Serena Williams vs Venus Williams: 5 best matchesÂ
Serena Williams and Venus Williams are two of the greatest tennis players to grace the court. Since their very first encounter at the 1998 Australian Open, the sisters have played some thrilling matches over the course of their stellar careers.
During the Wimbledon Championships in 2008, Venus Williams spoke about competing against her sister. She said that over the years, it has made them better players and has driven them to play at the highest level.
"No. I don't think I'd be as good, because I was so inspired by her so many times. She really helped me to really be a fighter and to really dig deep. I think that's really what she gave me."
Though in a lighter vein, she stated she wants the best for her younger sister until they're playing against each other.
"It's really just about wanting the best for your sister and just really wanting to see her do well - until she plays you, obviously (smiling)," said Venus.
Years later, during the 2018 US Open, Serena Williams echoed her sister's sentiments.
"I mean, like I said, the best part is we bring out the best in each other. I know when I play her, I have to play some of my best tennis. She does, too. It propels us to continue to play that for the tournament. It sets a tone for us. I feel like throughout our career, we have pushed each other to be the best that we can be, and be Venus and Serena Williams," she said.
However, it's not always easy for them, as when they face each other only one of them can move forward.
"I never root against her, no matter what. So I think that's the toughest part for me. When you always want someone to win, to have to beat them. I know the same thing is for her. When she beats me, she always roots for me as well. I think that's just the hardest part," Serena added.
The rivalry between Venus and Serena has continued for more than two decades. Their most recent match was at the 2020 Top Seed Open. With 31 matches between them so far, it's difficult to pick the best ones. But there certainly are a few standouts.
Here are five of their best matches.
#5 - 2008 Wimbledon final
The Williams sisters met for the first time in almost three years at the 2008 Wimbledon final. They were facing each other in a Grand Slam final after five years, the last being the Wimbledon final in 2003. Venus Williams was the defending champion, while it was Serena Williams' first Grand Slam final since winning the 2007 Australian Open.
The excitement was quite high as the duo were meeting on one of the biggest stages of tennis. The match lived up to the hype as the Americans produced some of their finest tennis. Venus Williams came out on top this time, winning 7-5, 6-4. It was her fifth title at Wimbledon and seventh Grand Slam title.
#4 - 2003 Australian Open final
Their meeting at the 2003 Australian Open final came at a time when the dominance of the Williams sisters was at its peak. The sisters were contesting their fourth consecutive Grand Slam final against each other, with Serena Williams winning the previous three in straight sets.
Venus Williams was looking to turn the tide against her sister. However, after she lost the first set in a close tie-break, it appeared as though Serena was heading for another easy win. But this time, Venus put up a strong fight and won the second set. In the end, it wasn't enough. Serena Williams took the deciding set to win the match 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4.
With the win she completed what has come to be known as the "Serena Slam" and became the fifth woman in the Open Era after Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Steffi Graf to complete a career Grand Slam.
#3 - 2008 US Open quarterfinals
Two months after their Wimbledon final, the Williams sisters met at the 2008 US Open quarterfinals. The sisters were in good form and they reached this stage without dropping a set. Serena and Venus had lost just 14 and 15 games respectively in their previous four matches.
They went toe-to-toe and the result was decided by the slimmest of margins. Serena Williams edged past Venus Williams in two close tie-breaks, winning 7-6 (6), 7-6 (7). She went on to win the US Open for the first time since 2002 as well, defeating Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 in the final.
#2 - 2014 Canadian Open semifinals
Coming into this match, Venus Williams had lost five consecutive matches to Serena Williams. The last time Venus defeated her sibling was in 2009 at the Dubai Open. But at the 2014 Canadian Open, she finally got the better of Serena after a long time.
During this time Serena Williams was the top-ranked player in the world. After winning the opening set of their semi-final clash in a tiebreak, it appeared as though Serena, the World No. 1, was going to notch up another win against her sister.
But Venus Williams had other plans as she staged an incredible comeback to win 6-7, 6-2, 6-3. It was also her first win over a World No. 1 since she defeated Dinara Safina at the Wimbledon Championships in 2009.
#1 - 2009 WTA Finals (Round-robin match)
Both Serena and Venus Williams enjoyed a great degree of success in 2009. The duo qualified for the 2009 WTA Finals and Venus Williams was the defending champion, having won the 2008 edition. The two were drawn in the same group during the round-robin stage.
It was their fourth match against each other that year. Venus Williams won the first match at the Dubai Open while Serena Williams won the other two at the Miami Open and Wimbledon.
Their round-robin match was a highly anticipated encounter which lived up to the billing. It was a grueling three-set match that showcased why the sisters are amongst the best to ever pick up the racket. Serena Williams emerged triumphant, winning 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (4) after saving a match point in the deciding set.
They met in the final as well, with Serena Williams winning once again in straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (4) to win the season-ending championship for the second time in her career.