Go Venus!! Go Serena!!

[CrimsonTide4]

These sisters are numbers 1 & 2 in our hearts and now they are #1 and #2 in the Tennis World.

Williams Vs. Williams for Open Title
Thu Jun 6, 3:48 PM ET
By RICK GANO, AP Sports Writer

PARIS (AP) - The French Open (news - web sites) women's final will be an all-in-the-family affair. It's Williams vs. Williams for a Grand Slam title. Again.

Venus Williams (news - web sites) overpowered unseeded Clarisa Fernandez 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals Thursday, right after her little sister, Serena, rallied to beat defending champion Jennifer Capriati 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 at Roland Garros.

It will be the second meeting of the siblings for a Grand Slam title in nine months. Venus beat Serena 6-2, 6-4 at last year's U.S. Open (news - web sites).

"I want to win the French Open and I'm sure she does, too," Serena said. "We go out there, it's just another match for us. Just obviously a tougher opponent. But that's about it."

Serena's fifth straight win over Capriati also means she will take over the No. 2 spot, right behind Venus when the rankings are released next week. They will become the first siblings to hold the two top spots.

"This makes it all the more sweeter to be No. 1 and No. 2 and also to be in the final," Venus said.

"More than anything, it just means we've reached the best of our profession. ... Actually, I'd like to stay No. 1, but I'd like to see Serena No. 1, also. I'm not giving it up, but I'm sure she'll get there."

Venus broke Fernandez's serve four times in a 19-minute first set. She survived a momentary lapse after building a 5-2 lead in the second, finally winning with a backhand down the line to end the 56-minute match.

After losing the first set, Serena had a 5-2 lead in the second before Capriati broke twice and won four straight games.

Serena then held her serve at love and won the tiebreaker's final four (news - web sites) points, clinching it on Capriati's double fault.

The third set was on serve until the sixth game when Capriati handed over a break by missing a drop shot on the 20th stroke of a rally. That gave Serena a 4-2 lead.

"She definitely played a lot better toward the end and that was the difference," Capriati said. "I think I probably got a little bit tired in the third set."

[Bro. Jones]

it's about time these two cats got recognized for their achievements

*Serena, i got something for ya in Nashville *

[Pepsichick]

Those girls are awesome!

[1Babygirl2000]

I am SO proud of these two women. Words cannot express my feelings. They have pretty much done the unthinkable. They have taken the world by storm and have done so without being ghetto. They are well spoken young women who seem to be humble about their achievement. I wish them many more years of success.

[Three_Love]

I MESSED AROUND AND ACCIDENTALLY TURNED TO SPORTSCENTER AND SAW WHO WON THE FRENCH OPEN BEFORE THEY STARTING SHOWING THE FINALS MATCH HERE ON TV!!

BOOOO!!!

Knowing the winner before the actual viewing of a sports event SUCKS.

AND, I'm mad about the winner!!!!! Well, not really mad because at least it's a Williams sister - I like em' both - they my homegirls...but I PREFER one over the other. And my favorite one LOST.

BOOOO (YAY AND) BOOO!

[CrimsonTide4]

Serena captures Grand Slam title number two
Matthew Cronin
Saturday, June 8, 2002

Making good on her promise to climb up the ladder to the upper echelons of the sport, Serena Williams upended her older sister Venus 7-5 6-3 and won her first Roland Garros title on Saturday.

"Serena wanted it a little more," said her mother, Oracene. "It's been almost three years since she won one and she has to be relieved."

In the first sister-sister final in Roland Garros history, Serena
fought like mad, was the far more creative, consistent and powerful, and broke a winless streak against her beloved elder sibling at the Grand Slams.

"I'm very, very happy to win another Grand Slam because I was fighting for so long," said Serena, who's only other Slam title came at the 1999 U.S. Open. "At one point, I wouldn't get past the quarters, then I go to a final, maybe a semi. It was discouraging. I didn't want to be a one hit wonder. I had to
get one again."

