Jackie Bamberger
Busted Racquet with Agency Reports
Serena Williams on Saturday beat sister Venus in straight sets 6-4,
6-4 to win her seventh
Australian Open an Open-era record 23rd Grand Slam singles title.
Serena, 35, won 6-4 6-4 to pass Graf in the all-time list of major
winners since the Grand Slams accepted professional
players in 1968.
In 1998, two teenage tennis phenoms from Compton, Calif., met for the
first time on the pro tour, in the second round at the Australian
Open. Beads in their hair and braces on their teeth, the oft-talked
about sisters stood ready to take the tennis world by storm.
But few could have predicted the spectacular journey that lay ahead of
Serena and Venus Williams, one that spanned nearly two decades and
brought them back to Melbourne, competing in their ninth Grand Slam
final, with Serena cementing herself as the most decorated player,
male or female, in the Open era by besting her older sister 6-4, 6-4.
The enormity of the moment was not lost on either sister. Saturday’s
match opened with four consecutive breaks of serve as the duo worked
out their respective nerves, Serena trying to capture her
record-breaking title, and Venus attempting to raise a major trophy
for the first time since 2008. It took until the fifth game for Serena
Williams to find her groove in her serve and rally to win the opener
6-4.
Venus Williams, coming off of a draining, come-from-behind, three-set
win over CoCo Vandeweghe, held to open the second set and then fought
back triple break point at 1-1 to keep herself within striking
distance. In the seventh game, though, Serena Williams got the pivotal
break to put herself closer to history. Still, Venus Williams conceded
nothing to her little sister, fighting to hold at 3-5 and staying
aggressive as Serena Williams tried to serve for the set. Eventually,
the little sister pulled through to win her long-coveted 23rd major
title.
Saturday’s title was Serena Williams’ 10th major championship won over
the age of 30. By comparison, Steffi Graf won her final Grand Slam at
age 29. The win also ensures that Serena Williams will retake her spot
at the top of the WTA rankings.
As Serena Williams dropped to the ground in celebration of a lifelong
goal, she was a long way from the courts of Compton, but not far from
the best friend and support system that has been there through it all.
“There’s no way I would be here at 23 without her,” Serena Williams
said of her sister. “There’s no way I would be at one without her.
She’s the only reason that I’m standing here today. She’s the only
reason that the Williams sisters exist.”