By Erik Gudris

(July 30, 2012) -- For Venus Williams, this is the moment she's been waiting for.

After starting 2012 ranked well outside the top 100 and missing the Australian Open due to her ongoing battle with an auto-immune disease, the likelihood of seeing Williams at this year's Summer Games looked almost impossible. But after starting a comeback run in Miami through to this spring's clay court season, Williams got her ranking up high enough to qualify for Team USA and with it a chance at a record fourth gold Olympic medal.

"Another gold medal would be amazing,” said Williams after winning her opening round singles match against No. 9 seed Italy's Sara Errani. “I can't even imagine the feeling, I think my head would be too big and no one would even like me anymore. I've got to get there first, I have two chances and I'll go for it.”

For the three-time gold medalist, the Olympics for Williams has been her main goal since the season started, even more so than trying to return to the top ten or even winning Wimbledon for a sixth time. Perhaps that because Williams, now at age 31, senses that London will be probably her last chance at Olympic glory. But it could also be that since the tennis event is being held at Wimbledon on grass, Williams knows that her best shot at a medal of any color will likely be on her favorite surface.

“There were definitely nerves, but grass is my favorite surface and I felt great out there,” said Williams after her singles win. “It's never easy to draw a top seed. I'm unseeded here, and now I feel like I'm the No.9 seed, and hopefully I'll meet another seed and become their number too.”

Today in her opening round singles and doubles matches, Williams displayed the vintage form that earned her so many Wimbledon titles. Her serve often pushed her opponents well off the court while up at net Williams hit crisp volley winners even from awkward positions. If Williams is going to be a factor at these Olympic Games, the surface and the setting couldn't be better suited for her. But still, Williams knows that it will be a step by step process to reaching the medal rounds this week.

Williams won singles gold back at Sydney in 2000 and two gold medals in doubles with her sister Serena Williams in 2000 and 2008. Though both Williams sisters are big favorites to win a third gold medal in women's doubles together in London, Venus if she can maintain her energy levels just might have an outside chance at a medal in the singles event. It might seem unlikely, but Williams knows she is playing for chance at history, and she won't let go of it so easily.

"I fought so much to be here,” said Williams. “There are a lot of people happy to be here, but I'm not just happy, I want to do something about it and play well for my country."

What Williams does after the Olympics remains to be seen especially next year. But for now she's grabbed a very hard-earned and deserved place in the biggest moment in sports and it's hard to imagine her ending her stay without at least one trip to the most coveted destination in London these next two weeks – the Olympic medals podium.

(Photo Credit: Reuters)