Williams sisters: Difference between revisions
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The '''Williams sisters''' are two professional American [[tennis]] players: [[Venus Williams]] (b. 1980), a seven-time [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] title winner (singles), and [[Serena Williams]] (b. 1981), twenty-three-time Grand Slam title winner (singles), both of whom were coached from an early age by their parents [[Richard Williams (tennis coach)|Richard Williams]] and [[Oracene Price]]. |
The '''Williams sisters''' are two professional American [[tennis]] players: [[Venus Williams]] (b. 1980), a seven-time [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] title winner (singles), and [[Serena Williams]] (b. 1981), twenty-three-time Grand Slam title winner (singles), both of whom were coached from an early age by their parents [[Richard Williams (tennis coach)|Richard Williams]] and [[Oracene Price]]. |
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The Williams sisters partake in “one of the elite ‘country club’ sports in America,” a sport that wasn’t—along with many others—open to female participation in the past (Smith & Hattery, 75).<ref>SMITH, EARL, and ANGELA J. HATTERY. “VENUS AND SERENA WILLIAMS: Traversing the Barriers of the Country Club World.” A Locker Room of Her Own: Celebrity, Sexuality, and Female Athletes, edited by David C. Ogden and Joel Nathan Rosen, University Press of Mississippi, 2013, pp. 72–91. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt24hvp6.9. Accessed 28 Sept. 2023.</ref> Their |
The Williams sisters partake in “one of the elite ‘country club’ sports in America,” a sport that wasn’t—along with many others—open to female participation in the past (Smith & Hattery, 75).<ref>SMITH, EARL, and ANGELA J. HATTERY. “VENUS AND SERENA WILLIAMS: Traversing the Barriers of the Country Club World.” A Locker Room of Her Own: Celebrity, Sexuality, and Female Athletes, edited by David C. Ogden and Joel Nathan Rosen, University Press of Mississippi, 2013, pp. 72–91. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt24hvp6.9. Accessed 28 Sept. 2023.</ref> Their remarkable achievements in tennis are comparable to those seen by men, despite women’s involvement in sports as something unusual when compared to the former regulations within sports. When the sport was introduced as a form of leisurely activity in the United States, “many clubs would not allow women to be members” (Smith & Hattery, 76). Thus, the success of the Williams sisters is one that’s astonishing to the United States both professionally and socially. |
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Both sisters have been ranked by the [[Women's Tennis Association]] at the world No. 1 position in both [[List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players|singles]] and [[List of WTA number 1 ranked doubles tennis players|doubles]]. In 2002, after the French Open, Venus and Serena Williams were ranked world No. 1 and No. 2 on singles, respectively, marking the first time in history that sisters occupied the top two positions. On 21 June 2010, Serena and Venus again held the No. 1 and No. 2 rankings spots in singles, respectively, some eight years after first accomplishing this feat. At the time, Serena was three months shy of her 29th birthday and Venus had just celebrated her 30th birthday. |
Both sisters have been ranked by the [[Women's Tennis Association]] at the world No. 1 position in both [[List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players|singles]] and [[List of WTA number 1 ranked doubles tennis players|doubles]]. In 2002, after the French Open, Venus and Serena Williams were ranked world No. 1 and No. 2 on singles, respectively, marking the first time in history that sisters occupied the top two positions. On 21 June 2010, Serena and Venus again held the No. 1 and No. 2 rankings spots in singles, respectively, some eight years after first accomplishing this feat. At the time, Serena was three months shy of her 29th birthday and Venus had just celebrated her 30th birthday. |
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There was a [[Williams sisters rivalry|noted professional rivalry]] between the sisters in singles — between the [[2001 US Open – Women's singles|2001 US Open]] and the [[2017 Australian Open – Women's singles|2017 Australian Open]], they contested nine major finals. They became the first two players, female or male, to contest four consecutive major singles finals, from the [[2002 French Open – Women's singles|2002 French Open]] to the [[2003 Australian Open – Women's singles|2003 Australian Open]]; Serena famously won all four to complete the first of two "Serena Slams" ([[Grand Slam (tennis)#Non-calendar-year Grand Slam|non-calendar year Grand Slam]]s). Between 2000 and 2016, they collectively won 12 Wimbledon singles titles (Venus five, and Serena seven). Nonetheless, they remain very close, often watching each other's matches in support, even after one of them had been knocked out of a tournament. |
There was a [[Williams sisters rivalry|noted professional rivalry]] between the sisters in singles — between the [[2001 US Open – Women's singles|2001 US Open]] and the [[2017 Australian Open – Women's singles|2017 Australian Open]], they contested nine major finals. They became the first two players, female or male, to contest four consecutive major singles finals, from the [[2002 French Open – Women's singles|2002 French Open]] to the [[2003 Australian Open – Women's singles|2003 Australian Open]]; Serena famously won all four to complete the first of two "Serena Slams" ([[Grand Slam (tennis)#Non-calendar-year Grand Slam|non-calendar year Grand Slam]]s). Between 2000 and 2016, they collectively won 12 Wimbledon singles titles (Venus five, and Serena seven). Nonetheless, they remain very close, often watching each other's matches in support, even after one of them had been knocked out of a tournament. |
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By winning the [[2001 Australian Open – Women's doubles|2001 Australian Open doubles title]], they became the fifth pair of women to complete the [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Career Grand Slam|career Grand Slam]] in doubles, and the first pair to complete the [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Career Golden Slam|career Golden Slam]] in doubles. At the time, Venus and Serena were only 20 and 19 years old, respectively. Since then, they went on to add another two Olympic gold medals at the [[Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles|2008 Beijing Olympics]] and the [[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles|2012 London Olympics]]. Moreover, the duo |