For her part, Venus had possibly her worst serving day at a Grand Slam final ever, unable to unleash the first serve bombs that she is famous for, constantly double faulting and becoming so unhinged with her second serve that she was forced to spin them down the middle in the 75 mph range. The world's fastest serve didn't power in one ace, or service winner, and clunked
nine double faults.

Venus came into the match with a 5-2 record against Serena, but was unable to produce the smart, authoritative tennis that has made her the more successful sibling. In their prior Grand Slam meetings, Serena had never been able to get it out of her mind that it was her older sister and caretaker across the net and had collapsed psychologically. But on Saturday, her newfound mental
strength became apparent as the match wore on.

"Once you're on court, you're fighting and only thinking about winning the tournament," Serena said. "I just had to stay calm because this was a big event and big atmosphere for me."

With both women playing nervously, Serena broke Venus in the opening game when Venus double faulted. Serena mixed in a clever serve-and-volley to hold in the next game, and pushed Venus up against the wall at 2-0, when she held another break point. But Venus cracked a big serve and stepped gamefully into
the court, taking Serena's return and powering it down the line for a winner. Venus had her teeth into the match and held to 1-2 and in the next game, broke Serena to 2-2 when her sister double-faulted.

The 6-foot-2 four-time Grand Slam champion Venus survived a strenuous six deuce game and then she broke a frustrated Serena with a sharp forehand crosscourt to jump ahead 4-2, but couldn't hold the fort when she played a sloppy service game and was broken when Serena blasted an inside-out backhand winner to climb back to 4-3.

But Serena didn't take advantage of the opening, playing a
lackadaisical, confused game and was broken at love when she framed a forehand. However, Venus mimicked her sister's poor play in attempting to serve out the set at 5-3 when she was broken at love after Serena whipped a forehand return that
she couldn't handle and plunked long.

Serena knew she had clawed her way into the contest and began to play at a much higher level, holding serve to 5-5 after out muscling Venus is a long rally and then breaking her sister at love when an out-of-synch Venus whacked a sitter swing volley wide.

Venus held two break points in the next game, but she missed a backhand return and then Serena smoked a service winner. After Venus netted an easy forehand volley, Serena won the set with a huge forehand crosscourt winner.

"It's about taking opportunities and I don't think I did," Venus said. "They don't come often in a Grand Slam final against a player like Serena. I realize that I was getting a lot of chances that I don't take. Normally I do better. But you have these days."

Serena added, "Sometimes I have to get down to get up, I don't know why. Sometimes when I do get down I fight harder, start playing better."

The 20-year-old Serena really picked up her level in the beginning of the second set, jumping happily at every short ball, nailing aces and eating up her sister's lollipop second serves.

"She did that really well on the important points," Venus said.

Serena broke Venus twice to jump ahead 3-0. But even though Venus was playing no where near her best, she stuck in the contest, broke her sister twice with some fine ground stroking and finally held to 3-4.

But Serena closed out the match with the mental strength of all the great women who have triumphed on Court Central before her, slinging sharp crosscourt groundies past her sister, turning up the heat on her serve and not backing off any opportunities. Serena won the match in a spectacular side-to-side rally, which ended when Venus couldn't pick a sharp backhand crosscourt blast.

The sisters then warmly embraced at the net.

"Serena played tough and I couldn't make the shots," said Venus, who finished the match with 47 unforced errors to only 18 for her sister. "I'm always proud of her."

The victory gave the U.S. its ninth straight Grand Slam title. But for Venus, the moment was bittersweet. While she praised her sister for superior play, it was her worst performance in a Grand Slam final ever and arguably the poorest match she's played at a Slam since Barbara Schett bounced her out of the first round of 2001 Roland Garros.

"I'm happy for Serena because she hasn't won a Slam in a while," Venus said. "But then again, I have to look at areas where I can improve. I wasn't the best player today. I have had better appearances in Grand Slam finals. But it's impossible to win them all so I've got to go for the next one."

The Williams's have now won three out of the last four Grand Slams and six out of the last 11. Without question, they are the most fearsome family in the sport.

