 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Venus and Serena Williams come with an aura. And it is a difficult one to break.
Even before they imposed themselves on women's tennis they had already imposed themselves on the players' minds. Prodigious, aloof, athletic and declared future world number ones by their father, Richard, Venus and Serena were standing out before they had done anything of note to the outside world.
'We (the players) create it in our own heads: We're playing Venus!' Joannette Kruger had said after losing to Venus in the fourth round of the 1997 US Open.
'Yes, it's crazy. I don't know what to think of it.'
The elder Williams reached the final at Flushing Meadows that year but it was still three years before she won her first Grand Slam, and two years before Serena burst on the scene by winning the US Open.
Through the years, with every riveting win, every unexpected loss, every new distraction, people have tried to figure them out. But the fascination remains.
And the American sisters did nothing to satisfy it at the Bangalore Open on Monday. They walked into the press room, a big, striking, golden purse dangling by Serena's arm and a similar silver accessory for Venus, delightfully eyeing the portraits of former greats like Rod Laver, Arthur Ashe and Bjorn Borg hanging by the walls.
Fourteen Grand Slams is by far the heaviest any Indian tournament has had on the dais. It was supposed to be a fun interaction; except that it wasn't quite.
Serena, who has played only one tournament in the year -- the Australian Open -- didn't look in the mood to talk. Venus took most of the questions with a smile on her face but her answers lacked the zing of her serves. In between, the Williams sisters, like most sisters, forgot about the rest of the room and smiled at their own secret jokes.
Outside the Grand Slams, the sisters, who live together in their plush mansion in Florida, rarely enter the same tournament. They were last spotted together at a WTA event in Charleston.
"We make our schedules separately," offered Venus. "I didn't know she was coming here. We have different managers who make the schedules for us. It's always nice to play in the same tournament."
Serena provided the only Williams moment, when she stuck by her sister when asked about her player to beat on tour.
"It's always exciting to beat Venus," she said. Despite being pushed on the subject and specifically asking about Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova, Serena replied, "No, no only Venus. She is the best player right now."
It's difficult to agree or disagree with the 26-year-old. Venus, or Serena for that matter, may not be in the top-five in the rankings but it seems they can reach the pinnacle in one big stride and become champions whenever they wish to. Rankings hardly seem to matter to them, though Serena stressed on Monday that it was her priority at the moment.
Henin and Sharapova are their biggest competitors but the Americans have also lost to some of the lesser names in the game.
"The competition nowadays is good, and we take it up as a challenge," said Venus. "We are working hard on our game. Every time you step out on court the only thing you want is to win. We are enjoying the battles."
An art graduate now, Venus paved way for herself and her sister when she made that searing run at the 1997 US Open. It was a landmark year for the Open -- they named the Centre Court after Arthur Ashes and it was the 70th birth anniversary of Althea Gibson. Venus, the Ebony Starr (her middle name) stepped in to complete the fairytale. The tennis world started to take Richard Williams' threat seriously.
Soon she was being likened to golf wonder Tiger Woods. "I would hope so," Venus had said. "He's different from the mainstream, and in tennis I also am. I'm tall. I'm black. Everything's different about me. Just face the facts."
Seventeen then, Venus was more in-your-face and less ELEVEN (her fashion line) elegant.
"Those were great times. Looking back, I didn't know I was doing something important, I was just playing well, having a lot of fun. Serena learnt a lot from my mistakes. So I guess, it was a great time for the Williamses."
The early part of the decade was dominated by the Williams might. But their father, Richard, had charted an alternate path for them. Even while he pushed them towards tennis greatness, he wanted his daughters to be well-rounded personalities. Trying their hand at art and fashion, it seemed to have taken their focus away from the game.
But every now and then, one of them resurfaces, flashes the inimitable spark and returns to -- wherever they go when they are not blowing opponents off the court.
The start of this year hasn't been much to talk about for the big American family. Both of them lost in the Australian Open quarter-finals and since then Venus has been knocked out in the second round in Doha and the first in Memphis. Serena sat out due to an oral surgery.
"I am feeling much better not. I am happy I was able to make it in Bangalore," commented Serena.
Placed in the same half of the draw, Venus rued that the Indian crowd would not be able to witness them in the final.
"We are playing in the doubles. So we will try to reach the final there; that's the next best plan to have two Williamses play in the final," she quipped.
Witty and charming, yet closed to the world, the Williams intrigue, apart from their power-packed game, is weaving the magic.