By winning the [[2001 Australian Open – Women's doubles|2001 Australian Open doubles title]], they became the fifth pair of women to complete the [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Career Grand Slam|career Grand Slam]] in doubles, and the first pair to complete the [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Career Golden Slam|career Golden Slam]] in doubles. At the time, Venus and Serena were only 20 and 19 years old, respectively. Since then, they went on to add another two Olympic gold medals at the [[Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles|2008 Beijing Olympics]] and the [[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles|2012 London Olympics]]. Moreover, the duo achieved a non-calendar year Grand Slam in doubles between [[2009 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|2009 Wimbledon]] and [[2010 French Open – Women's doubles|2010 Roland Garros]], which made them the [[List of WTA number 1 ranked doubles tennis players|co-No. 1 doubles players]] on 7 June 2010. Their last major doubles title came at the [[2016 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|2016 Wimbledon Championships]]. |
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Both players won four gold medals at the [[Tennis at the Summer Olympics|Olympics]], one each in singles and three in doubles— all won together— the most of any tennis players. Venus also won a silver in mixed doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. As a duo, they completed the [[Career Golden Slam#Career Golden Slam|double career Golden Slam]] in doubles. Between the two of them, they have completed the [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Boxed Set|Boxed Set]], winning all four major events in singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles; they split the four mixed doubles titles in 1998. |
Both players won four gold medals at the [[Tennis at the Summer Olympics|Olympics]], one each in singles and three in doubles— all won together— the most of any tennis players. Venus also won a silver in mixed doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. As a duo, they completed the [[Career Golden Slam#Career Golden Slam|double career Golden Slam]] in doubles. Between the two of them, they have completed the [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Boxed Set|Boxed Set]], winning all four major events in singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles; they split the four mixed doubles titles in 1998. |
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{| class="wikitable" |
{| class="wikitable" |
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⚫ | ! Tournament !! [[1997 WTA Tour|1997]]!! [[1998 WTA Tour|1998]]!! [[1999 WTA Tour|1999]]!! [[2000 WTA Tour|2000]]!! [[2001 WTA Tour|2001]]!! [[2002 WTA Tour|2002]]!! [[2003 WTA Tour|2003]]!! [[2004 WTA Tour|2004]]!! [[2005 WTA Tour|2005]]!! [[2006 WTA Tour|2006]]!! [[2007 WTA Tour|2007]]!! [[2008 WTA Tour|2008]]!! [[2009 WTA Tour|2009]]!! [[2010 WTA Tour|2010]]!! [[2011 WTA Tour|2011]]!! [[2012 WTA Tour|2012]]!![[2013 WTA Tour|2013]]!![[2014 WTA Tour|2014]]!![[2015 WTA Tour|2015]]!![[2016 WTA Tour|2016]]!![[2017 WTA Tour|2017]]!![[2018 WTA Tour|2018]]!![[2019 WTA Tour|2019]]!![[2020 WTA Tour|2020]]!![[2021 WTA Tour|2021]]!![[2022 WTA Tour|2022]]!! Career W–L |
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|- bgcolor="#efefef" |
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⚫ | ! Tournament !! [[1997 WTA Tour|1997]]!! [[1998 WTA Tour|1998]]!! [[1999 WTA Tour|1999]]!! [[2000 WTA Tour|2000]]!! [[2001 WTA Tour|2001]]!! [[2002 WTA Tour|2002]]!! [[2003 WTA Tour|2003]]!! [[2004 WTA Tour|2004]]!! [[2005 WTA Tour|2005]]!! [[2006 WTA Tour|2006]]!! [[2007 WTA Tour|2007]]!! [[2008 WTA Tour|2008]]!! [[2009 WTA Tour|2009]]!! [[2010 WTA Tour|2010]]!! [[2011 WTA Tour|2011]]!! [[2012 WTA Tour|2012]]!![[2013 WTA Tour|2013]]!![[2014 WTA Tour|2014]]!![[2015 WTA Tour|2015]]!![[2016 WTA Tour|2016]]!![[2017 WTA Tour|2017]]!![[2018 WTA Tour|2018]]!! Career W–L |
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|- |
|- |
||
| colspan=" |
| colspan="28" | '''Grand Slam tournaments''' |
||
|- |
|- |
||
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| [[Australian Open]] |
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| [[Australian Open]] |
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|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|[[1999 Australian Open – Women's doubles|SF]] |
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|[[1999 Australian Open – Women's doubles|SF]] |
||
|align="center" | A |
|align="center" | A |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2001 Australian Open – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2001 Australian Open – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" | A |
|align="center" | A |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2003 Australian Open – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2003 Australian Open – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" colspan="4" | Absent |
|align="center" colspan="4" | Absent |
||
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[2008 Australian Open – Women's doubles|QF]] |
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[2008 Australian Open – Women's doubles|QF]] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2009 Australian Open – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2009 Australian Open – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2010 Australian Open – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2010 Australian Open – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" colspan="2" | Absent |
|align="center" colspan="2" | Absent |
||
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[2013 Australian Open – Women's doubles|QF]] |
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[2013 Australian Open – Women's doubles|QF]] |
||
|align="center" colspan=" |
|align="center" colspan="9" | Absent |
||
|align="center" | 36–4 |
|align="center" | 36–4 |
||
|- |
|- |
||
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| [[French Open]] |
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| [[French Open]] |
||
|align="center" colspan="2" | Absent |
|align="center" colspan="2" | Absent |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[1999 French Open – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[1999 French Open – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" colspan="9" | Absent |
|align="center" colspan="9" | Absent |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2009 French Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2009 French Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2010 French Open – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2010 French Open – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" colspan="5" | Absent |
|align="center" colspan="5" | Absent |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2016 French Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2016 French Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
||
|align="center" | A |
|align="center" | A |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2018 French Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2018 French Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
||
