» VENUS, SERENA SET FOR ANOTHER CLASH
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Two superstars who’ve spent years taking the concept of sibling rivalry to a whole new level are set for a showdown in central Kentucky.
Serena Williams and Venus Williams will face off in the marquee matchup of the second round in the Top Seed Open at Top Seed Tennis Club in Nicholasville on Thursday. It will mark the 31st time since 1998 that the sisters — whose talent and playing styles took tennis by storm at the turn of the century — have squared off as professionals, with Serena owning an 18-12 advantage in the series.
The duo took divergent paths to the round of 16. The No. 1 seed in the $225,000 Women’s Tennis Association event, Serena Williams showed signs of rust from a sixmonth layoff early on in her opening match. She dropped the first set and fell behind in the second before rallying strong to defeat Bernarda Pera, who came into the tournament No. 60 in the WTA rankings, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Venus Williams, unseeded in the original 32-player singles field, enjoyed a much less stressful return to competition in the first sanctioned women’s or men’s professional tournament in the United States since the coronavirus pandemic shut down sports in March. Venus dispatched twotime Australian open champ and former world’s No. 1-ranked player Victoria Azarenka, 6-3, 6-2, later in Tuesday’s first round to set up Thursday’s matchup with her younger sister.
Venus embraced the difficult draw that yielded back-to-back contests against Azarenka and Serena, reasoning that a trial by fire will help her get into top form quickly after the layoff prompted by the pandemic.
“Honestly, it’s really difficult to come back after all these months and play well,” Venus told the media during a Zoom teleconference after her victory over Azarenka. “From one Grand Slam (winner) and former (world’s) No. 1 to another, it’s been quite the draw for me. But quite honestly, it’s perfect because I haven’t played in forever so I want to play the best players. And I think I got my wish, I’m playing Serena. So, here we go.”
Serena Williams, 38, entered the Top Seed Open No. 9 in the WTA rankings. She has won 23 Grand Slam championships and has been chasing a 24th since 2018, when she returned from an extended break after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis.
The Top Seed Open is being played without fans because of safety concerns related to the pandemic. Serena said that contrary to her expectations, she actually enjoyed the strange, silent atmosphere because it reminded her of her junior tennis days.
“I don’t dislike it and that’s weird, because I’m a player that’s so emotional,” she said. “I really like the (nostalgia). It reminds me of back to the basics. I had to fight hard to make it, and that’s kind of what it feels like.”
Serena spoke to the media before she knew Venus would be her second-round opponent, but she realized she’d be in for a fight, regardless. Like her sister, Serena welcomed the challenge of a tough draw.
“I have a really tough match the next round, but it’s really good in general because I haven’t played ... I’ve only been training,” Serena said.
Venus Williams, who owns seven major championships and at age 40 is the oldest player in the top 400 of the WTA rankings (No. 67), has won 42 total singles titles in her career, while Serena has won 72.
The duo has teamed up to win 22 doubles titles, including 14 Grand Slams and three Olympic gold medals. Thursday’s singles bout will mark their first one-onone matchup since the 2018 U.S.
Open, where Serena beat Venus in straight sets in the round of 32 on her way to a runner-up finish.
Venus last defeated Serena in 2018 in the round of 32 at the Indian Wells Masters, ending a threematch losing streak in the series. In 2017 they met in the finals of the Australian Open, where Serena scored a 6-4, 6-4 victory to capture her most recent Grand Slam title.
The Top Seed Open is being conducted in a “bubble” environment akin to the ones currently being used by the NBA and NHL in order to minimize the risk posed by COVID-19. Player movement is restricted to the official event hotel and the Top Seed facility and food is being provided by various delivery services.
With dining and entertainment options so limited, it stands to reason that the threat of cabin fever would be ever-present. One of the top players in the field wishes she had better planned for that possibility.