Venus Williams reacts to an epic point from her 1999 Miami Open SF against Steffi Graf, says she has not changed much since then
The 1999 season was one of the most successful for Venus Williams early in her career, as she broke into the top 3 of the WTA rankings for the first time. She ended the year as the World No. 3 after lifting six titles and reaching at least the quarterfinals at three Grand Slams.
During the 1999 Miami Open, Williams faced off against Steffi Graf in the semifinals. One of the points of the match was a 24-shot rally in the second set, which Williams won.
The American was on the back foot multiple times during the point, but managed to win it with a sensational crosscourt forehand on the run, prompting the commentator to exclaim: "What do you have to do to win a point against Venus?"
The rally was uploaded by a Venus Williams fan account on Instagram, alongside a similar point she won during the 2017 Australian Open, as a testament to the former World No. 1's longevity.
"1999 vs 2017, the longevity of Venus Williams is truly underrated! We really miss you and hope to see you on court in 2022 @venuswilliams 🥺🥰," the video was captioned on Instagram.
The video caught the attention of the 41-year-old, who acknowledged the creators by posting it on her own Instagram story. She thanked them for the video and included a message for her fans, saying that it was important to never lose hope no matter how bad a situation appears.
"Me then and now, not much has changed," Venus wrote. "Watch to the end for a surprise. Most importantly, believe in yourself no matter what at every stage in your life. Thanks @queenvenusfans!"
Venus Williams went on to win the 1999 Miami Open
The 1999 Miami Open (then called the Lipton Championships) was one of the most notable triumphs of Venus Williams' career at the time. As the sixth seed, Williams faced tennis legend and former World No. 1 Steffi Graf (No. 7 seed) in the semifinals.
Graf, despite being on the last leg of her professional career, had disposed of World No. 2 Lindsay Davenport in her quarterfinal match to set up a meeting with Williams.
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Venus Williams bested her sister Serena Williams at the Miami Open, formerly the Lipton Championships, on this day in 1999! They're the first sisters in the Open Era to play against each other in a #WTA final!
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Williams sent Graf packing 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the final. In the final, she battled past sister Serena 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to lift the trophy.