"It's been real nice, " Venus said. "I think everything we do on a
tennis court we've done OK. We can't ask for too much more."

Serena, who is ranked No2 behind Venus, said she doesn't envision herself being a step behind anyone.

"In my mind I've always been the best tennis player," she said. "It was maybe a lack of results. But in my mind I've always been No1. But that's how you have to think in any sport if you will lack confidence. You need to have a lot of confidence.

Coming into 2002 Roland Garros, neither sister had progressed past the quarterfinals and were pretty embarrassed by their play here in previous years. They felt they had a lot to prove on the terre battue. They certainly made their marks during the last two weeks.

"People now realize that Serena and I play well on all surfaces," Venus said. "If they put us on clay, it doesn't mean that we aren't going to show up that day."

[mccoyred]

Soror, I am proud of them, too, BUT they are definitely GhettoFabulous. With all the money they make from endorsements, they could have paid somebody to do something withe their hair this week. Normally they are on point so maybe their regular hair dresser was on vacation?

Originally posted by 1Babygirl2000
I am SO proud of these two women. Words cannot express my feelings. They have pretty much done the unthinkable. They have taken the world by storm and have done so without being ghetto. They are well spoken young women who seem to be humble about their achievement. I wish them many more years of success.

[ClassyLady]

Originally posted by mccoyred
Soror, I am proud of them, too, BUT they are definitely GhettoFabulous. With all the money they make from endorsements, they could have paid somebody to do something withe their hair this week. Normally they are on point so maybe their regular hair dresser was on vacation?

CTHU!!! CTHU!!!!!

Girl, I thought I was the only one thinking that. I just kept saying those blonde micros look a little raggedy on Serena. "Who told her they still looked good?" I though to myself. But then they showed their mother in the crowd, she had some raggedy blonde micros too. Guess it runs in the family.

[Steeltrap]

Serena shouldn't be a blonde, period, her coloring doesn't support it.
If she wants lighter hair, she'd look better w/a caramel shade or red.

On the tennis note, I'm glad to see she and Venus playing against each other. I listen to sports talk radio, and in the past, there's been a lot of grumbling, mainly aimed at Richard Williams, about their discomfort w/playing against each other.

[Swamp Thang]

In now-a-days, we use the term 'hatin' too much.. But in the case I'm about to mention, it applies. Why are my baby's momma's (Venus and Serena Williams... yeah, we have the menage love affair going on... LOL "you know the sistahz share er'thang")
*ahem* being pure-d hated on?!

When Stefi Graf was dominating Women's tennis, her greatness was acknowledged and nary a bad word was said. But, now that the Williams sisters are dominating, you hear all the top "other" players screaming that,"It's bad for tennis for the Williams sisters to dominate like that because er'body knows who the winner is gonna be before the tournament."

If that ain't a 'ponk arse' attitude (although, they are problably telling the truth and shaming the devil). Just say what you said when Navratilova was dominating.. that the Williams-Wright sisters are the best.

*QUEn up Three 6 Mafia* They my BABY MOMMA'S yeen know LOL

[MaNessa]

I feel you Swamp, I know you holding it down in the ham! Anyway I was screaming my a-- off for Serena saturday I know Vensus wanted to win but it's all in the family!

Jealous folks always hate! I think those sisters are the BOMB


Been MIA on shout out but give everyone my love!

[stillwater15]

i was listening to a sports radio show that probably said it best... it's venus and serena against the world and the world is getting its ass kicked.

these young women are holding it down. i'll be at the u.s. open again this year, cheering faithfully and ignoring the looks and side glances from the other 90% or so, who root against them.

now, if we can just do something about their hair...

[Sugar_N_Spice]

Originally posted by stillwater15
i was listening to a sports radio show that probably said it best... it's venus and serena against the world and the world is getting its ass kicked.

I am so proud of those girls. They have succeeded against the "odds" and will continue to grow, prosper, and conquer!

