Despite Australian Open loss, all is well in Venus Williams’ world
MELBOURNE, Australia — Serena Williams had barely begun her championship celebration when sister Venus strode to the other side of the net to embrace the Australian Open champion.
Behind every great champion, there is a driving force. For Serena, that’s her older sibling.
“Serena Williams, that’s my little sister, guys,” the 36-year-old told the crowd after her 6-4, 6-4 defeat Saturday in Melbourne. “Congratulations, Serena, on No 23. I’ve been there with you, some of them I lost right there against you. But it’s been an awesome thing. Your win has always been my win. I think you know that. All the times I couldn’t be there, wouldn’t be there, didn’t get there, you were there. I’m enormously proud of you, you mean the world to me.”
For many people, being constantly second best to your sibling would be tough to take. Venus has watched Serena usurp her at the top of the rankings and then power past her tally of seven Grand Slams, but there doesn’t seem to be an ounce of jealousy.
The feeling is mutual. The pair has been inseparable from long before they began learning to play tennis with their father, Richard Williams,…