Williams
By now, Venus and Serena Williams know all too well how it feels
to set aside sisterhood for a couple of hours and try to beat each
other on a tennis court.
They know what it feels like to meet at a Grand Slam tournament, what
it feels like to win such a match, what it feels like to lose.
And they much prefer it when there's a major championship at stake.
The all-Williams showdown, set up by their easy victories Monday at the
U.S. Open, comes earlier this time.
This time, Williams vs. Williams is only a quarterfinal.
"It's so soon," Serena said. "You know, it's just disappointing to
be so soon."
Both advanced through the fourth round without a challenge. The No.
7-seeded Venus dismissed No. 9 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 6-3,
before No. 4 Serena dispatched wild-card entrant Severine Bremond of
France 6-2, 6-2 at night.
US Open coverage
"Even the semis would have been better than the quarterfinals, but
at least one of us will make it to the semis," Serena told the crowd
during an on-court interview. "I've got probably the toughest match of
the tournament coming up next, so I've got to be ready."
Some sisters make plans to go shopping together, say, or to catch a
movie. These siblings keep running into each other at their sport's
highest levels.
Venus beat Serena for the title at Wimbledon in July - their seventh
major title match - and Wednesday will mark the first time they've
squared off at consecutive Grand Slam tournaments since 2003.
Both have dealt with injuries and inactivity that stalled their
dominance, but clearly they are back at the height of their powers.
"The best part is that we're still here," Venus said, "going
stronger than ever, in my opinion."
They've played 16 times as professionals, with each winning eight.
That includes 10 meetings at major tournaments, with each winning five.
"I would love to have a winning record," Venus said. "I have a
chance."
Because of the luck of the pre-tournament draw, they were placed in
the same portion of the bracket in New York - much to the
disappointment of them, U.S. Open organizers and TV types. Even other
players.
"For sure, it would have been better for the crowd if it was a
final," Bremond said. "It would have been a very good final."
That certainly rings true: Serena has lost a total of 14 games
through four matches at Flushing Meadows; Venus has dropped 15.
Of the eight women left in the tournament, only two have won a Grand
Slam title - Serena leads all active players with eight, and Venus is
right behind with seven.
They won every U.S. Open women's singles championship from 1999 to
2002, meeting in the finals the last two years of that span - it was
their ascension that prompted the U.S. Open to move the women's final
from Saturday afternoon to Saturday night. Since 2002, though, Serena
hasn't made it past the quarterfinals here, and Venus has only reached
one semifinal.
"I just feel like, you know, we're both playing better and feeling
better," Serena said. "We just had a turn in our careers. We're just
playing the way we should play."
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