“Teasing and lying to everyone” - When Lindsay Davenport hit out at Venus Williams for skipping tennis tournament after 9/11 terrorist attacks

Lindsay Davenport once openly criticized her fellow American Venus Williams over the latter's decision to skip a tennis tournament. As reported by The Guardian in 2001, the controversy was about Williams pulling out of the Sanex Championships post 9/11, a move that Davenport saw as deceptive.

Davenport didn't hide her frustration with Venus for choosing to sit out the tournament.

“Venus kept saying she was going to come and she should have," Davenport said.

Davenport, one of the few American women players who overcame their fear of flying during the crisis, added:

“It would have been better a few weeks earlier to have said I am not going to come, rather than teasing everyone and lying to everyone.”

Venus's withdrawal was officially attributed to a wrist-ligament strain, but the timing raised doubts and suspicions. The injury had troubled Venus in the past, yet the sudden announcement just four days before the tournament added to the skepticism.

Serena Williams, Venus's sister, tried to address the safety concerns for high-profile athletes like themselves during those turbulent times.

"Venus and I are recognized no matter where we go in the world. It is not too safe a time for elite American athletes, and the fact that we are more recognizable than anyone [makes it worse]," Serena commented.

Although her statement was meant to provide context to the situation, it inadvertently might have supported Davenport’s viewpoint.

Lindsay Davenport's own emotional turmoil following the September 11 attacks was evident in her comments. The American was deeply affected, changing her schedule to limit flights, but she resolved to not miss matches.

"I cried for two whole days [after September 11]," she said. "I have made changes to my schedule and stayed in Europe rather than flying back home and making two journeys. But the terrorists will win if I don't play."

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Lindsay Davenport appointed as the new U.S. captain for Billie Jean King Cup

Lindsay Davenport receives a ring as she is inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame

Lindsay Davenport has been named as the new captain of the U.S. team for the Billie Jean King Cup, taking over the reins from Kathy Rinaldi.

Davenport, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, had an exceptional tennis career. She claimed three Grand Slam singles and three doubles Majors too, in addition to an Olympic gold medal in singles in 1996.

Davenport's career saw her win 55 singles and 38 doubles titles overall. She also spent 98 weeks as the World No. 1, and achieved the year-end No. 1 ranking in 1998, 2001 and 2004-05.

Since retiring in 2010, Lindsay Davenport has been active as a commentator and coach, notably mentoring American player Madison Keys. Now, Davenport will not just serve as the captain of Team USA, but also play a key role in developing USTA players.

Under Kathy Rinaldi's guidance, the team bagged the Billie Jean King Cup in 2017. Rinaldi will continue her association with USTA as the Head of Women’s Tennis.

Fuelled by the success blueprint laid out by Rinaldi, Davenport is looking to push the boundaries and steer the team to new heights.

“Playing Billie Jean King Cup was always something that was a huge priority and a huge highlight for me during my career. I always felt a tremendous amount of pride representing my country, and I'm excited to do it now in a different role,” Davenport said.

“Joining a prestigious list of U.S. captains is an incredible honor, and with the group of players that we have now and their great personalities, I really couldn't ask for a better time to have this position,” she added.