A wise old man would probably agree – great is someone who can learn from others without them knowing. The statement holds water, especially in the case of sports. The player, of course, has his or her own set of skills, but has no problem taking cues from others from time to time. This is what Venus Williams did. The company of her little sister, Serena Williams, has had a long-lasting and game-changing impact on Venus’s career, which says, “You’re who you spend your time with.”
During a recent appearance on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, the 44-year-old shed light on her formative years as Serena Williams’ older sister. When asked by host Chris Evans about Serena’s potential impact on her career, Venus had nothing but praise and gratitude to share for her relationship with Serena.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion expressed her gratitude, saying: “I had the honor of having great company in Serena and I learned a lot from her as well. She was 15 months younger, but still younger, right? And she was the first in the family to win a Grand Slam.” Even though I was the first one on the tour I learned a lot from her just by watching her – without her saying a word. You know her courage, her character, her courage and I felt like I wanted that too – that’s how you win a major tournament… I was very lucky to have This (inspiration) hits home, Venus concluded, saying that even though Serena was only 17 years old at the time, she did such “amazing” and “positive” things that they motivate her to this day.
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Previous world no. 1 has always praised her sister for the way she handles difficult situations and finds her way to the top. Just as Venus learned a lot from Serena, in the same way, Serena also found a great coach in Venus. The 23-time Grand Slam champion also previously highlighted how Venus helped her improve her game and pushed her to do more.
When the sisters were in their early twenties, Serena said during a conversation with Oprah Winfrey: “When we were younger, it was hard for me to play Venus because she was always beating me so badly. I had to get better so I could stay in the game.” Now when we train together, I have to be careful because she will knock me off the field.
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The sisters have a great deal of love and appreciation for each other. But every time they met in court, an explosion was bound to occur.
Venus Williams vs. Serena Williams on the tour – some intense matches there
Venus and Serena have played against each other 31 times, with the score being 12-19 in Serena’s favor. The sibling rivalry that has been going on for over two decades has seen some really tight matches. Since you weren’t a Baby Boomer at the time, you probably remember the 2003 Australian Open final where Serena cruised to a hard-fought 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-4 victory to complete the Serena Slam.
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Sometimes flashes of the Wimbledon final that same year come to mind where Serena once again had to fight hard to lift the trophy. And who can forget the famous 3-set semi-final match in Dubai where Venus shined after a strong 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 victory! There is a lot on the list.
The rivalry between the Williams sisters may have come to an end. But this is the bud of tennis – and exhibition matches and celebrities are not an uncommon occurrence. Who knows if news of the match is close? Not quite so far-fetched, right? There’s nothing wrong with hope. Do you think we’ll get to see Venus and Serena fight on the court again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below:
