Fan Club: Venus Williams | TENNIS.com Fan Club: Venus Williams Tags: Fan Club , 2013 U.S. Open , Venus Williams AP Photo The Fan Club returns this weekend in honor of a former U.S. Open champion who will be making her 15th appearance in Flushing Meadows next week, Venus Williams . I'm talking about the unique appeal of Venus with Bobby Chintapalli, a freelance tennis writer who contributes regularly to USA Today. We'll have Part II tomorrow. ***** Bobby, This is something of a bittersweet Fan Club. It's been two years since Venus announced that she has Sjogren's Syndrome at the Open in 2011, and while she has carried on with her career valiantly, she's not the feared player that she once was. Every time Venus, who is now 33, loses at a tournament, it feels to me like it could be the last time we see her play. Until you listen to her talk, of course; she makes it sound like she's just getting started. It has been a while since Venus' breakthrough tournament, which came when she reached the U.S. Open final all the way back in 1997.

Do you have a first memory of seeing Venus play? I first remember her, with her father and sister, on 60 Minutes in the early 90s, practicing in Compton. It seemed to most people then that the Williams sisters were a great dream for tennis, but that the chances of them fulfilling their father's prophecy of dominance were pretty slim. Parents with dreams are a dime a dozen, but the Williams family proved to be the exception—twice. I think everyone began to believe when Venus won a few pro matches as a 14-year-old. I'm not even sure, for all of his bluster, that Richard himself truly believed his own words until then. In those days, Venus was the star of the show. She, rather than the "Williams sisters," was what people talked about. She was the older one, the taller one, the more athletic-looking one, the one with the memorable name. Serena, of course, has always said that she used that fact as competitive fuel—the self-described "ugly duckling" wanted everything her "fierce swan" older sister had. And she got it. Which is another reason to feel for Venus, in a way.

Her little sister, the one she looked after, ended up with the glory that was supposed to hers. But Venus has never shown any resentment about that. There are a lot of reasons to be a Venus fan, in other words. As she said last year, after years of pulling for other American women, even the crowds at the U.S. Open have come around to her. What drew you to Venus, as opposed to Serena? Was that always the case, from the time they started, even before the younger sister surpassed the older? I'm not sure who I root for more—I always liked Venus, but I've come to like and appreciate Serena just as much. One thing about Venus that I love: How stony and stoical she keeps herself throughout a match, and how she turns into a giddy, twirling little girl when she wins. Makes me want to see her win more. ***** Steve, Bittersweet is right. Honestly I’d rather root for someone on her way up, a player who’s winning one Wimbledon after another all the way to five titles, instead of one who’s losing consecutive matches to Elena Vesnina. No offense to Vesnina, a good player with a lovely personality, but she’s no Venus Williams.

The problem of course is that this Venus Williams is not quite Venus Williams either. Not the Venus who won four gold medals, 23 doubles titles, 44 singles titles and more singles matches than anyone playing right now. Yet I root for Venus because you can’t help who you love, and once you do you don’t just leave when times are tough. I can’t say I have an earliest memory of Venus, but my most vivid memories of her are in green and white. Of Venus in some white dress or other, clutching the Venus Rosewater Dish, beaming and twirling on Wimbledon’s green grass, where she seemed most comfortable and powerful. It always struck me as equal parts odd and gratifying that this woman who grew up on mediocre public courts in Compton grew so dominant on manicured lawns at the most traditional tennis tournament in the world. I don’t recall when I first took note of Venus, but I know the young Venus footage I like best. It’s from a Trans World Sport profile of Venus and Serena at ages 11 and 12. In one scene the sisters are standing by a court, all shy and attentive, with Venus towering over Serena.

“What do you think is the best part of your game?” the interviewer asks. Excitedly both sisters start to answer, and when they realize it, they both stop. Venus turns to her little sister and says softly, “Go ahead. You wanted to go?” Serena whispers back a quick “go” and only then does Venus continue. Now the Serena thing. I don’t enjoy comparing sisters. As one of three sisters myself I’ve generally found comparisons unnecessary, unhelpful, even crass. Yet how can you not, especially here? In answer to your question, Steve, from the start everything drew me to Venus. Everything, that is, but the tennis. Serena’s game is just better, as time has made clearer. This doesn’t change the fact that Venus is impressive too, a legend herself. You’re right that Venus never seemed to resent Serena’s success, even when it came at her expense. As an older sister to accomplished, confident younger sisters who run way faster than I do, I know emotions are complicated things. But they can be simple, too. When you care about your sister and see she cares back, it’s not really you versus your sister.

