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Venus Williams, Uno team up in celebration of card game's 50th anniversary

For Venus Williams, her competitive nature doesn't end when she steps off a tennis court. (Photo: Uno)
For Venus Williams, her competitive nature doesn't end when she steps off a tennis court. (Photo: Uno)

Tennis superstar Venus Williams and Uno are teaming up to celebrate the beloved card game's 50th anniversary. To mark the milestone, players from around the globe will compete in Uno's championship tournament in Las Vegas for a chance to win $50,000.

A multi-hyphenate champion, Williams tells Yahoo Sports that growing up, the competition didn't end when she stepped off the court. In this case, family game night was just as ruthless as a third set tiebreaker in a grand slam tournament.

"The competitor nature is always there, Williams, 41, said with a laugh. "Sometimes I have to remind myself to relax and remember I'm not on the court and take it easy. With the Uno championship going on, sometimes I just need to let it all out."

Besides being an incredibly easy game to pick up, millions worldwide see the Uno rules as adaptable, meaning they can alter the guidelines to fit their agenda. It might not be correct, but that doesn't matter. Even while Uno has tried to intervene and restore order, the internet hilariously shuts them down. When asked what Uno rule she'd change if given the power, the 7-time Grand Slam champion couldn't have made it more simple.

"That I would always win," Williams quipped. After all, can you blame her? Serious gamers know the stakes are high, a simple rule change of that caliber would easily give you the upper hand without fear of consequence.

Williams recorded a personal video messages to congratulate the contestants. The California native also announced a donation of hundreds of Uno card packs to Compton-based charity The Yetunde Price Resource Center.

"The foundation is really about healing, connection and supporting the mental and physical issues that come with healing and trauma. We're really in tune regarding what's next in the community. We're revamping the program to focus on both personal and professional development, entrepreneurship, tech education, computer science, etc."

What fans can expect to learn from "King Richard"

The Uno partnership isn't the only thing keeping Williams in the news as of late. The highly-anticipated biopic on father Richard Williams premieres later this month. While "King Richard" explores how their former coach (played by Will Smith) took her and younger sister Serena from seemingly unknown athletes to the queens of any court, Williams assured Yahoo Sports fans will learn plenty about her during the nearly two-and-a-half hour film.

"'King Richard' kind of really covers all the things my dad believed in to create tennis champions. Actually, not just champions in tennis but champions in life. My dad has been someone who people didn't always understand, but there isn't one person I meet now who doesn't say, 'I love your dad!' It's so comforting and amazing that people understand that every single thing he did was all for the betterment of his family."

"King Richard" is scheduled to be released in theaters and on HBO Max on November 19. If you missed your chance to enter the championship, there are plenty of Uno decks for sale to host your own family game night.