|align="center" colspan="4" | Absent |
|||
|align="center" | 17–3 |
|align="center" | 17–3 |
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|- |
|- |
||
Line 344: | Line 344: | ||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1998 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|1R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1998 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|1R]] |
||
|align="center" | A |
|align="center" | A |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2000 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2000 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2001 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|3R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2001 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|3R]] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2002 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2002 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2003 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|3R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2003 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|3R]] |
||
|align="center" colspan="3" | Absent |
|align="center" colspan="3" | Absent |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2007 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|2R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2007 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|2R]] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2008 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2008 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2009 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2009 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[2010 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|QF]] |
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[2010 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|QF]] |
||
|align="center" | A |
|align="center" | A |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2012 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2012 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" | A |
|align="center" | A |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2014 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|2R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2014 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|2R]] |
||
|align="center" | A |
|align="center" | A |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2016 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2016 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" colspan=" |
|align="center" colspan="6"| Absent |
||
|align="center" | 45–5 |
|align="center" | 45–5 |
||
|- |
|- |
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|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1997 US Open – Women's doubles|1R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1997 US Open – Women's doubles|1R]] |
||
|align="center" | A |
|align="center" | A |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[1999 US Open – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[1999 US Open – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|[[2000 US Open – Women's doubles|SF]] |
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|[[2000 US Open – Women's doubles|SF]] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2001 US Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2001 US Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
||
|align="center" colspan="7" | Absent |
|align="center" colspan="7" | Absent |
||
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2009 US Open – Women's doubles|W]] |
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|[[2009 US Open – Women's doubles|'''W''']] |
||
|align="center" colspan="2"| Absent |
|align="center" colspan="2"| Absent |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2012 US Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2012 US Open – Women's doubles|3R]] |
||
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|[[2013 US Open – Women's doubles|SF]] |
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|[[2013 US Open – Women's doubles|SF]] |
||
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[2014 US Open – Women's doubles|QF]] |
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[2014 US Open – Women's doubles|QF]] |
||
|align="center" colspan=" |
|align="center" colspan="7"| Absent |
||
|align="center" | |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[2022 US Open – Women's doubles|1R]] |
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|align="center" | 25–7 |
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|- |
|- |
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|- bgcolor="#efefef" |
|- bgcolor="#efefef" |
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Line 401: | Line 402: | ||
|align="center" | '''0–0''' |
|align="center" | '''0–0''' |
||
|align="center" | '''2–1''' |
|align="center" | '''2–1''' |
||
|align="center" | ''' |
|align="center" | '''0–0''' |
||
|align="center" | '''0–0''' |
|||
|align="center" | '''0–0''' |
|||
|align="center" | '''0–1''' |
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|align="center" | '''125–15'''<!--(note: 5 walkovers w/in the results)--> |
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|- |
|- |
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| colspan=" |
| colspan="28" | '''Olympic Games''' |
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|- |
|- |
||
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"|[[Summer Olympics]] |
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"|[[Summer Olympics]] |
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Line 416: | Line 421: | ||
|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#cccccc;"| Not Held |
|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#cccccc;"| Not Held |
||
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[Tennis at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles|1R]] |
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|[[Tennis at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles|1R]] |
||
|align="center" colspan=" |
|align="center" colspan="4" style="color:#cccccc;"| Not Held |
||
|align="center" | A |
|||
|align="center" style="color:#cccccc;"| Not Held |
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|align="center" | 15–1 |
|align="center" | 15–1 |
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|- |
|- |
||
| colspan=" |
| colspan="28" | '''Year-end championships''' |
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|- |
|- |
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|style="background:#EFEFEF;"|[[WTA Finals]] |
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"|[[WTA Finals]] |
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Line 427: | Line 434: | ||
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|[[2009 WTA Tour Championships – Doubles|SF]] |
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|[[2009 WTA Tour Championships – Doubles|SF]] |
||