If the “versus” must be there then it’s both of you versus the rest. Unless you’re Margaret Court, some woman will always win more Slams, so why not your little sister instead of Martina Hingis and Suzanne Lenglen? And really, Venus and Serena are two sides of the same coin: Partly who they are because of each other. Venus has to be Venus because Serena is Serena, and Serena can be Serena because Venus is Venus. I respect Serena, but I don’t have the same warmth for her I’ve always had for Venus. My affinity for Venus has less to do with her serve, backhand and reach—though I love all that too—and more with how she carries herself: As sister, as elder stateswoman of the women’s tour, as equal prize money advocate, as competitor who doesn’t show the score on her face. Maybe it’s from my perspective as older sister, or “mini-feminist” as someone called me recently. I can’t adequately describe my affection for Venus even though, or perhaps because, I feel it with all the force of a 129 M.P.H. serve.

US Open - Why the sibling rivalry between Venus and Serena Williams is different now Serena and Venus Williams will be playing each other for the 14th time at a major on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the US Open. Has there ever been more on the line? We rewind their first 13 major matches. 2 Related Well, the master plan backfired. It backfired on all of us, Richard, Venus and Serena included. As thrilling as it was to think that this pair of sibling savants could dominate the game, the reality is, they could not really dominate it together. In every big singles match, in every big tournament, there is one winner and one loser. There's a terrible finality to losing. There's no escaping it. And a loser who was beaten by her sister in a Grand Slam final? We had gone there just twice before in tennis history, and never in the professional era. It should come as no surprise that the sisters wasted no time getting there.

Fittingly, their first WTA clash was at a Grand Slam, the 1998 Australian Open (Serena was just 16; Venus, a year older, won the fourth-round match, 7-6 [4], 6-1). They quickly took it to the next level in the 2000 Wimbledon semifinals, also won by Venus, 6-2, 7-6 (3). Before that match, Richard Williams told reporters that if he were a betting man, he'd put 50 pounds on each of them. Eighteen-year-old Serena made light of the situation, telling reporters, "I know I would be heartbroken if my little Jackie had to play my Star ...," joking about her dogs. "Maybe it's too much pressure on him [Richard]. It's probably the same reason I wouldn't watch my dogs." I laughed at that along with everyone else. How easy, how comfortable it all seemed then. After that match, Venus went on to win her first Grand Slam title to match Serena.

The next time they met, in 2001, Venus snatched the US Open title from Serena's hands in a 6-2, 6-4 blowout. At that point, Serena still had just one major; Venus had four. Venus and Serena Williams are set to meet for the 27th time in Tuesday's US Open quarterfinals. Ryan Pierse/Getty Images And that was when Serena went ka-boom! A switch flipped inside Serena. She stopped being the good little sister trailing in Venus' footsteps. And then, two things happened: the first "Serena Slam" and the advent of the period when an awkward, muted atmosphere began to envelope meetings between Venus and Serena. The reason was simple: There was a tacit agreement in place to suspend a family tie that could not be suspended. The deadlock shaped their emotions, actions and even their on-court effectiveness. At the time, Venus' big-sister gene kicked in. She often expressed her protective instincts and made it clear that she had Serena's back.

In that long, middle period of their rivalry -- which ended as Venus became less of a force near the top of the rankings -- I often wondered why, if the sisters were so close, they couldn't just go out there, play their hearts out, then fall into each other's arms and have a good laugh about it when one or the other won. It shouldn't have been that hard if your relationship is that solid in all other ways, right? I didn't factor a few things into my thinking. There is a big difference between competing with a sibling indirectly -- say, by earning a better grade in math, or getting more attention from a parent, or even by winning tennis titles -- and facing off, across the net, in a one-on-one struggle that produces a clear result. Many of us in the business looked forward to the day when the Williams sisters rivalry wouldn't raise so many thorny psychological issues, but it was a false hope. Or was it? After her last win here at the US Open on Sunday, Serena said of their upcoming quarterfinal match: "I think it's more fun than it used to be. We really relish the opportunity.

We're happy to still be involved in getting so far, and it's still super intense. She's [Venus] doing well, and she wants to win this. So do I. It's not going to be easy." While it's not likely to be easy on the court, it probably won't be uncomfortable for the sisters or as baffling and hard to read as some of their matches in the middle period of their careers were for spectators. The simple explanation might be the best, if not the most exciting. They're older now (Venus is 35, Serena 33). They are siblings, they love each other. But they don't need to go around telling or showing it any more than long-married couples do. Neither of them is going to become a very different person, win or lose, no matter how Grand it might be for Serena to Slam. I always believed Serena stole Venus' thunder, and that Venus' protective, big-sisterly attitude seemed partly to be a defense mechanism; Serena, after all, was a little sister who didn't need a whole lot of protecting. It was understandable. Venus was in a difficult position.

