Currently ranked as World No. 46 in the WTA Rankings, Venus Williams of USA will start off her US Open campaign on Tuesday against her compatriot Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who is currently ranked as World No. 212 in the WTA Rankings.

Once a torrent force on WTA tour, Venus was diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome last season and that left many of her fans in a state of shock. Resilient and hard-working as ever, Venus refused to give in and now she is back on the fore as not one of the favorites but certainly as one of those underdogs, who can cause a few big upsets this US Open. Venus could not compete in many key tournaments this season, still she has a very good 18-8 win-loss record for 2012 so far. Venus has won two US Open titles in her illustrious career in 2000 and 2001, but amidst present state of affairs, it seems pretty tough for her.

Venus’s opponent Bethanie Mattek-Sands has earned a dedicated following all across the globe – not because of her performance on court but for her bizarre outfits, which have been always remained a matter of great attention for people. Currently ranked as World No. 212, Sands is still chasing her maiden title on tour.

In head-to-head, Venus apparently leads with 3-0 against her compatriot. Last time they met in 2009 US Open second-round where Venus topped her compatriot in straight sets. We can expect the same this time too.