|align="center" | A |
|align="center" | A |
||
|align="center" colspan=" |
|align="center" colspan="12" style="color:#cccccc;"| Did not qualify |
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|align="center" | 0–1 |
|align="center" | 0–1 |
||
|} |
|} |
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Note: Serena Williams did not play at the 2004 Olympics because of injury. Venus partnered with American [[Chanda Rubin]] and lost in the first round to eventual gold-medalists [[Sun Tiantian]] and [[Li Ting (tennis, born 1980)|Li Ting]]. |
Note: Serena Williams did not play at the 2004 Olympics because of injury. Venus partnered with American [[Chanda Rubin]] and lost in the first round to eventual gold-medalists [[Sun Tiantian]] and [[Li Ting (tennis, born 1980)|Li Ting]]. |
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==Boycott of the Indian Wells |
==Boycott of the Indian Wells Open== |
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During the [[2001 Indian Wells |
During the [[2001 Indian Wells Open]] tournament in [[Indian Wells, California]], [[Venus Williams]] withdrew four minutes prior to her semifinal match with her sister [[Serena Williams|Serena]].<ref name="What Happened"/> |
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The following day, Serena played [[Kim Clijsters]] in the final. |
The following day, Serena played [[Kim Clijsters]] in the final. As [[Richard Williams (tennis coach)|Richard Williams]] and Venus made their way to their seats, the crowd booed, and some spectators yelled verbal jabs.<ref name="What Happened">{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/columns/story?columnist=drucker_joel&id=3952939|title=Drucker: The story behind the Williamses and Indian Wells|date=March 11, 2009|website=ESPN}}</ref> Serena was booed often during the match, which she won 4–6, 6–4, 6–2, and the booing continued into the presentation ceremony.<ref name="What Happened"/> |
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Richard accused the crowds at Indian Wells of overt racism, saying, "The white people at Indian Wells, what they've been wanting to say all along to us finally came out: 'Nigger, stay away from here, we don't want you here'". |
Richard accused the crowds at Indian Wells of overt racism, saying, "The white people at Indian Wells, what they've been wanting to say all along to us finally came out: 'Nigger, stay away from here, we don't want you here'". When Venus was asked about her father's statements, she said, "I heard what he heard."<ref name="What Happened"/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010413163919/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/2001/03/26/ericsson_open_ap/ "Off-court distractions"] CNN/SportsIllustrated. March 27, 2001.</ref> [[Oracene Price]] (mother and coach of Venus and Serena) accused the crowd of "taking off their hoods".<ref>[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/jon_wertheim/news/2003/06/09/mailbag "A fortnight of firsts at the French"]</ref> |
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===Effects and criticism=== |
===Effects and criticism=== |
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After the initial controversy, neither Williams sister played the [[Indian Wells |
After the initial controversy, neither Williams sister played the [[Indian Wells Open|tournament in Indian Wells]] for 14 years. The [[Women's Tennis Association]] currently classifies the Indian Wells tournament as a [[WTA Premier tournaments|Premier Mandatory]] event for all eligible players.<ref name="What Happened"/> Exceptions are made when players engage in tournament promotions, but Venus and Serena both declined to promote the tournament; WTA Tour CEO [[Larry Scott (sports administrator)|Larry Scott]] agreed he would not, promotionally, "put them in a position that is going to be awkward", and tournament director Charlie Pasarell has stated he would accept the WTA tour's ruling.<ref name="What Happened"/> |
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Allegations had been made before Venus's withdrawal that Richard Williams decided who won the matches between his daughters.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/article/606277|title=Williams sisters at Indian Wells? Forget it|last1=Woolsey|first1=Garth|access-date=2015-03-21|date=2009-03-22|newspaper=[[Toronto Star]]}}</ref> Those allegations continued and increased as a result of her withdrawal.<ref name="What Happened"/> |
Allegations had been made before Venus's withdrawal that Richard Williams decided who won the matches between his daughters.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/article/606277|title=Williams sisters at Indian Wells? Forget it|last1=Woolsey|first1=Garth|access-date=2015-03-21|date=2009-03-22|newspaper=[[Toronto Star]]}}</ref> Those allegations continued and increased as a result of her withdrawal.<ref name="What Happened"/> |
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Richard has said that racial epithets were used against him and Venus as they sat in the stands during the final |
Richard has said that racial epithets were used against him and Venus as they sat in the stands during the final.<ref>Edmondson, p. 91</ref> |
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Serena discusses what happened in her view at Indian Wells in detail in an entire chapter titled "The Fiery Darts of Indian Wells" in her 2009 autobiography, ''On the Line''. She says that on the morning of the semifinal, Venus told the tour trainer that she had injured her knee and didn't think she could play and tried for hours to get approval from the trainer to withdraw, but the tournament officials kept stalling. |
Serena discusses what happened in her view at Indian Wells in detail in an entire chapter titled "The Fiery Darts of Indian Wells" in her 2009 autobiography, ''On the Line''. She says that on the morning of the semifinal, Venus told the tour trainer that she had injured her knee and didn't think she could play and tried for hours to get approval from the trainer to withdraw, but the tournament officials kept stalling. |
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<blockquote>What got me most of all was that it wasn't just a scattered bunch of boos. It wasn't coming from just one section. It was like the whole crowd got together and decided to boo all at once. The ugliness was just raining down on me, hard. I didn't know what to do. Nothing like this had ever happened to me. What was most surprising about this uproar was the fact that tennis fans are typically a well-mannered bunch. They're respectful. They sit still. And in Palm Springs, especially, they tended to be pretty well-heeled, too. But I looked up and all I could see was a sea of rich people—mostly older, mostly white—standing and booing lustily, like some kind of genteel lynch mob. I don't mean to use such inflammatory language to describe the scene, but that's really how it seemed from where I was down on the court. Like these people were gonna come looking for me after the match. ... There was no mistaking that all of this was meant for me. I heard the word ''nigger'' a couple times, and I knew. I couldn't believe it. That's just not something you hear in polite society on that stadium court ... Just before the start of play, my dad and Venus started walking down the aisle to the players' box by the side of the court, and everybody turned and started to point and boo at them ... It was mostly just a chorus of boos, but I could still hear shouts of 'Nigger!' here and there. I even heard one angry voice telling us to go back to Compton. It was unbelievable ... We refused to return to Indian Wells. Even now, all these years later, we continue to boycott the event. It's become a mandatory tournament on the tour, meaning that the WTA can fine a player if she doesn't attend. But I don't care if they fine me a million dollars, I will not play there again.</blockquote> |