I just saw "The Diary of Serena Williams" on MTV today, and I really like how Serena portrayed herself. I think she's a cool girl (and her dogs were SO cute!) and she deserves all the success she has worked hard for.

[Urbane]

Originally posted by Swamp Thang
In now-a-days, we use the term 'hatin' too much.. But in the case I'm about to mention, it applies. Why are my baby's momma's (Venus and Serena Williams... yeah, we have the menage love affair going on... LOL "you know the sistahz share er'thang")
*ahem* being pure-d hated on?!

When Stefi Graf was dominating Women's tennis, her greatness was acknowledged and nary a bad word was said. But, now that the Williams sisters are dominating, you hear all the top "other" players screaming that,"It's bad for tennis for the Williams sisters to dominate like that because er'body knows who the winner is gonna be before the tournament."

If that ain't a 'ponk arse' attitude (although, they are problably telling the truth and shaming the devil). Just say what you said when Navratilova was dominating.. that the Williams-Wright sisters are the best.

*QUEn up Three 6 Mafia* They my BABY MOMMA'S yeen know LOL

How about I was watching the end of the doubles final the other day...why did a commentator feel it was appropriate to say.. "um.. we all know their power can't be matched. They should pair up with other people and play against each other." wtf? Didn't we just see them face off? Nobody complained when Pete Sampras kept winning. Instead folks were speculating.. "can he do it again?" They all knew no one could touch him... let alone beat him in his prime. You get two black sisters... and everyone's tired of them dominating. Then the chick kept making little remarks about Venus and Serena hitting the ball as hard as men. What is that about? Again, no one had anything to say when Navratilova was out there shreading tennis balls and looking like Arnold S. It just makes me sick!

[straightBOS]

Originally posted by Swamp Thang
In now-a-days, we use the term 'hatin' too much.. But in the case I'm about to mention, it applies. Why are my baby's momma's (Venus and Serena Williams... yeah, we have the menage love affair going on... LOL "you know the sistahz share er'thang")
*ahem* being pure-d hated on?!

When Stefi Graf was dominating Women's tennis, her greatness was acknowledged and nary a bad word was said. But, now that the Williams sisters are dominating, you hear all the top "other" players screaming that,"It's bad for tennis for the Williams sisters to dominate like that because er'body knows who the winner is gonna be before the tournament."

If that ain't a 'ponk arse' attitude (although, they are problably telling the truth and shaming the devil). Just say what you said when Navratilova was dominating.. that the Williams-Wright sisters are the best.

*QUEn up Three 6 Mafia* They my BABY MOMMA'S yeen know LOL

The problem is with the commentators' inability to reconcile the skills of the Williams sisters with the fact that they never went through "the system."

McEnroe has said more than once that he does not like either of them. As such, his remarks are always colored with inappropriate subject changes or reference to their mother, father, clothing or styling. Chris Evert is much better, but she is also bitten by the "How-In-The-Hell did they get so good bug". Often she makes way to many references to their power and serving speed.

She rarely makes comment on their other skills. I was thoroughly surprised and pleased when she began to discuss Serena's uncanny agility and ability to see the ball before it crosses the court. But she sells her skills short by not referencing Serena's ability to play both sides of the court and force errors. Both women are incessant thinkers, whose skills are directly related to this ability. Yet, it is the least commented on. Almost like MJ. People forget that his and their skills were built thorough hard work and practice, not osmosis.

Also, although we all know that Martina Hingis was named after Martina Navratilova, no one mentions that she was "programmed from birth" to be a tennis star. (Chris Evert comment on the Williams' sisters.) Lastly, Venus and Serena have NOT been trading places at the top as tennis headlines might lead non-tennis fans to believe, actually Jennifer Capriati, now #3, has been a fierce contender and has won her fair share of grand slams right along with the Williams'. YET, no one has questioned her place.

I am never one to jump to conclusions over racial-biased coverage. But, I am also an avid tennis fan and USUALLY enjoy the commentary. But, the unfair, one-sided, and absolutely unprofessional commentary must stop.