V for Victory

Numerologists believed July 7 was a lucky day. For Venus Williams, luck was on her side as she beat Marion Bartoli to win her fourth Wimbledon title.
The irony of her victory at tennis' most prestigious event is she played poorly in the early rounds. In recent years, her game has declined because of various injuries ... but her latest career resurgence on the Grand Slam singles stage is due to more than just luck -- it's about perseverance.
On January 27, younger sister Serena Williams trounced Maria Sharapova to win her third Australian Open trophy. Like Venus, Serena had a low ranking entering the tournament and wasn't expected to advance far. However, she believed in herself when no one else did, and her skills ultimately led to victory.
When the sisters hit the tennis scene a decade ago, their father, Richard Williams, predicted they would dominate the game. At the time, critics wrote him off as a crazy Black guy ... but he was proven right by 2002. In addition to their individual success, they also share six doubles titles and an Olympic gold medal. They're also the only siblings in the history of the sport to play each other in championship matches at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open.
Venus and Serena's accomplishments go beyond the tennis court, showing the world that just because the odds are against you doesn't mean you have to succumb to defeat. They're following the path created by Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe, and seeing them spread their wings in other areas is inspiring. (Venus started an interior design company, while Serena tried her hand at acting on dramas like Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and sitcoms like My Wife and Kids.)
The best part about the sisters' achievements is they avoided the pitfalls of fame. With any luck, they'll avoid the pitfalls of aging and continue to leave their mark on tennis.