Vincent Kessler / Reuters

Venus Williams exited the French Open before the start of the second week, but she can't be overlooked as a top contender come Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, writes Bud Collins of MSNBC.com

Making hay on grass and asphalt
Venus has a game with plusses other players envy. She’s strong, she hits the ball hard, and she’s competitive. Even when Jankovic was ahead 6-4, 4-6, 5-1 and serving for the match, Venus was still battling. If you don’t believe that, you should have heard the screeching she did with every ball she hit -- that was a definite sign of the effort she was making.

Venus has a great fighting heart when she gets on the court. There's been evidence of that throughout her pro career, which began in 1997. And there was perhaps no better sign of it than the march she put on in 2005 to wow Wimbledon and take home another trophy from the All-England Club.

As for this year, Venus could still put together a fine season. She has Wimbledon and the U.S. Open ahead and those are venues that have brought her multiple championships. Her Wimbledon titles came in 2005, 2001, and 2000. At the U.S. Open she ruled supreme in 2001 and 2000.

And I can assure readers that Venus, who reached the final in Paris once (2002 losing to Serena), will have a very different mindset going into Wimbledon and the U.S. Open than she had coming into the French Open.

When you’ve conquered the mountain by winning a major, you approach it with an air of confidence, a very strong, positive feeling. When you haven’t won a particular major before, you can fight and truly try, but you just don’t feel that secure in your chances.

More moves on majors?
I’m hesitant to say Venus has reached her pinnacle in the sport. At her age she should have plenty of spring left in her step. I do wonder how long she’ll continue to play the tour. It’s hard to take guess, but I don’t venture that she’ll hang around the game as long as Serena.

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures A kayaker flips out, a racehorse eyes the Triple Crown and more. more photos

I’m giving Venus the benefit of the doubt -- she has such a positive take on things that I’m going to have a positive take on her. She very well could win at least one more major.

She can make a few changes to her game and those changes could lead her to another Grand Slam title, probably not in Paris where Americans are most uncomfortable on a surface they played little on while growing, but she’s certainly capable of taking home another trophy at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, or, maybe, the Australian Open.

She has never won it all Down Under, getting to the final once, in 2003 where she was beaten by Serena. Maybe she'll make it to the last match in Melbourne at least one more time, and be the last woman standing there. Don't rule it out, just like it would be a mistake to rule out Venus being able to hit some more high spots in her career.

More news

Gregorio Borgia / AP

Isner will be dark horse in Paris

  Video: Harry Cicma previews the American's chances to win the French Open against the likes of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Headlines

• Label

Djokovic, Federer could meet in French SF again

Serena Williams says sister Venus is 'inspiring'

Sharapova ready to take game by storm again

I lost focus after French Open title, says Li

Monfils pulls out of French Open with knee injury

Almagro beats Simon to reach Open de Nice final

Radwanska reaches final of Belgian Open

Schiavone reaches Strasbourg semifinal

Headlines

• Label

Djokovic, Federer could meet in French SF again

Serena Williams says sister Venus is 'inspiring'

Sharapova ready to take game by storm again

I lost focus after French Open title, says Li

Monfils pulls out of French Open with knee injury

Almagro beats Simon to reach Open de Nice final

Radwanska reaches final of Belgian Open

Schiavone reaches Strasbourg semifinal