<blockquote>What got me most of all was that it wasn't just a scattered bunch of boos. It wasn't coming from just one section. It was like the whole crowd got together and decided to boo all at once. The ugliness was just raining down on me, hard. I didn't know what to do. Nothing like this had ever happened to me. What was most surprising about this uproar was the fact that tennis fans are typically a well-mannered bunch. They're respectful. They sit still. And in Palm Springs, especially, they tended to be pretty well-heeled, too. But I looked up and all I could see was a sea of rich people—mostly older, mostly white—standing and booing lustily, like some kind of genteel lynch mob. I don't mean to use such inflammatory language to describe the scene, but that's really how it seemed from where I was down on the court. Like these people were gonna come looking for me after the match. ... There was no mistaking that all of this was meant for me. I heard the word ''nigger'' a couple times, and I knew. I couldn't believe it. That's just not something you hear in polite society on that stadium court ... Just before the start of play, my dad and Venus started walking down the aisle to the players' box by the side of the court, and everybody turned and started to point and boo at them ... It was mostly just a chorus of boos, but I could still hear shouts of 'Nigger!' here and there. I even heard one angry voice telling us to go back to Compton. It was unbelievable ... We refused to return to Indian Wells. Even now, all these years later, we continue to boycott the event. It's become a mandatory tournament on the tour, meaning that the WTA can fine a player if she doesn't attend. But I don't care if they fine me a million dollars, I will not play there again.</blockquote> |
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However, on February 3, 2015, Serena Williams wrote an exclusive column for ''Time'' magazine stating her intentions to return to Indian Wells for a tournament on March 9, 2015. She did indeed return and won her opening match.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2015/609/MDS.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315000522/http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2015/609/MDS.pdf |archive-date=2015-03-15 }}</ref> Williams withdrew before her semi-final match with [[Simona Halep]] because of a knee injury.<ref>{{cite news |url= |
However, on February 3, 2015, Serena Williams wrote an exclusive column for ''Time'' magazine stating her intentions to return to Indian Wells for a tournament on March 9, 2015. She did indeed return and won her opening match.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2015/609/MDS.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315000522/http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2015/609/MDS.pdf |archive-date=2015-03-15 }}</ref> Williams withdrew before her semi-final match with [[Simona Halep]] because of a knee injury.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/12528621/serena-williams-withdraws-indian-wells-semifinal-knee-injury|title=Serena Williams WDs at Indian Wells|work=ESPN|date=2015-03-21|access-date=2015-03-21}}</ref> |
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The WTA announced on January 27, 2016, that Venus would return to Indian Wells for the first time in 15 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/5304560/title/venus-books-return-to-indian-wells|title=Venus books return to Indian Wells|publisher=WTA|date=2016-01-27|access-date=2016-01-30}}</ref> |
The WTA announced on January 27, 2016, that Venus would return to Indian Wells for the first time in 15 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/5304560/title/venus-books-return-to-indian-wells|title=Venus books return to Indian Wells|publisher=WTA|date=2016-01-27|access-date=2016-01-30}}</ref> |
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!Tournament!![[1997 WTA Tour|1997]]!![[1998 WTA Tour|1998]]!![[1999 WTA Tour|1999]]!![[2000 WTA Tour|2000]]!![[2001 WTA Tour|2001]]!![[2002 WTA Tour|2002]]!![[2003 WTA Tour|2003]]!![[2004 WTA Tour|2004]]!![[2005 WTA Tour|2005]]!![[2006 WTA Tour|2006]]!![[2007 WTA Tour|2007]]!![[2008 WTA Tour|2008]]!![[2009 WTA Tour|2009]]!![[2010 WTA Tour|2010]]!![[2011 WTA Tour|2011]]!![[2012 WTA Tour|2012]]!![[2013 WTA Tour|2013]]!![[2014 WTA Tour|2014]]!![[2015 WTA Tour|2015]]!![[2016 WTA Tour|2016]]!![[2017 WTA Tour|2017]]!![[2018 WTA Tour|2018]]!![[2019 WTA Tour|2019]]!![[2020 WTA Tour|2020]]!![[2021 WTA Tour|2021]]!![[2022 WTA Tour|2022]]!!{{Tooltip| SR | Strike rate}} |
!Tournament!![[1997 WTA Tour|1997]]!![[1998 WTA Tour|1998]]!![[1999 WTA Tour|1999]]!![[2000 WTA Tour|2000]]!![[2001 WTA Tour|2001]]!![[2002 WTA Tour|2002]]!![[2003 WTA Tour|2003]]!![[2004 WTA Tour|2004]]!![[2005 WTA Tour|2005]]!![[2006 WTA Tour|2006]]!![[2007 WTA Tour|2007]]!![[2008 WTA Tour|2008]]!![[2009 WTA Tour|2009]]!![[2010 WTA Tour|2010]]!![[2011 WTA Tour|2011]]!![[2012 WTA Tour|2012]]!![[2013 WTA Tour|2013]]!![[2014 WTA Tour|2014]]!![[2015 WTA Tour|2015]]!![[2016 WTA Tour|2016]]!![[2017 WTA Tour|2017]]!![[2018 WTA Tour|2018]]!![[2019 WTA Tour|2019]]!![[2020 WTA Tour|2020]]!![[2021 WTA Tour|2021]]!![[2022 WTA Tour|2022]]!![[2023 WTA Tour|2023]]!!{{Tooltip| SR | Strike rate}} |
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* [[Williams sisters rivalry]] |
* [[Williams sisters rivalry]] |
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* [[Klitschko brothers]] – similarly dominant [[boxing]] brothers |
* [[Klitschko brothers]] – similarly dominant [[boxing]] brothers |
