Sister Act: Can Venus deny Serena her place in history at the US Open?

By Anand Datla

Sister Act # 27: Serena and Venus defy age and logic to extend an unlikely sibling rivalry The Williams juggernaut passes through a familiar stop on Tuesday. The great Serena Williams will have to deal with the irritation of beating her elder sister in the quarterfinals of this US Open before she can continue her quest to the summit of her sport. The two sisters will be meeting for the 27th time in their glittering careers, but like any other eternally running Broadway show, it is difficult to tire of this midweek blockbuster.

Scientists will tell you that the intensity of a sibling rivalry can be felt most when the two individuals are gifted similarly and are born close enough to each other. However, Serena and Venus seemed to have defied logic. They are both gifted tennis players and were born just a year apart. but their rivalry has lacked the intensity you would expect from two players of their calibre.

Recent form suggests that Serena may find herself celebrating more than just her birthday come 26 September, when she will turn 34 to her sister’s 35. The two have come a long way since their first professional bout in 1998 and the quarterfinals on Tuesday is a beautiful reminder of their success and longevity. The question is whether Venus can really challenge her dominant younger sister’s relentless march to Grand Slam glory?

Even as young girls, pigtails flailing around to keep up with the rhythmic energy of their passion, Venus and Serena would stand across on either side of the net, needing a first serve to win the “US Open” with their parents Richard and Oracene watching from the sidelines.

There has been plenty already said about the two sisters and their matches. The two women have fulfilled the prophecies of their father and the expectations of their numerous fans. They have also endured the pain of slander, despite repeatedly denying any wilful attempt to manipulate the results of their duels over the years.

Venus had a distinct early edge over her younger sister, winning five of their first six matches, including the final of the US Open in 2001. But it was also the year when Venus withdrew from Indian Wells, citing injury, moments before a match against Serena. It was a controversy that raged for years on the minds of sceptics who questioned the very integrity of the rivalry.

Such callous name calling is built upon a monumental ignorance of the competitive DNA that is at the core of an athlete’s existence. You do not account for 28 Grand Slam titles without being true to yourself and the sport you love.

The sisters have also endured the tragic loss of a sibling, making it an even more pathologically painful experience to play each other. The onset of Sjögren’s Syndrome has complicated matters for Venus, who plays on without knowing when she might fall flat from the debilitating effects of this stamina sucking condition.

At this late stage in their careers, this quarterfinal is just as precious to Venus as it is for Serena with the Grand Slam on the line, given how rarely Venus has made to this stage in recent years.

Serena has a 15-11 edge in their rivalry, including six of their past seven matches. The last time Serena lost a Grand Slam match to her sister was at the 2008 Wimbledon. It was Venus’s last big title, the seventh of her career.

As difficult as the Tuesday night clash might be, Venus will want to draw from her win in Montreal last year, where she defeated Serena after losing the first set. It will be key for Venus to block out thoughts of her opponent and the stage to stand any chance. Put the elder sister to sleep and roll out a good serve – serving to the Serena forehand helped her do well in Montreal, which could be part of her recipe here too. Venus will need to keep the points short and look to take advantage of the tentativeness that has gripped Serena at times during this US Open.

‘I don’t think anyone wants to be a spoiler," Venus said after ousting Anett Kontaveit. “I think people love to see history being made. No one is out to be a spoiler, but at the same time, you are focused on winning your match, even though the circumstances are really much different.”

For her part, Serena is growing increasingly aware of the magnitude of her achievements. We have seen her fumble lines against Kiki Bertens and Bethanie Mattek-Sands. The Grand Slam is in her sights and the younger Williams is aware of the danger presented by her sister.

“She’s beaten me so many times,” acknowledged Serena. “I’ve taken a lot of losses off of her, more than anybody. Yeah, she’s a player that knows how to win, knows how to beat me, and knows my weaknesses better than anyone. So it’s not an easy match at all.”

As insipid as their matches have been, one can expect an edgy classic this time. It will be interesting to see if Venus can leave the doting sister at home and bring the tennis player to court. But in this family battle, all Serena might afford her sister could well be a good long hug at the end of it.