Venus and Serena Williams will executive produce, along with Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and Westbrook Studios, an in-progress documentary about the first ever women’s soccer World Cup, COPA 71. Serena Williams said: “It was one of the most important and significant moments in women’s sport. It’s an honor to be able to help illuminate this story with my sister and Westbrook Studio.” Venus added: “I couldn’t believe the 1971 FIFA Women’s World Cup has been erased from our history books.
It’s a thrill to be able to help these women have a voice.” The documentary, entitled COPA 71, recounts the first women’s soccer tournament in history, which was played in Guadalajara and Mexico City. The final was played at the Azteca stadium, the stadium of the soccer match of the century, Italy-West Germany 4-3, semi-final of the 1970 World Cup, and the subsequent final between Italy and Pelé’s Brazil.
Six national teams played that historic event: Denmark and Mexico, Argentina, France, England and Italy. The final between Denmark and Mexico was watched by over 100,000 people at the stadium.
Venus and Serena Williams
In more than twenty years, Venus and Serena Williams won 121 singles tournaments, 4 mixed doubles tournaments and occupied a total of more than 300 weeks at number one in singles and eight weeks also in the doubles rankings.
After the 2002 French Open, Venus and Serena were number one and two respectively in the singles rankings. Both are part of the small group of tennis players who have won the most titles ever. Partnering in women’s doubles tournaments, the Williams sisters have won 14 Grand Slam titles and on one occasion won 4 consecutively but not in the same calendar year.
There’s no shortage of achievement at the Olympics either: they’ve captured a total of four gold medals each, including three together in women’s doubles and one each in singles. Venus is also the tennis player, including men, with the most Olympic medals won, five.
Between them, they also kindled an intense rivalry. In fact, they have met 31 times, of which 9 times in a Grand Slam final. They are, therefore, the second pair who have met more times in the women’s singles finals behind Chris Evert-Martina Navrátilová, who have met 14 times. Serena finished ahead in number of matches won (19-12).