Now, she has a chance to steal some of that thunder back, in a big way. This story hasn't exhausted its legs yet. USATODAY.com - Venus, Serena Williams' sister fatally shot Looking to sell tickets quick? Register now. Venus, Serena Williams' sister fatally shot COMPTON, Calif. (AP)  The oldest sister of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams was shot to death Sunday in the crime-ridden Los Angeles suburb that the family left years ago, authorities said. Yetunde Price, a registered nurse who owned a beauty salon, was a personal assistant to her famous half-sisters. Price, 31, had been with a man in a sport utility vehicle shortly after midnight and "somehow they had become involved in a confrontation with the local residents," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Richard Pena. Sheriff's deputies surrounded a house in Compton early Sunday, searching for three people believed to be involved in the shooting, but the house turned out to be empty. No arrests had been made yet. Price was shot in the upper torso. Deputies on patrol heard the gunshots and found Price, who was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The man who had been with her in the SUV wasn't injured and was being interviewed by authorities, Pena said. "As the oldest sibling and daughter, it was Yetunde who provided the stability to our family," the Williams family said in a statement. "She was our nucleus and our rock. She was personal assistant, confidant, and adviser to her sisters and her death leaves a void that can never be filled." Neighbors reported hearing anywhere from six to 20 gunshots. Pena said an assault rifle was found at the shooting scene. "There's not one evil thing you could say about this girl. She never hurt any person," said Sheriee Brown, who lives in Compton and is a friend of Price. "They say on the news that we get used to these shootings," said Brown's husband, David. "But no one gets used to it. Who could get used to living in a war zone?" Rodolfo Pulido, who lives around the corner, was awakened by the shots but did not go outside. "Week after week, I hear gunfire. It's common," he said.

Price was one of five sisters who spent their early years in Compton, a crime- and poverty-ridden community where gang fighting has claimed many lives. She was divorced and had three children, and had moved to Corona, Calif., 40 miles from Compton. She took her mother's maiden name a few years ago after her parents were divorced. Venus, 23, and Serena, 21, often told about the gunshots they heard as they played tennis on Compton's public courts. When they turned professional as teenagers, they moved with their parents to Florida, as much for the courts and the coaching there as to escape the violence. Venus and Serena Williams both had been ranked No. 1 in the world and have won a total of 10 Grand Slam singles titles. Yet nothing — not stardom nor distance nor the demands of travel — weakened the bonds they felt toward their sisters. Yetunde, Isha, a lawyer and singer, and Lyndrea, an actress and singer, could often be seen in press boxes and hotels with Venus and Serena. All five girls are the daughters of Oracene Williams, who was previously married to the late Yusef A. K. Rasheed.

She later married Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena. At Wimbledon in July, when Venus was injured during her semifinal and considered quitting, her mother and sisters encouraged her to play on. When the family gathered Sunday to grieve over Yetunde's death, they flew in to Isha's house in the Los Angeles area. Venus came from New York, and Serena from Toronto, where she was filming a guest role in a cable TV series. Serena had stayed nearby Isha recently, recovering from her knee surgery at the condo she kept in Los Angeles. Serena and Venus both missed the U.S. Open earlier this month because of injuries. Neither has said when they will play next. They met in the final at five of the last six Slams, not including this year's U.S. Open. Serena won each of those times, and one or the other won every U.S. Open since 1999 until this year. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Williams Sisters: Serena and Venus Tennis Stars Back to Biographies Two of the best women tennis players in the world today are sisters, Venus Williams and Serena Williams.

Both of the Williams sisters have been ranked Number 1 in the world at some point in their tennis career. Venus Williams born on June 17th 1980 in Lynwood, California, is a year older than her sister. Venus is arguably the best grass court tennis player of the 21st century. She has won the major grass court championship, Wimbledon, five times since 2000. Venus has a great all around tennis game, but her greatest weapon is her powerful serve. She has arguably the most feared serve in women's tennis today. Venus also makes great use of her height and long reach to get to balls that most players can't reach. Serena Williams was born on September 26th, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. She may be the more well-rounded player winning less on grass than her sister, but more on other surfaces like clay and hard court. Serena also possesses a powerful serve and plays the baseline with the best in tennis. Serena was the last tennis player to hold all 4 Grand Slam titles at the same time. What championships has Venus won?

