"Because of my history as African-American... The feeling was just one of rage" - When Venus Williams came to defense of excluded Israeli colleague

Venus Williams has always been very vocal when she feels something is not right and never hesitates to express her opinion. This was evident once again when she protested against the exclusion of her colleague Shahar Pe'er from the Dubai Tennis Championships in 2009.

Pe'er wasn’t allowed to play in the 2009 Dubai Tennis Championships because she was Israeli, and the UAE denied her a visa due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza. The decision sparked a huge controversy, drawing backlash from the WTA and several players. The tournament nearly faced cancellation, but it was allowed to continue after officials promised that Israeli players would be permitted in the future.

One of the players who voiced their disapproval was Williams, who won the WTA 1000 tournament by defeating Virginie Razzano in the final and made her stance clear during the trophy presentation. She later reiterated her sentiments in a 2010 interview with Sports Illustrated, saying she could relate to Pe'er’s situation as an African-American woman who had also felt like an outcast at times.

"Just because of my history, too, as the African-American," she said. "My parents both came from the South in the '40s and '50s and just -- you know, it was an outrage, really. Just like: Are you serious? Can you really exclude someone?”

"This is professional tennis in 2010. We're all athletes here. We're not politicians or anything like that. So really, the feeling inside of me was just one of almost rage and discontent. Like: Is this for real?" she added.

Venus Williams' comments didn’t go unnoticed, as Shahar Pe'er later expressed her gratitude, thanking her for taking a stand on her behalf.

Shahar Pe'er reacts to Venus Williams coming to her support after controversial Dubai Tennis Championships exclusion

Venus Williams | Image Source: Getty

Venus Williams was in awe of Shahar Pe'er, and during a 2009 press conference, she praised her colleague as "brave." She also cited Wimbledon pioneer Althea Gibson as an inspiration and said the situation deeply moved her:

"Made me think of all the people who gave something for me to be here. I am not here to rock the boat or upset anyone -- I'm just here to try to do what's right."

Pe'er didn’t forget to show her gratitude toward the elder Williams sister, thanking her for always standing by her side.

"She was always on my side and always stood up. Doesn't matter if it was this year or the year before when I didn't get the visa, she stood up in that final and spoke for me," she said.

"When we did play over there and we play on an outside court, she was very humble. So I think she's a very -- it's hard for me to say in it in English -- but she's always very support. She always feel for me, also. She understands what I feel," she added.

The Israeli was allowed back in the tournament in 2010 after several protests from tennis governing bodies and players. She made the above comments in Dubai after being defeated by Venus Williams in the third round that year.