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Throughout Serena and Venus Williams' career, the mainstream media and tennis organizations (predominately White) have portrayed them in a negative light and used negative rhetoric when watching their off-court and on-court activities. With the sisters being heavily under the spotlight within the tennis community, it has led to a form of surveillance within mainstream media. The use of surveillance has been “linked to the rapid and seemingly endless display of media representations that influence public discourse” (<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Douglas |first1=Delia D. |title=Venus, Serena, and the Inconspicuous Consumption of Blackness: A Commentary on Surveillance, Race Talk, and New Racism(s) |journal=Journal of Black Studies |date=2012 |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=127–145 |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/23215203 |access-date=27 September 2023}}</ref>). This can be seen throughout their career, one of which is during their hiatus. While they were on hiatus due to an injury, their sister Yetunde Price, was fatally shot in Compton, California. |
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With this loss of a loved one and recently coming out of hiatus, mainstream media used this as a way to portray the Williams sisters as disrespectful and disinterested towards their fans and in tennis. After coming back from this hiatus, they had many tennis match losses in 2004. These losses are reflected in harsh commentary and views by mainstream media. “Their losses were attributable to the fact that they had "stretch[ed] injury absences to indulge in other interest…to the MTV Video Awards, Serena's numerous television roles, and Venus's founding of her own design company” (<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Douglas |first1=Delia D. |title=Venus, Serena, and the Inconspicuous Consumption of Blackness: A Commentary on Surveillance, Race Talk, and New Racism(s) |journal=Journal of Black Studies |date=2012 |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=127–145 |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/23215203 |access-date=27 September 2023}}</ref>). Rather than discussing the loss of their sister and how it may have been a factor in their performance in 2004, mainstream media neglected this and dismissed any pain or trauma both of these players were feeling. Thus, overshadowing this loss by using negative rhetoric portraying how they are disappointing sponsors and fans with the performances that are expected of them with not solely focusing and taking priority to only tennis above any other opportunities or any feelings they may have. |
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Which fuels the narrative and “the invocation of stereotypes of Black women that position them as invincible and devoid of feeling”(<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Douglas |first1=Delia D. |title=Venus, Serena, and the Inconspicuous Consumption of Blackness: A Commentary on Surveillance, Race Talk, and New Racism(s) |journal=Journal of Black Studies |date=2012 |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=127–145 |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/23215203 |access-date=27 September 2023}}</ref>). This has resulted in a lack of or no mainstream media output acknowledging the loss of their sister, Yetunde which in itself creates for detrimental effects of not reporting on racial injustices and discrimination of Black lives. As well as creating the mindset and persona that since the sisters perceived are as invincible and devoid of feeling, then the passing of their sister will not affect them mentally and also their tennis performance. When in reality that is not true, which can be seen discussed above. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:Wimbledon champions]] |
[[Category:Wimbledon champions]] |
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[[Category:Williams family (tennis)]] |
[[Category:Williams family (tennis)]] |
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[[Category:21st-century American sportswomen]] |
Revision as of 18:12, 17 August 2024
This article possibly contains original research. (April 2011) |
The Williams sisters are two professional American tennis players: Venus Williams (b. 1980), a seven-time Grand Slam title winner (singles), and Serena Williams (b. 1981), twenty-three-time Grand Slam title winner (singles), both of whom were coached from an early age by their parents Richard Williams and Oracene Price.
The Williams sisters partake in “one of the elite ‘country club’ sports in America,” a sport that wasn’t—along with many others—open to female participation in the past (Smith & Hattery, 75).[1] Their remarkable achievements in tennis are comparable to those seen by men, despite women’s involvement in sports as something unusual when compared to the former regulations within sports. When the sport was introduced as a form of leisurely activity in the United States, “many clubs would not allow women to be members” (Smith & Hattery, 76). Thus, the success of the Williams sisters is one that’s astonishing to the United States both professionally and socially.
Both sisters have been ranked by the Women's Tennis Association at the world No. 1 position in both singles and doubles. In 2002, after the French Open, Venus and Serena Williams were ranked world No. 1 and No. 2 on singles, respectively, marking the first time in history that sisters occupied the top two positions. On 21 June 2010, Serena and Venus again held the No. 1 and No. 2 rankings spots in singles, respectively, some eight years after first accomplishing this feat. At the time, Serena was three months shy of her 29th birthday and Venus had just celebrated her 30th birthday.
There was a noted professional rivalry between the sisters in singles — between the 2001 US Open and the 2017 Australian Open, they contested nine major finals. They became the first two players, female or male, to contest four consecutive major singles finals, from the 2002 French Open to the 2003 Australian Open; Serena famously won all four to complete the first of two "Serena Slams" (non-calendar year Grand Slams). Between 2000 and 2016, they collectively won 12 Wimbledon singles titles (Venus five, and Serena seven). Nonetheless, they remain very close, often watching each other's matches in support, even after one of them had been knocked out of a tournament.
By winning the 2001 Australian Open doubles title, they became the fifth pair of women to complete the career Grand Slam in doubles, and the first pair to complete the career Golden Slam in doubles. At the time, Venus and Serena were only 20 and 19 years old, respectively. Since then, they went on to add another two Olympic gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics. Moreover, the duo achieved a non-calendar year Grand Slam in doubles between 2009 Wimbledon and 2010 Roland Garros, which made them the co-No. 1 doubles players on 7 June 2010. Their last major doubles title came at the 2016 Wimbledon Championships.
Both players won four gold medals at the Olympics, one each in singles and three in doubles— all won together— the most of any tennis players. Venus also won a silver in mixed doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. As a duo, they completed the double career Golden Slam in doubles. Between the two of them, they have completed the Boxed Set, winning all four major events in singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles; they split the four mixed doubles titles in 1998.
