The Williams Sisters: The Most Relevant Matchup of 2017
For the first time since 2009, Venus and Serena Williams will meet in a Grand Slam final.
The duo used to dominate the bracket, playing in five of six Grand Slam Finals from 2002–2003. Serena currently leads the sisterhood rivalry, winning six out of the eight total meetings.
But on Saturday morning 3:00 A.M. ET, the sisters will meet for the ninth time, and it will be historic for a number of reasons:
1.The Williams’ sisters have dealt with an array of racism and sexism throughout their careers, which is especially important to talk about in today’s “Trump Era”.
Serena is not only the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, but also one of the greatest athletes of all time.
So why is it that Maria Sharapova, who has only won five Grand Slams, earns more money in endorsements than Serena? Is it because Maria is blonde, skinny, and white?
The Williams sisters were ridiculed throughout the years for having “manish” figures. In 2014, the head of the Russian Tennis Federation, called them the “Williams Brothers.” In this Australian Open, a TV commentator used the term “gorilla effect” to describe Venus’s game. Serena had been accused of using steroids.
In addition, the duo was criticized for wearing beads in their hair during their early careers. People deemed the beads “a distraction”, in effort ban the sisters from wearing them. This was an attempt to stop the Williams’ cultural expression of where they came from.
Venus fought against sexism in tennis. She helped lead the charge in getting equal pay for men and women at Wimbledon, the last Grand Slam to not offer equal prize money.
Venus stated, “The message I like to convey to women and girls across the globe is that there is no glass ceiling. My fear is that Wimbledon is loudly and clearly sending the opposite message.”
In 2007, Wimbledon awarded equal prize money for male and female competitors. Venus had won the fight off the court, but also won the fight on the court, winning the title that year.
Venus and Serena rarely lashed out against those who have opposed them in such hurtful ways. Rather, they’ve silenced their critics through being better than everyone at tennis. That’s why they are the best example of a “Women’s March” in sports.
2. The history of dominance is a long one, and will only continue for a few more years.
Serena will battle to win her 23rd individual Grand Slam title. She is currently tied with Steffi Graf for the most at 22 in the Open Era. Venus hasn’t won a singles Grand Slam title since Wimbledon 2008, where she beat Serena in straight sets. If she wins, this will be her eighth Grand Slam win.
The two sisters have a combined 564 Grand Slam match wins, 120 WTA tennis titles, 29 singles Grand Slam titles, and a combined winnings of $116,296,819. For an individual sport, this kind of dominance is unmatched.
It’s also likely this could be the last time we will see Serena and Venus face off in a Grand Slam final. The two sisters have a combined age of 71, making this the oldest Grand Slam final in the Open Era. At 36 years-old, Venus will be the oldest woman in the finals of the Australian Open and the second oldest woman to make the finals of any Grand Slam.
3. They’ve overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to get where they are today.
The pair grew up in the ghettos of Compton, California, having to share one room with their three older sisters. Their father and coach at the time, Richard Williams, said that members of the “Crips”, a prominent gang throughout the West Coast, would watch over them, protecting his daughters from harm.
Growing up playing on tennis courts with potholes, cracks and holes in the net is where the fight of the Williams sisters was born. They would have to wear their shoes thin to fight to the top.
Venus would turn pro in 1994, while Serena would follow in 1995, both at the age of 14. The power of the Williams sisters shifted women’s tennis from finesse to power. Serena would win her first Grand Slam in 1999 at the U.S. Open, while Venus would win her first one year later at the same tournament.
From 1999–2005, no one could stop the Williams sisters. Serena won seven Grand Slams and Venus won five. But in 2006, the Williams sisters would fall from grace.
Serena and Venus missed both the French Open and Wimbledon and neither sister made it to the fourth round of any other Grand Slam. Serena struggled with injuries, lack of fitness and depression. She ended the year ranked №95, her lowest since 1997. Venus lost in the first rounds of the Australian Open and was plagued by a wrist injury that kept her from playing at a high level.
Despite being in their mid-20s, the Williams sisters were told their time was up.
But that was as low as it would get.
In 2007, №81 Serena shocked the world with an Australian Open title. Venus would battle through her wrist injury to win her third Wimbledon title in the same year.
However, health obstacles would hurt the Williams sisters in 2010–2011. Serena was hospitalized for a pulmonary embolism in 2011, while Venus was diagnosed with Sjogrens Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes severe pain in the joints and muscles.
For Serena, getting back to the top took no less than a year. She returned stronger than ever, winning nine Grand Slam titles to bring her total to 22.
For Venus, learning to play with Sjogrens Syndrome took time. She struggled with her fitness and consistency which dropped her rank outside the top 100. Just as she seemed to be fading from tennis relevance, she returned to the top 10 in 2015 for the first time in five years.
Everyone has been waiting for the classic sisterhood rivalry to be renewed. And after all this time, it’s finally back, and it’s more relevant than ever.
