grants access as the conductor of a wonderful romp through her mind with an emphasis on her current career.
At 39, Williams is still holding down a ranking of 53 in the world, and she chronicles her first-round loss to Cori Gauff (without mentioning Gauff) in the second episode, entitled “Not the Triumph but the Fight.”
There are quotes, anecdotes and Williams is natural in tone and speaks warmly. You feel like you’re her friend or—even better—her little sister.
In the first episode, “Wilmington to Wimbledon,” Williams gives viewers an intro to her formative years, her family and her way of thinking.
“You can’t become a noodle,” says Williams in the episode. “Noodles get eaten.”
Later in the show Williams wraps it up with a message for the doubters who have been calling for her retirement for years. “If you earn your way into the draw, guess what? You have an option to play if you so choose. I have so chosen to play, so I shall choose to play as long as I like,” she jokes before her mic drop.
Venus is about as engaged and candid as I’ve seen her in these videos. This is not the jaded Venus of 7 trillion press conferences. This is a Venus that is playful with the camera, and confidently relaxed. Having taken control of the message by filming the video for her very own station, Williams no longer has to worry about her words being taken out of context by some over zealous reporter.
Perhaps this is why Williams has taken her camera presence to the next level (our opinion, see for yourself). Always a photogenic athlete and a charismatic person, Williams has found a medium from which she can effectively offer her unguarded essence (and a few boxes full of EleVen gear) to the world.
As a person, as a player and as a brand, Williams has always had a knack for inspiring. Here she is taking it to another level. Venus adds TV to her growing empire, and in the process we get to know her better.
That’s a win-win if there ever was one.
