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Sisters are doing it for themselves

© Michael Cecilio

Venus and Serena: The future of tennis

It was just a matter of time, Richard Williams the soothsayer said, before his daughters would rule the WTA tour and eventually become #1 and #2 in the world. Well, the #1 and the #2 WTA rankings didn't quite come this week, but Venus and Serena proved that they were indeed playing like #1 and #2 in the world at the Lipton Championships. In an unprecedented championship match between sisters, an event which was highly anticipated by media, by fans and by father Richard Williams alike, Venus and Serena displayed the brutal ground power which has elevated them to soaring heights in tennis.

Their paths to the final were far from a stroll through the park. Serena drew Australian qualifier Alicia Molik in her opening match, a match which was sure to see some big serves from both players. One of the most anticipated matches in the round of 16 was Serena's match up against 3rd seed Monica Seles, a player who appears to have rejuvenated her career in the wake of much emotional turmoil in recent times. Nevertheless, Serena gave Monica a clinical lesson in power play with a 6-2, 6-3 rout. Against 9th seed Amanda Coetzer in the quarter finals, Serena took a much longer time in establishing her rhythm by getting her serve broken for the first time in the tournament. However, it was against top seed and undisputed champion Martina Hingis in the semi finals where Serena showed not just her flexibility to change her game plan mid-match but also displayed her true fighting qualities. It appeared from the outset that Martina would maintain her perfect record against Serena by taking 4-0 and 5-2 leads in the first and second sets respectively. Uncharacteristically like Martina, she was unable to close out both sets, squandering huge leads and a set point at 5-2 serving. Granted, Serena vastly overpowered her opponent from both wings and took out the #1 player for the first time in three meetings. Despite a tough draw, Serena fought off her competition without dropping a single set en route to the final.

Things were a little tougher for Venus on the other hand. Each match Venus played throughout the tournament proved to be a fair challenge. None more noteworthy than her efforts against 27th seed Anke Huber, a player who reached the 1996 Australian Open final and who can also crank up the pace off the ground. With Venus up one set 6-3, Anke stormed back to break the thunderous serve of Williams and evened the score at 7-5 in the second. A real battle was waged there on in as Anke stretched Venus to a third set tiebreak, with the 6"1 girl edging it out in a pressure-packed tiebreak 7-4. Venus was forced to take on the challenge of 4th seed Jana Novotna in the quarter finals whom she had not even taken a set from in three previous matches. With Jana able to clinch the first 7-5, it seemed as if Jana could maintain the momentum for a straight sets victory, however, Venus played a much smarter and more consistent game to claim her first career victory over Jana in three sets. 7th seed Steffi Graf was Venus' opponent in the semi finals and with surprising ease, dispatched the former world #1 in straight sets. Having played twice before this year, each match had been a tight three setter which could have gone either way, but it was clearly Venus's day as she brutally overpowered and outplayed her more experienced opponent.

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