Doubles: 23 (22 titles, 1 runner-up)
|
|
Result | No. | Date | Tournaments | Surface | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | February 23, 1998 | Oklahoma City, United States (1) | Hard | Cătălina Cristea Kristine Kunce |
7–5, 6–2 |
Win | 2. | October 12, 1998 | Zürich, Switzerland (1) | Carpet | Mariaan de Swardt Elena Tatarkova |
5–7, 6–1, 6–3 |
Win | 3. | February 15, 1999 | Hanover, Germany (1) | Carpet | Alexandra Fusai Nathalie Tauziat |
5–7, 6–2, 6–2 |
Win | 4. | May 24, 1999 | French Open, Paris, France (1) | Clay | Martina Hingis Anna Kournikova |
6–3, 6–7(2–7), 8–6 |
Loss | 1. | August 8, 1999 | San Diego, U.S. (1) | Hard | Lindsay Davenport Corina Morariu |
4–6, 1–6 |
Win | 5. | August 30, 1999 | US Open, New York City, U.S. (1) | Hard | Chanda Rubin Sandrine Testud |
4–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
Win | 6. | June 26, 2000 | Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom (1) | Grass | Julie Halard-Decugis Ai Sugiyama |
6–3, 6–2 |
Win | 7. | September 18, 2000 | Summer Olympics, Sydney, Australia (1) | Hard | Kristie Boogert Miriam Oremans |
6–1, 6–1 |
Win | 8. | January 15, 2001 | Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia (1) | Hard | Lindsay Davenport Corina Morariu |
6–2, 4–6, 6–4 |
Win | 9. | June 24, 2002 | Wimbledon, London, U.K. (2) | Grass | Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez |
6–2, 7–5 |
Win | 10. | January 13, 2003 | Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia (2) | Hard | Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez |
4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 11. | July 5, 2008 | Wimbledon, London, U.K. (3) | Grass | Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur |
6–2, 6–2 |
Win | 12. | August 17, 2008 | Summer Olympics, Beijing, China (2) | Hard | Anabel Medina Garrigues Virginia Ruano Pascual |
6–2, 6–0 |
Win | 13. | January 30, 2009 | Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia (3) | Hard | Ai Sugiyama Daniela Hantuchová |
6–3, 6–3 |
Win | 14. | July 4, 2009 | Wimbledon, London, U.K. (4) | Grass | Samantha Stosur Rennae Stubbs |
7–6(7–4), 6–4 |
Win | 15. | August 2, 2009 | Stanford, U.S. (1) | Hard | Chan Yung-jan Monica Niculescu |
6–4, 6–1 |
Win | 16. | September 14, 2009 | US Open, New York City, U.S. (2) | Hard | Cara Black Liezel Huber |
6–2, 6–2 |
Win | 17. | January 29, 2010 | Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia (4) | Hard | Cara Black Liezel Huber |
6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 18. | May 15, 2010 | Madrid, Spain (1) | Clay | Gisela Dulko Flavia Pennetta |
6–2, 7–5 |
Win | 19. | June 3, 2010 | French Open, Paris, France (2) | Clay | Květa Peschke Katarina Srebotnik |
6–2, 6–3 |
Win | 20. | July 7, 2012 | Wimbledon, London, U.K. (5) | Grass | Andrea Hlaváčková Lucie Hradecká |
7–5, 6–4 |
Win | 21. | August 5, 2012 | Summer Olympics, London, U.K. (3) | Grass | Andrea Hlaváčková Lucie Hradecká |
6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 22. | July 9, 2016 | Wimbledon, London, U.K. (6) | Grass | Tímea Babos Yaroslava Shvedova |
6–3, 6–4 |
Team competition finals: 1 (1 titles)
Outcome | No. | Date | Championship | Surface | Partners | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | September 18–19, 1999 | Fed Cup, Stanford, US | Hard | Lindsay Davenport Monica Seles |
Elena Makarova Elena Likhovtseva Elena Dementieva |
4–1 |
Performance timelines
Women's doubles
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | P# | DNQ | A | Z# | PO | G | S | B | NMS | NTI | P | NH |
Tournament | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Career W–L |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | A | 3R | SF | A | W | A | W | Absent | QF | W | W | Absent | QF | Absent | 36–4 | ||||||||||||
French Open | Absent | W | Absent | 3R | W | Absent | 3R | A | 3R | Absent | 17–3 | ||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | A | 1R | A | W | 3R | W | 3R | Absent | 2R | W | W | QF | A | W | A | 2R | A | W | Absent | 45–5 | |||||||
US Open | 1R | A | W | SF | 3R | Absent | W | Absent | 3R | SF | QF | Absent | 1R | 25–7 | |||||||||||||
Win–loss | 0–1 | 2–1 | 16–1 | 10–0 | 10–1 | 6–0 | 8–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 9–1 | 20–1 | 14–1 | 0–0 | 8–1 | 7–2 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 8–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 125–15 |
Olympic Games | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Summer Olympics | Not Held | G | Not Held | A | Not Held | G | Not Held | G | Not Held | 1R | Not Held | A | Not Held | 15–1 | |||||||||||||
Year-end championships | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WTA Finals | Did not qualify | A | Did not qualify | SF | A | Did not qualify | 0–1 |
- Neither withdrawals nor walkovers are included in wins and losses.
Note: Serena Williams did not play at the 2004 Olympics because of injury. Venus partnered with American Chanda Rubin and lost in the first round to eventual gold-medalists Sun Tiantian and Li Ting.