In singles tennis Venus Williams has over forty career titles including 5 Wimbledon Championships, 2 US Opens, an Olympic Gold Medal, and a WTA championship. In doubles tennis Venus has twenty career titles including 5 at Wimbledon, 2 US Opens, 2 French Opens, 4 Australian Opens, and 2 Olympic Gold medals. What championships has Serena won? In singles tennis Serena Williams has well over fifty career titles including 5 Wimbledon Championships, 2 French Opens, 4 US Opens, 5 Australian Opens, 3 WTA championships, and the 2012 Gold medal. In doubles tennis Serena has 13 career titles including 5 at Wimbledon, 2 US Opens, 2 French Opens, 4 Australian Opens, and 2 Olympic Gold medals. Have the sisters ever played each other? Venus and Serena have played each other several times during their professional careers. As of this article they had played 24 times with Serena holding a 14-10 record against her sister. Several of their meetings have come in the championships of major Grand Slam tournaments. Fun Facts about the Williams Sisters Serena was 4 years old when she won her first tournament. Both girls appeared in the Simpsons episode Tennis the Menace.

Serena was a voice on the Playhouse Disney show Higglytown Heroes. Venus has a fashion degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Other Sports Legend's Biographies: Serena vs. Venus Williams: Which Sister Will Retire with the Better Legacy? | Bleacher Report Serena vs. Venus Williams: Which Sister Will Retire with the Better Legacy? By Imaan Jalali , Senior Writer Oct 27, 2011 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Bryn Lennon/Getty Images It's a question many have wondered about... 11.6K 14 Comments Venus and Serena Williams are two sides of the same coin, two peas in the same pod and two of the most successful female tennis players in history. They happen to be sisters, as well. Only one year separates the two superstars, who have taken their sport by storm since the beginning of the last decade. Both have risen to astronomical heights—winning numerous titles, accolades, procuring endorsement deals and becoming celebrity icons for sports fans all over the world. The one question that seems to always be brought up in regards to the Williams sisters is, who is better?

Taking it one step further, who will retire with the better legacy, as defined by a cumulative total of accomplishments, appeal and overall image? First, let's examine Venus Williams ' career. The 31-year-old started playing professionally in 1994, but burst onto the scene as a formidable force in late 1999, beginning her ascent by ousting Lindsay Davenport in the 2000 Wimbledon final to win her first Grand Slam (Wikipedia.com). In the last 12 years, she has been No. 1 three times, holding the designation of the first black woman ever to do so. Her accomplishments are abundant with 21 Grand Slam titles, five of which are from Wimbledon (only one of three women to do so), in addition to three Olympic gold medals, two of which—singles and doubles—were won at the Sydney 2000 Games (WTA Tennis .com, Wikipedia.com and HistoryofTennis.net). The Williams sisters have faced off 23 times; Serena leads 13-10 Her singles career ledger is 585-143 with 43 titles.

In doubles, she has lost only 23 contests to 149 victories and won 19 titles. Currently, she ranks as the 101th "best" player in women's tennis (Wikipedia.com). According to CelebrityEndorsementAds.com, Venus' endorsements include American Express, Avon, Kraft Foods and a lucrative, 40-million-dollar deal with Reebok. Standing on the other side of the same spectrum is Serena Williams, Venus' younger sister by one year. The perfect tennis specimen—the LeBron James of women's tennis—started playing professionally at age 13, but, like her sister, didn't achieve upper-tier success until 1999 when she beat Julie Halard-Decugis in the final of the JP Morgan Chase Open and then overcame No. 1 Martina Hingis in the final of the U.S. Open (Wikipedia.com, WTATennis.com). In the last decade, Serena has been No. 1 on five separate occasions, won a whopping 27 Grand Slam titles and two Olympic gold medals in doubles (Wikipedia.com). Her career singles record is 490-103, yielding 39 titles.

In doubles, she's lost 20 contests, but won 153 matches to the tune of 20 titles. Currently, she is still holding her own as No. 12 in women's tennis (WTATennis.com, Wikipedia.com). Serena's array of endorsements, according to CelebrityEndorsementAds.com, include Tampax, Gatorade, Nabisco, Ford, Glam Slam and a 40-million-dollar contract with Nike. The Greek Goddess of tennis, from a physical standpoint, has earned more prize money—totaling $34,772,829—than any of her female peers, past or present (Wikipedia.com). Neither sister is a stranger to the mass media Her sister Venus is a distant second with $27,750,251 in earnings (Wikipedia.com). A very important statistic—head-to-head competition—reveals that in their 23 head-to-head matches with each other, Serena has triumphed 13 times to Venus' 10. Serena ekes out an advantage over her sister Venus in sheer numbers, but what about comparing skill sets on the court?

