Venus Williams Ordered a Cup of Coffee in the Middle of a Match

Everybody needs a little jolt in the afternoon. 
Rob Carr/Getty Images

Everybody needs a little jolt in the afternoon, even in the middle of a professional tennis match.

During a changeover in her match against Croatia’s Donna Vekic at the Cincinnati Masters on Thursday, all Venus Williams wanted was a cup of coffee. Her coach came over to give some mid-match pointers but he had hardly even sat down before Williams was placing her coffee order. 

“Play behind her a little cross-court.”

“Stay patient with your top-spin forehand.”

“Use your kick serve a little more.”

Those all seem like valid bits of feedback! And yet Williams was clearly more concerned with getting her caffeine juice. 

The mid-match coffee break appeared to have worked, though. After losing the first set 6–2, Williams took the second set 6–3 and the third set 6–3 to advance to the quarterfinals against Madison Keys. 


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Dan Gartland
DAN GARTLAND

Dan Gartland is the writer and editor of Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, covering everything an educated sports fan needs to know. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).