Serena Williams and her older sister Venus Williams went head-to-head at the US Open quarterfinals on September 8, 2015, taking sibling rivalry to the next level.
Believe it or not, the twosome’s parents did not even show up because they did not want to see their daughters go against each other.
Although the Williams’ parents did not make an appearance, many celebrities did, such as Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Joe Jonas, LeBron James, and many more. The match also attracted a large crowd at home.
Serena is ranked number one in the quarter finals while her sister Venus is ranked number 23. This is not the first time the two have gone head-to-head; it is actually the 27th time.
Serena won with a score of 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. The tension was heightened at this match because if Serena won, it would take her into the semifinals of the U.S. Open, which is just two matches from the calendar Grand Slam.
“I think that this game was exceptionally hard for the two because since they are sisters, they know each others weaknesses,” said sophomore Katie Strych.
The two have played each other four times at the U.S. Open. The first time in 2001, Venus won with a 6-2, 6-4. The second time they met in 2002, Serena won with a 6-4, 6-3 victory. At their third meet in 2005, Serena won again. Finally in 2008, Serena won once more.
During the sister’s match, Serena’s strong point was her serve. She blasted 12 aces and won 77 percent of the points just on her first serve. By the end of the game, she had hit 38 aces, but also 22 double faults through five matches.
Venus also played strong and hit eight aces and 15 double faults.
Before the match, Venus said that she was not afraid to ruin Serena’s record, but now she wishes nothing but the best for her.
During the match, Venus lost her serve twice in the first set, but then came roaring back to win the second set.
“Today wasn’t an easy match at all,” said Serena. “All I’m thinking about is what I can do better. How can I get better.”
After sealing the win with a 107 mph ace, Serena and her sister broke out into huge smiles and embraced at the net, clearly showing no signs of an oncoming family feud.
Before serving an ace to end the match, Serena was holding back tears. She described it as going against your best friend, but at the same time it was like going against your greatest competitor.
“I think Serena deserved to win because she’s more skilled and I think she puts more effort in the game,” said sophomore Simran Singh.
Serena played and lost against Roberta Vinci on Thursday, September 10. This is the first time Williams has lost to Vinci.
How would you feel playing against your best friend?
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