Boycott of the Indian Wells Open
During the 2001 Indian Wells Open tournament in Indian Wells, California, Venus Williams withdrew four minutes prior to her semifinal match with her sister Serena.[2]
The following day, Serena played Kim Clijsters in the final. As Richard Williams and Venus made their way to their seats, the crowd booed, and some spectators yelled verbal jabs.[2] Serena was booed often during the match, which she won 4–6, 6–4, 6–2, and the booing continued into the presentation ceremony.[2]
Richard accused the crowds at Indian Wells of overt racism, saying, "The white people at Indian Wells, what they've been wanting to say all along to us finally came out: 'Nigger, stay away from here, we don't want you here'". When Venus was asked about her father's statements, she said, "I heard what he heard."[2][3] Oracene Price (mother and coach of Venus and Serena) accused the crowd of "taking off their hoods".[4]
Effects and criticism
After the initial controversy, neither Williams sister played the tournament in Indian Wells for 14 years. The Women's Tennis Association currently classifies the Indian Wells tournament as a Premier Mandatory event for all eligible players.[2] Exceptions are made when players engage in tournament promotions, but Venus and Serena both declined to promote the tournament; WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott agreed he would not, promotionally, "put them in a position that is going to be awkward", and tournament director Charlie Pasarell has stated he would accept the WTA tour's ruling.[2]
Allegations had been made before Venus's withdrawal that Richard Williams decided who won the matches between his daughters.[5] Those allegations continued and increased as a result of her withdrawal.[2]
Richard has said that racial epithets were used against him and Venus as they sat in the stands during the final.[6]
Serena discusses what happened in her view at Indian Wells in detail in an entire chapter titled "The Fiery Darts of Indian Wells" in her 2009 autobiography, On the Line. She says that on the morning of the semifinal, Venus told the tour trainer that she had injured her knee and didn't think she could play and tried for hours to get approval from the trainer to withdraw, but the tournament officials kept stalling.
What got me most of all was that it wasn't just a scattered bunch of boos. It wasn't coming from just one section. It was like the whole crowd got together and decided to boo all at once. The ugliness was just raining down on me, hard. I didn't know what to do. Nothing like this had ever happened to me. What was most surprising about this uproar was the fact that tennis fans are typically a well-mannered bunch. They're respectful. They sit still. And in Palm Springs, especially, they tended to be pretty well-heeled, too. But I looked up and all I could see was a sea of rich people—mostly older, mostly white—standing and booing lustily, like some kind of genteel lynch mob. I don't mean to use such inflammatory language to describe the scene, but that's really how it seemed from where I was down on the court. Like these people were gonna come looking for me after the match. ... There was no mistaking that all of this was meant for me. I heard the word nigger a couple times, and I knew. I couldn't believe it. That's just not something you hear in polite society on that stadium court ... Just before the start of play, my dad and Venus started walking down the aisle to the players' box by the side of the court, and everybody turned and started to point and boo at them ... It was mostly just a chorus of boos, but I could still hear shouts of 'Nigger!' here and there. I even heard one angry voice telling us to go back to Compton. It was unbelievable ... We refused to return to Indian Wells. Even now, all these years later, we continue to boycott the event. It's become a mandatory tournament on the tour, meaning that the WTA can fine a player if she doesn't attend. But I don't care if they fine me a million dollars, I will not play there again.
However, on February 3, 2015, Serena Williams wrote an exclusive column for Time magazine stating her intentions to return to Indian Wells for a tournament on March 9, 2015. She did indeed return and won her opening match.[7] Williams withdrew before her semi-final match with Simona Halep because of a knee injury.[8]
The WTA announced on January 27, 2016, that Venus would return to Indian Wells for the first time in 15 years.[9]
Best result in Grand Slam singles (combined)
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
W |
Tournament | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | A | QFV | QFV | 4RS | SFV | QFV | WS | 3RV | WS | 3RS | WS | QFSV | WS | WS | 3RV | 4RS | QFS | 4RS | WS | FS | WS | 1RV | QFS | 3RS | SFS | A | A | 7 / 24 |
French Open | 2RV | QFV | 4RV | QFV | QFS | WS | SFS | QFSV | 3RV | QFV | QFS | 3RSV | QFS | QFS | A | 2RV | WS | 2RSV | WS | FS | 4RV | 4RS | 3RS | 2RS | 4RS | A | A | 3 / 23 |
Wimbledon | 1RV | QFV | QFV | WV | WV | WS | WS | FS | WV | 3RV | WV | WV | WS | WS | 4RSV | WS | 4RS | 3RSV | WS | WS | FV | FS | FS | NH | 2RV | 1RS | 1RV | 12 / 26 |
US Open | FV | SFV | WS | WV | WV | WS | A | QFS | QFV | 4RS | SFV | WS | SFS | SFV | FS | WS | WS | WS | SFS | SFS | SFV | FS | FS | SFS | A | 3RS | 1RV | 8 / 24 |
Year-end WTA ranking
Player | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Venus | 205 | 216 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 46 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 102 | 24 | 49 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 5 | 40 | 53 | 78 | 318 |
Serena | 99 | 20 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 95 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 41 |
See also
- Williams sisters rivalry
- Klitschko brothers – similarly dominant boxing brothers
References
- ^ SMITH, EARL, and ANGELA J. HATTERY. “VENUS AND SERENA WILLIAMS: Traversing the Barriers of the Country Club World.” A Locker Room of Her Own: Celebrity, Sexuality, and Female Athletes, edited by David C. Ogden and Joel Nathan Rosen, University Press of Mississippi, 2013, pp. 72–91. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt24hvp6.9. Accessed 28 Sept. 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Drucker: The story behind the Williamses and Indian Wells". ESPN. March 11, 2009.
- ^ "Off-court distractions" CNN/SportsIllustrated. March 27, 2001.
- ^ "A fortnight of firsts at the French"
- ^ Woolsey, Garth (2009-03-22). "Williams sisters at Indian Wells? Forget it". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2015-03-21.
- ^ Edmondson, p. 91
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Serena Williams WDs at Indian Wells". ESPN. 2015-03-21. Retrieved 2015-03-21.
- ^ "Venus books return to Indian Wells". WTA. 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
Further reading
- Edmondson, Jacqueline (2005). Venus and Serena Williams: A Biography. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-33165-0
- Serena Williams
- Venus Williams
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