"But to me she was like a benevolent bodyguard" - Chanda Rubin reflects on Serena Williams' bond with sister Venus
Serena Williams' bond with older sister Venus Williams, along with her other sisters Yetunde, Lyndrea and Isha Price, has been instrumental in shaping her as an athlete and person.
During an episode of the podcast "The Goat: Serena," host Chanda Rubin delved into how sisterhood shaped the mindset of the 23-time Grand Slam champion.
Rubin then went on to read an excerpt from Serena Williams' 2009 autobiography "On The Line," which describes the bond she had with her sisters.
"Yetunde was the forgiver with a heart of gold, Isha was the caretaker who looked after all her sisters. Lyndrea was the ever-ready play pal. I'm not sure as how others saw Venus. But to me she was like a benevolent bodyguard," Williams wrote.
Venus Williams had indeed looked out for her younger sister. She paved the way for Serena to follow after becoming the first to breakthrough. Together, they challenged the homogeneous tennis establishment as they rose to the top.
Even as they developed a rivalry on the court, the two sisters never let it affect their personal relationship and have always remained close.
Serena Williams has always been inspired and motivated by her older sister's achievements. Rubin echoed those sentiments when she quoted part of Williams' 2017 Australian Open victory speech.
"Venus and I worked so hard. Still to this day we work side by side at practice. We motivate each other. Like I said on the court, every time she won her match, I felt obligated to win - I've got to win too. The motivation she gives me is second to nothing," Williams said.
Serena Williams to miss the 2022 Australian Open
On the tennis front, Serena Williams remains sidelined because of an injury she sustained during her first-round match at this year's Wimbledon. She still isn't at her best physically and thus withdrew from the upcoming Australian Open.
"While this is never an easy decision to make, I am not where I need to be physically to compete. Melbourne is one of my favorite cities to visit and I look forward to playing at the AO every year. I will miss seeing the fans, but am excited to return and compete at my highest level," Williams said.
All our love, @serenawilliams 💙
Come back stronger 💪 #AusOpen https://t.co/HrrG1FFILF
While Serena WIlliams will be keen to compete again, there's no timeline set for her comeback.