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Venus and Serena: Sisters, Rivals, Icons, and a Lasting Legacy

By Brandon Daniels

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 31: Serena Williams of The United States is congratulated by her sister and opponant Venus Williams of The United States following their ladies singles third round match on Day Five of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 31: Serena Williams of The United States is congratulated by her sister and opponant Venus Williams of The United States following their ladies singles third round match on Day Five of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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Venus and Serena Williams are two of the greatest female tennis players ever. We look back at their decades-long rivalry and the impact they made on the sport.

Two sisters from Compton, California had no business revolutionizing tennis as they did but here we are. 51 combined years on tour, spanning four different decades has made them as synonymous with women’s tennis as Evert-Navritalova and Graff-Seles. They’ve achieved sports royalty.

In 2020, Venus and Serena Williams are still here, just as they were 23 years ago for their first-ever matchup. From teenage sensations to major champions, the sisters did exactly what their father said they would: Dominate.

From bead controversies and foot-fault disqualifications to walkovers and the underlying racial tensions across the United States, they haven’t had it easy. Nevertheless, they’ll face off for the 31st time in Round 2 of this year’s Top Seed Open. It’s a far cry from their battles on tennis’ biggest stages but nothing has changed. They enter every match expecting to win and fire the ball with unrivaled speed and power.

It’s simply incredible that they’ve reigned over four different decades on the WTA Tour. Who knows what this likely final decade will hold for the pair. All that’s left to do is be grateful that they’re still around and reminisce on their many years on the mountaintop. How did we get to this point, a point where it seems that they’ll never retire? We’ll have to go back to the beginning for that answer.

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