‘It’s tough, I love her’ – Serena and Venus Williams’ emotional rollercoaster began at Miami Open with first of 16 iconic finals
It has been 26 years since Venus and Serena Williams faced off in a tournament final. The Miami Open hosted the first of what would be 16 finals between the sisters, and it would be a thrilling preview of what would be a multi-decade rivalry. Venus was victorious in their first-ever final against each otherGetty The 1999 Miami Championship match saw defending champion Venus take on her younger sister Serena. Venus – playing in her fourth WTA final and the defending Miami champion – would be victorious in the match, winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in what was a blistering showdown. Playing your sister in a final on such a stage in your home country is an experience that is impossible to prepare for. So it’s no surprise that Serena – playing in just her second WTA-level final – reflected on just how much emotions got to her before and during the match. “It’s tough playing against someone you love, but at the same time, we’re both competitors. I’m proud of how we both played out there,” Serena said after the match. “I tried my best, but she was just too strong today. She played some amazing tennis.” Their ability to compete at such a high level against each other is even more remarkable when considering just how close the siblings were. For years of their trophy-laden careers, the Williams sisters shared a house together, flew to tournaments together and even roomed together on the nights before they played for tennis’ biggest titles. “Can you imagine doing all that?” Carlos Fleming, Venus’ longtime agent, once marveled. While it was Venus who would get the first win in a final together, Serena would eventually outpace her in finals and trophies won by a significant margin. The Williams sisters have both had incredible careersGetty Venus defeated Serena in the 2008 Wimbledon FinalGetty When it came to Grand Slam singles, Serena won 23 compared to Venus’ seven. The pair played each other in nine Grand Slam finals, seven of which were won by Serena. On the seven more occasions in which they met in an earlier round of a major, the winner went on to win the championship another four times. That means 12 of Venus’ Grand Slam campaigns were thwarted by her sister. While Serena enjoyed a more successful career, there was a recognition from both sisters that her success would not be possible without Venus “I think she helped create me,” Serena once told reporters. While Venus often remarked on just how much responsibility she felt towards Serena, saying, “Being the big sister meant that when my little sister made her professional debut, I became a lot of new things to her – her colleague, her competitor, her business partner, her doubles partner. “But I was still, first and foremost, the one thing I had always been: her family. I was her protector — her first line of defense against outside forces. And I cherished that.” It’s unlikely we will see two siblings dominate a sport in the fashion the Williams sisters did, as they forged one of the most remarkable legacies ever in unprecedented fashion. The pair also memorably teamed up to win 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together – four Australian Opens, two French Opens, six Wimbledon crowns and two home US Opens. On top of that they won Olympic gold together in 2000, 2008 and 2012. But it all began in South Florida, where the two went head to head for title title.
It has been 26 years since Venus and Serena Williams faced off in a tournament final.
The Miami Open hosted the first of what would be 16 finals between the sisters, and it would be a thrilling preview of what would be a multi-decade rivalry.
The 1999 Miami Championship match saw defending champion Venus take on her younger sister Serena.
Venus – playing in her fourth WTA final and the defending Miami champion – would be victorious in the match, winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in what was a blistering showdown.
Playing your sister in a final on such a stage in your home country is an experience that is impossible to prepare for.
So it’s no surprise that Serena – playing in just her second WTA-level final – reflected on just how much emotions got to her before and during the match.
“It’s tough playing against someone you love, but at the same time, we’re both competitors. I’m proud of how we both played out there,” Serena said after the match.
“I tried my best, but she was just too strong today. She played some amazing tennis.”
Their ability to compete at such a high level against each other is even more remarkable when considering just how close the siblings were.
For years of their trophy-laden careers, the Williams sisters shared a house together, flew to tournaments together and even roomed together on the nights before they played for tennis’ biggest titles.
“Can you imagine doing all that?” Carlos Fleming, Venus’ longtime agent, once marveled.
While it was Venus who would get the first win in a final together, Serena would eventually outpace her in finals and trophies won by a significant margin.
When it came to Grand Slam singles, Serena won 23 compared to Venus’ seven.
The pair played each other in nine Grand Slam finals, seven of which were won by Serena.
On the seven more occasions in which they met in an earlier round of a major, the winner went on to win the championship another four times.
That means 12 of Venus’ Grand Slam campaigns were thwarted by her sister.
While Serena enjoyed a more successful career, there was a recognition from both sisters that her success would not be possible without Venus
“I think she helped create me,” Serena once told reporters.
While Venus often remarked on just how much responsibility she felt towards Serena, saying, “Being the big sister meant that when my little sister made her professional debut, I became a lot of new things to her – her colleague, her competitor, her business partner, her doubles partner.
“But I was still, first and foremost, the one thing I had always been: her family. I was her protector — her first line of defense against outside forces. And I cherished that.”
It’s unlikely we will see two siblings dominate a sport in the fashion the Williams sisters did, as they forged one of the most remarkable legacies ever in unprecedented fashion.
The pair also memorably teamed up to win 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together – four Australian Opens, two French Opens, six Wimbledon crowns and two home US Opens.
On top of that they won Olympic gold together in 2000, 2008 and 2012.
But it all began in South Florida, where the two went head to head for title title.
