In 1997 at Wimbledon, a young Venus Williams stepped onto the grass for her first mixed doubles appearance. Across the net was her partner, Christo Van Rensburg, playing the final mixed doubles event of his career. Nearly three decades later, the two found themselves together again — this time in Austin, where Van Rensburg now serves as Tournament Director. A full-circle moment neither could have scripted better.
Venus lit up when she learned her former partner was leading the event. She spoke warmly about Christo, praising not only his character but the environment he has built at the ATX Open, noting his leadership and how smoothly the tournament has run for players and fans alike. His influence, she said, is evident everywhere.
Looking back to Wimbledon in 1997, Venus remembered wanting to play mixed doubles but still needing a partner. Someone suggested Christo — and just like that, the pairing came together. They ended up on Court 18, a detail she recalled clearly. Christo laughed as he shared his side of the story: he had back-to-back matches that day and barely had time to eat. By the third set, he admitted, he was running on fumes. Venus grinned and shot back, “Oh, we made it to three? I showed some promise.”
They reminisced about her classic doubles style at the time — serve and volley, return and volley — the way her father had taught her to play. “That was old-school doubles,” they joked. Christo teased that he always knew where she was positioned on the court because of her iconic white beads clicking in her hair as she moved. Even then, he said, he was struck by the power of her serve. “If we lost, it was going to be my fault,” he joked. Venus quickly responded, “I still have my big serve.” Christo didn’t hesitate to agree, saying that watching her compete this week, her serve remains as dangerous as ever.
As the conversation turned reflective, Christo’s tone softened as he spoke about the pride he feels having witnessed her journey from a teenager on Court 18 to a global icon still competing with passion and an unmistakable presence. The respect between them was clear — a partnership that began at the All England Club last century and came full circle in Austin.
