An ode to resilience, a gift for tennis fans: #VenusSerenaXXXI
Photo: Dylan Buell / Getty Images
August 13, 2020. Tennis fans were glued to the TV and filled with expectation. The sight we were expecting was familiar, yet rare: the Williams’s sisters were going against each other for the 31st time – familiar, right? Also, tennis fans were going to watch a women’s professional match between a 40 years old and an almost 39 years old - unusual, right?
At the beginning of the match, the sportscasters said that the serve will be crucial and it was. During this pandemic “break” of professional tennis, Venus had been working on a new service stance and motion. Even when she made many double faults throughout the match, the new service paid off in crucial moments with powerful and crucial aces. At 40, Venus still finds ways to improve her game. Her movement was also substantially improved, and I was impressed to watch her reach balls that would have been winners in other matches. I will not lie to you, as a recreational player myself of the same age, there’s something very personal and soothing in watching 40-year-old Venus play the way she did against Serena in Lexington.
Venus played an aggressive match and left it all on the court. It is always so interesting watching these two sisters play against each other. Their competitiveness takes over them both and leaves the blood bond behind. At the tennis court, that blood bond is only used to take advantage of the knowledge they both have about the other. In the 6th game of the first set, and after watching Venus take a break back, Serena threw a dropshot – mobility hasn’t been Venus’ forte these last years – and Venus ran right to it and took the point to get ahead 4-2.
Let’s not forget that in 2011 Venus was diagnosed with Sjögren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue and muscle and joint pain. What a challenge to have that syndrome and be a professional tennis player. On the 7th game of the first set, Serena was returning Venus serve as the warrior she is. Strong, fast and quality returns were endured and contested by Venus to hold serve and go up 5-2. Venus took that first set 6-3 with a huge serve.
Double faults plagued Venus’ game in the second set. In the 6th game the Williams’ sisters gave us beautiful strokes and powerful hitting. Current tournaments are being played without fans because of the COVID-19 pandemic and it was a gift to be able to hear so pristinely the power these two pioneers of women’s tennis unleashed when they hit the ball. Venus fought by coming to the net and putting pressure on Serena, but her little sister improved her game level and took the second set 6-3. Now the match was tied with a set each. Venus took a bathroom break between the second and third set, not without some questioning from Serena to the umpire.
The first break of serve in the third set came at the 3rd game and Serena went up 2-1. In the 4th game signs of fatigue were showing on Venus’ side of the net but she got the break back and leveled the match at 2-2. A variety of serves perfectly executed and placed helped Venus stay ahead 3-2 in the 5th game. And then came another gift from the sisters, on the 6th game Serena betted on Venus weakness these last years: her movement. Serena brought her to the net two times and two times Venus responded with quickness and took the point away. She broke serve and the game was 4-2 for Venus. If Serena wanted to win the match, she had to improve her game level even more. Those who once accused them of fixing matches between them will have to think twice when making that accusation if they watched this 31st encounter. Each sister was trying to exploit each other’s weakness. Competition was the force that drove them both.
Serena did what she needed to do. Down 2-4 in the 3rd set, in the 7th game she found that extra gear that characterizes her and broke back with a forehand crosscourt winner that traveled through the court like a rocket. Three aces in the 8th game gave her the game and the match was tied at 4-4. Another gift from the sisters, this time from Serena, awaited us fans. Serena hit three beautiful return winners to put the 9th game at deuce and after the eleventh double fault from Venus she hit a backhand down the line winner while running and in full stretch to get the game. 5-4, Serena said the umpire.
Serena, an almost 39-year-old woman, a patient that has recovered from multiple and delicate surgeries, a mother who had to play the doctor and save her own life by telling hospital personnel what procedures to do because of her history of blood cloths after giving birth to her daughter a couple of years ago, was eager to get that win and she was doing everything in her power to get it.
At the end, Serena took the 10th game and with it the match: 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Venus competed in a level that was simply astonishing and that can get her wins against the up and coming generation. Serena managed to get a win after so much time away and, probably, against her most difficult opponent. It was one of the most competitive matches I’ve seen in a long time, not only between them, but overall.
However, something much deeper than a tennis match happened in Lexington on August 13, 2020. Venus and Serena Williams, two women that have endured racism, sexism, threatening illness, car accidents, the loss of a sister to crime, and surely all sort of other things, showed us the meaning of something very needed in this pandemic time: RESILIENCE.
Here are the WTA highlights of this wonderful match. Enjoy!