Serena Williams has informed fairly a narrative as she claims she overheard fellow gamers within the locker room speaking about desirous to beat her and her sister Venus Williams as a result of they felt that was what wanted to be executed with the intention to win a match.
The Williams sisters, who’ve received a mixed 30 Grand Slam titles in singles, are extensively thought-about the best sister duo in tennis historical past and their dominance was at its highest stage within the 2000s. Shortly after Serena Williams grew to become a Grand Slam champion on the 1999 US Open, the dominance of the Williams sisters began as they received 17 of 37 Grand Slam tournaments that happened between 2000 Wimbledon and 2009 Wimbledon.
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On the time, the Williams sisters would additionally typically face one another within the latter levels of tournaments and the truth that 9 of their 31 conferences got here in a Grand Slam ultimate speaks volumes.
Whereas ladies’s tennis was stuffed with expertise within the 2000s, there have been gamers who managed to make a breakthrough and win a Grand Slam. However for common gamers, the Williams sisters have been at all times a nightmare matchup.
{That a} bit modified after Venus was recognized with Sjogren’s illness in 2011. After being recognized with the autoimmune illness, Venus managed to return to the highest of tennis and play yet one more Grand Slam ultimate however she by no means rediscovered her stage from the 2000s. In the meantime, Serena’s dominance continued as she received her twenty third Grand Slam title on the 2017 Australian Open after which appeared in 4 extra Grand Slam finals earlier than retiring in 2022.
Serena Williams on her and Venus having a goal on their backs
“Folks have been having a dialog like, ‘At first of the match, I am gonna beat Venus if I play her, however you need to beat Serena [too].’ These are actual conversations I truly overheard,” Williams mentioned throughout a dialog posted on X.
“I do not even care. I might’ve executed the identical factor. Hear, you gotta win, however they actually wished to take us down, and I imply, it is a sport. It is a sport. What do you count on, they’d need you to win?”
However now reflecting on that, Serena means that understanding your entire WTA Tour would at all times be additional motivated in opposition to them solely made her and her sister Venus work more durable and strategy each match 100% locked in. And that was one of many the explanation why they have been in a position to dominate for therefore lengthy.
“However I believe the truth that they performed us a lot more durable than they performed one another was the rationale why we have been so significantly better. As a result of, think about somebody enjoying, providing you with their finest each single time, and preventing so laborious in opposition to simply you. And then you definately go somewhat lighter on the subsequent one that’s going to be higher. I did not have that focus on on my again. So, if it wasn’t for them, I would not have been me,” Williams mentioned.
Serena: “The truth that they performed us a lot more durable than they performed one another, was the rationale why we have been so significantly better.” 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Serena & Venus v. The WTA pic.twitter.com/zENylqU06y
— GlamSpinTennis (@GlamSpinTennis) June 14, 2024
Serena Williams retired two years in the past and he or she nonetheless misses tennis
Shortly after retiring on the 2022 US Open, Serena Williams a number of occasions hinted that she was considering coming again. Then in considered one of her interviews from early 2023, Williams confessed that she was tempted to return and was fascinated by it. However the former 23-time Grand Slam champion was ready to withstand and stay retired.
Then on Could 1st final 12 months, Williams introduced she was anticipating her second baby and her second daughter Adira was born final August.
In a current interview, Williams admitted that she began to overlook tennis once more after giving beginning.
“It was all good once I was pregnant and now that I’m not anymore I’m like, ‘Ohhh I miss it a lot!’,” Williams mentioned on Right this moment with Hoda & Jenna in April.
“I’m doing so many issues with completely different companies. However tennis clearly was my old flame and it’ll at all times be my old flame and it’s one thing I’ll at all times be so obsessed with. I’ll by no means love something as a lot as tennis, ‘trigger it’s like, you’re within the entrance of the world and also you don’t even notice it as a result of there’s a lot strain and there’s a lot stress. However you’re strolling out on middle courtroom day-after-day they usually’re there to see you. And there’s no adrenaline like that.”
In the meantime, Venus Williams – who turns 44 on Monday – has had a difficult final couple of years however she stays energetic and has appeared in two tournaments this 12 months. In these two appearances, Venus suffered first-round losses in Indian Wells and Miami.
