It's been four years since Venus Williams, 32, won the 2008 Wimbledon Championships, her last Grand Slam victory. Since then the Palm Beach Gardens, FL resident has fallen to a level of mediocrity, entering most tournaments unseeded.
As the world's No. 55 ranked player, the five-time Wimbledon winner enters the 2012 tournament unseeded and faces the daunting task of escaping the first two rounds that would likely require her to beat Agnieszka Radwanska, the world's No. 3 ranked player. Prior to a shot at Radwanska, Williams would have to beat Elena Vesnina in the first round.
Her sister, Serena Williams, has a much easier path laid down in front of her as the No. 6 seeded women's single player in the tournament. She begins the tournament against Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and would reasonably not have to face a seeded opponent until at least the third round if she can manage to avoid upset like she received at the 2012 French Open.
The sole Florida-native in the tournament, Sloane Stephens of Fort Lauderdale, will face fellow unseeded Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic. If Stephens can beat Pliskova she will likely face another Czech when she is lined up to face Petra Cetkovska in the second round.