(CNN) — After winning seven grand slam singles titles, spending 11 weeks as the world No. 1 and forming part of arguably the most dominant tennis dynasty in history – there is very little left for Venus Williams to achieve in the sport.

And yet the 45-year-old is once again preparing to compete at another grand slam, after being handed a wild card entry into this year’s US Open.

Having already played in the much-talked about mixed doubles event earlier this week, Venus is now set to take the stage in the singles draw – a competition she has won twice already in her legendary career.

To grasp how and why Venus is still playing at the highest level, over 30 years on from her professional debut, it’s helpful to understand how her sporting legacy started – and hardly anyone knows that better than her childhood coach, Rick Macci.

Speaking to CNN Sports ahead of this year’s US Open, Macci explains how it took him just a split second to see how far Venus could go in the sport.

He had already worked with some of the best players in the world, but said things felt very different with this young girl from Compton.

As depicted in the Oscar-nominated film “King Richard,” Macci was convinced by Richard Williams to assess the abilities of his two young daughters, Venus and Serena, in a now legendary session which altered the shape of the sport.

While Serena would go on to become the greatest female tennis player in history, it was her older sister Venus who paved the way – becoming a legend of the game who transcended the sport and ushered in a new generation of talent.

But before all the stardom, there was just tennis and Macci recalls their very first practice session as if it was yesterday.

Ironically, he said, he was somewhat underwhelmed at the start of their first practice, with the pair working through routine drills. But everything changed once the sisters started playing competitive points, with Venus (who is two years older than Serena) impressing most.

“The whole landscape changed. They started popping the popcorn with extra butter. The footwork went off the charts. The preparation got better,” Macci said.

“I never saw two little girls, especially Venus, run so hard to get to a ball, even when it was 20 feet away from them. They would run so hard, they would almost fall down. It was almost like there was a rage.

“That doesn’t mean you’re going to be a great tennis player, but that means in the game of life, there is something inside of you, a determination like no other. When I saw that, I started projecting.”

Start of something special

It was after that session that Macci spoke with their father, in a conversation that has since been immortalized in film.

“You got the next female Michael Jordan on your hands,” Macci told Richard. “No brother, man, I got the next two,” their dad retorted.

The rest, then, is history. Macci helped move the family from Compton to Florida, where he spent countless hours working with the sisters at his tennis academy.

Being the eldest of the two, Venus showed the most promise in those early years and Macci remembers just how special an athlete she was – recalling times she would walk on her hands and flip into cartwheels to pass the time.

It was his job, he said, to harness that raw talent and athleticism into a winning machine.

Over the next three-and-a-half years, that’s exactly what he and their dad did, spending hours on court shaping Venus’ game and honing her ability. There was no time for junior tournaments, just hours of practice to build greatness.

Then, in 1994, due to age limit rules changing around professional tennis, it was decided that Venus would turn pro and, at just 14, she played her first official game at the Bank of the West Classic in Oakland.

Macci was the one who got her a wild card entry into the tournament, but said he didn’t really know how Venus would stand up to players on the senior tour.

“I just knew people would see this girl, six-feet tall, serving 112 mph, running like the wind, open stance everywhere and unreal firepower,” he said.

“Do you have the mental part of it? You know, that can take longer, and I didn’t know what to expect.”

As it turns out, he shouldn’t have worried.

Venus, already attracting plenty of attention from the media, beat Shaun Stafford in straight sets, before pushing the then world No. 1 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the next round.

It was a window into Venus’ future, and a chance for the world to finally see this mysterious teenager who had been tipped, mainly by her father and Macci, to be a future star of the sport.

‘Bulletproof’ mentality

It’s a pressure that might have swallowed up most children. Even today, there are several examples of young players who struggle under the weight of expectation, tripped up by their own early success.

But Macci said it was always different with Venus, as well as Serena.

“They were bulletproof,” he said. “They’re just put together mentally different.

“Everybody gets nervous, but they want the pressure. I think that speaks volumes because no one has handled pressure better than those two, if you look at all the things coming at them through their career.”

With her parents still wanting Venus to enjoy her childhood, her entry into professional tennis was managed, but the cat was already out of the bag.

Multi-million dollar sponsorship deals soon came her way and both Venus and Serena eventually switched coaches, forging glittering careers and becoming household names.

Macci, now an International Tennis Hall of Fame coach, has nothing but pride looking back at those early years and still considers the two sisters as his own daughters.

Venus went on to achieve everything he had predicted, enjoying many days in the spotlight. In addition to her seven grand slam singles titles, she won 14 grand slam doubles titles alongside Serena, and added another two mixed doubles triumphs with fellow American Justin Gimelstob.

Her career wasn’t without challenges, though. Most notably, Venus announced in 2011 that she was suffering from Sjögren’s syndrome, a debilitating autoimmune disease.

It forced her to take time away from the game, where she was able to learn how best to manage the sometimes debilitating symptoms.

She eventually returned to tennis, occasionally recapturing some of her dominating form, but her career was subsequently hampered by a string of injuries which limited her time on court.

But every time she was knocked back, she would always find a way to return and she did so again earlier this year.

After 16 months away from the sport, a 45-year-old Venus stunned the tennis world by beating fellow American Peyton Stearns in straight sets at the DC Open.

The win saw her become the oldest player to win a singles match on the WTA Tour since Martina Navratilova won in the first round of Wimbledon in 2004 aged 47.

It was a perfect confidence boost ahead of this year’s final grand slam, where Williams will once again be one of the star names in the draw.

“It’s her athleticism, for one,” former tennis player and sports scientist Mark Kovacs told CNN Sports, explaining how Venus is still able to compete at 45.

“Her competitiveness is a big factor, the love of the game and the willingness also to take a lot of time off.”

Kovacs, who has worked with some of the top athletes in the world, also said how Venus’ breaks from tennis – to explore business, fashion and philantropic opportunities – have helped prolong her career.

“That obviously helps with longevity,” Kovacs added. “Your body is not being beat up for as much time. But also mentally, you’re able to find those breaks, those sabbaticals from the sport where you can focus your interest on other things and then come back and be refreshed and still enjoy the grind.

“What she’s doing now is unbelievable. She’s still competitive. She’s still able to play with these people that could be her kids, literally, and so it’s awesome to watch.”

Inspiring a generation

Kovacs, who has worked with young players at the United States Tennis Association, added that Venus continues to inspire the new generation today.

One of those youngsters is 16-year-old Julieta Pareja. The American is the current No. 1 girls player and received a wild card to take part in the US Open singles draw this year.

She has previously practiced with Venus and told CNN Sports how influential she has been to all the young players today, even though her period of dominance came before Pareja was even born.

“It was just special to be sharing the same court as her,” Pareja said.

“Getting the opportunity to be a wild card in the US Open along with Venus. I mean, she’s just such a big name, and it’s just really special to be alongside her.”

In truth, the Venus we see today is probably nowhere near her dominant best, but you get the sense that her bulletproof winner’s mentality is still as potent as ever.

It’s an attribute, perhaps, that could create a few surprises once play gets underway at this year’s US Open on Sunday, as Venus takes on world No. 12 Karolína Muchová in the first round.

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