Unstoppable Venus sets sights on 2020 Games

NEW YORK - Reuters

Evergreen American Venus Williams has dismissed any notion of announcing her retirement anytime soon, saying she is eager to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The 37-year-old had a successful year in the absence of her sister Serena through pregnancy, climbing to number five in the rankings after finishing runner-up at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the WTA Finals.

The seven-time grand slam winner has competed in five previous Olympics tournaments, starting in 2000, and has won three golds in the women’s doubles event with Serena and one gold in the singles competition. “I have no plans of stopping soon,” Williams told American magazine Entrepreneur. “It seems somehow that 2020 Tokyo is on the horizon. Isn’t that wild?

I’m trying to stick around for that.”

The Williams sisters along with ATP Tour veterans Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal have re-established their dominance at the top of the sport with Serena winning her 23rd grand slam title aged 35 at the 2017 Australian Open. Nadal, 31, reclaimed the men’s number one spot with six trophies this year, while 36-year-old Federer finished second after winning seven titles. The pair split the season’s four grand slams between them.