Australian Open Finals: Serena v. Venus
Venus and Serena at 1998 Australian Open
It can seem like the impossible has happened, or maybe we've turned back the clock too many times and we are actually back 19 years and not really in 2017… Just kidding… but seriously, if you don't feel a bit of nostalgia seeing Venus and Serena battle for the Australian title, then maybe you aren't old enough to realize how great this moment is.
Venus and Serena Williams will meet in the Aussie Open final on Saturday morning (3:30 a.m. EST), in Rod Laver Arena, 19 years after playing their first professional match against each other on the same court. Two weeks ago, it was easy to pick one of these representatives to be in the finals, but the resurgence of Venus in this tournament is unexpected.
At 36, Venus has reached her first final Down Under in 14 years, and has been dominating opponents along the way. Before her three set comeback win over Coco Vandeweghe, Venus had not dropped a set throughout the entire tournament. After dropping the first set to her fellow American in the semifinals, Venus went back in time and found her serve and dominated the second set. In the third, an early break and control of her service game earned her a chance at another Grand Slam title.
Serena now had the pressure on her to advance into the finals and make it an all Williams match up. She did so easily, defeating Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in straight sets. Long ago, Serena passed Venus in their head to head contest and currently leads 16-11. However, throw records out the window when it comes to rivalries, especially sibling rivalries. No competitor knows Serena like Venus, and vice versa. Last year, the pair met in the U.S Open quarterfinals where Serena won in three sets in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
2015 U.S Open Quarterfinals
Serena is and should be the favorite; the 22-time Grand Slam winner is looking for 23 and has been a dominating force in the sport for years. Facing her least favorite opponent, she will try to put Steffi Graf behind her on the All-Time list, but it won't be easy for Serena. A win for Venus would be her first major in nine years; a win for Serena would solidify her as the greatest athlete of all-time.
In 1999, I was introduced to Tennis for the first time, and being a baseball player I got the hang of the sport pretty quickly. I remember watching Serena and Venus as a young boy involved in a tennis program in inner city Boston. I idolized the two, their story made me believe I could be successful. In 2003, I was privileged to meet them at a tennis clinic at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. To this day I will never forget getting to hit a backhand to Venus, and although I missed terribly, I still remember it like it were yesterday.
Fed Cup Tennis Clinic 2003 Reggie Lewis Center
It's now 2017 and I feel like a 13-year-old kid all over again. This match up is not only great because of what is on the line for both players, but this tennis match means a lot to the fans of tennis, sports and rivalries. I grew up, like many others, idolizing the Williams sisters. For people like me, who didn't believe we belonged in the sport because of how we looked or where we came from, Serena and Venus changed that. While the world marveled at Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, or the emergence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, there has always been a consistent, dominating presence in tennis and that's the Williams Sisters. Serena and Venus changed the way I viewed women in sports and for that I am forever grateful.
Serena is the greatest athlete of all-time and a win only adds to the fact that she has been so dominant for so long and deserves to be recognized for it. Venus can pull off an upset if she uses her serve to set up her forehand, that's what got her past Coco. With her career possibly winding down, a win here against Serena would be the cherry on top of a phenomenal career.
Predication: PUSH
