Serena Williams considers buying home in Las Vegas

Victoria Sun

Monday, Nov. 19, 2001 | 10:40 a.m.

Fine shopping, boxing matches and cool concerts may be enough to convince tennis star Serena Williams to purchase a home in Las Vegas.

Oh, there is one other perk that interests Williams about our city: No state income tax.

"I'm thinking about buying one here, on the East Coast or in L.A., so I'm down to three spots now," Williams said Sunday afternoon. "Las Vegas is a nice place.

"I have a lot of good friends in the area so it would be a nice place for me to live."

Williams, a U.S. Open finalist this year and recent winner of the season-ending Sanex Championships, graciously signed autographs at the Las Vegas Golf and Tennis shop on Paradise Road to promote the Players That Care golf/tennis event she'll be headlining on Nov. 30 and Dec. 30.

On Saturday night, Williams attended the Lennox Lewis-Hasim Rahman fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

The 20-year-old Williams thoroughly enjoyed her first fight and was even more thrilled when she got to meet Lewis at a party later that evening.

"I was in heaven at that fight," Williams gushed. "I love Lennox Lewis.

"I've liked him for a long time. But just as an athlete more than anything else, not because he looks good. I mean, he's handsome, don't get me wrong, but I like him as an athlete."

Williams took her first trip to Las Vegas last July to participate in the inaugural Players That Care Tennis Event to benefit ovarian cancer.

It was then she began to think about purchasing a home here.

"It was a really good event and I had a lot of fun," Williams said. "I was looking forward to the event, but I didn't think Las Vegas would be that much fun, but it really was."

She then added with a smile, "But I don't gamble because you have to be 21."

This year the Players That Care Foundation will be holding a golf tournament at the Bali Hai Golf Club Nov. 30 and a round-robin doubles tennis exhibition at Sun City Anthem Dec. 1.

Along with Williams, who is honorary chairperson for the event, the No. 1-ranked women's doubles team of Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs and singles players Nicole Pratt, Erika DeLone and Nicole Arendt will be playing in the tennis exhibition. The women will be joined by ATP Tour player Michael Chang and former ATP professionals Rick Leach, Scott Davis and Jim Pugh.

Some of the tennis players will be playing golf as well.

"It's going to be a fun format," Williams said. "Me and Michael Chang, we're going to play against each other in the end."

Tickets to play in the golf tournament or to participate in a tennis clinic administered by Lorenzo Betrame, director of tennis at the LGE Academy in Orlando, Fla., or to watch the tennis exhibition can be purchased at both Las Vegas Golf and Tennis shops.