Most would agree Serena has the better forehand, is more powerful, has more endurance, more well-rounded offense (i.e., slices and lobs), is more consistent with her serves (i.e., aces) and is mentally tougher during clutch situations. On the other hand, a majority would contend that Venus has the better backhand, has more graceful footwork, is more proficient at net (i.e., traditional volley), has the better initial serve—clocking in at over 130 mph—and has more success on grass. Once again, the two are the epitome of the photo finish, but quantitative numbers and empirical evidence point to Serena as one who gets stronger with each serve and volley, whereas Venus has a tendency to flounder with each passing set. Furthermore, what about assessing who, between the Williams sisters, is a better professional and ambassador to tennis in the traditional sense? Who has parlayed their marketability to cultivate a more durable celebrity stronghold in the mainstream media? Most of the time, a person's celebrity is a direct cause of his or her proficiency in his or her chosen profession. However, in this case, there isn't a clear cause-and-effect relationship between on-court fortune and image/profit.

Serena and Venus are two superstars cut from the same cloth Venus, the more stoic and well-mannered of the two, is considered to be a "better" champion and a more ideal representative of the sport, whereas Serena, who is more temperamental during games, has nonetheless amassed a greater following and consequently a more robust celebrity image. The older sister loses and wins with grace, as opposed to the younger one, who is relentlessly driven—to the exclusion of everything else—to win. One can imagine who is a bigger hit at charity functions. In the last two years, both sisters have been on nearly identical journeys with similar experiences—many of them harrowing. The two have sustained injuries and were befallen by illnesses—Venus suffered from Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease, and Serena nearly lost her life to a pulmonary embolism (Wikipedia.com). Today, Serena is on a warpath, persevering en route to retaking her previous status as the No. 1 female tennis pro. She has made notable strides, too, most recently by vanquishing Marion Bartoli to become the Bank of the West champion in July 2011 and making the U.S.

Open final in September 2011, losing to Samantha Stosur (WTATennis.com). Conversely, though Venus got back to the No. 2 spot in May 2010﻿﻿﻿—right behind her superstar sister—she has struggled to relive her past glory with all indications pointing to a career that has already peaked (Wikipedia.com). Beyond just tennis prosperity, however, the Williams sisters have also ardently pursued and fulfilled their entrepreneurial goals—and now the two are in business together as prosperous part-owners of the Miami Dolphins (Wikipedia.com). Serena may retire with the better legacy, but it's closer than you think As much as the two have mirrored each other in not just their careers, but lives, the question as to who will retire with the better legacy﻿﻿—which has been pondered by tennis buffs for years—is an exacting one to answer. Collating all the data, strengths, weaknesses and extracurricular activities suggests the following: Although Venus may be the more personable personality with peers and fans with whom she interacts, Serena's legacy as a more consummate player, phenom and celebrity edges out her sister.

Serena has been a juggernaut in the sport the last eight or nine years, fueled by an unmatched fortitude to win, whereas Venus' best years were in the first few years of the last decade. Nevertheless, one cannot recall one sister without remembering the other, lending credence to the notion that the Williams sisters' legacies will intertwine with the passage of time—one legacy for both superstar sisters. Serena Williams wins, sets up semifinal match against sister Venus Williams comment CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Top-ranked Serena Williams ended a long and successful day for the Williams family as she and sister Venus both won twice Friday to reach the Family Circle Cup semifinals and set up their first sibling showdown since 2009. Serena won her 13th straight match by defeating sixth-seeded Lucie Safarova , 6-4, 6-1. Earlier, she topped two-time NCAA doubles champ Mallory Burdette in a third-round match moved due to Thursday's 7½-hour rain delay. Sisters Venus and Serena Williams, playing here as partners during the London Olympics, will play against each other for the first time since 2009 with a Saturday showdown in the Family Circle Cup semifinals.

AP Photo/Juergen Hasenkopf/Rex Features Venus also had double duty, rallying past Varvara Lepchenko in three sets before ousting 18-year-old Madison Keys later on Billie Jean King Court. The Williams sisters next go for a spot in the finals Saturday. They haven't met in a tournament since the 2009 Tour Championships in Qatar. Serena holds a 13-10 lead, although they're 1-1 on clay. "For the record, we've never played two matches on the same day," Serena told the stadium crowd. "You guys had a real treat." They surely did. The sisters were the first four matches on the stadium court -- and they only dropped one set combined. "I was thinking it was a quadrupleheader," Venus said with a laugh. "I don't know if that's ever going to happen again." The excitement continues Saturday when the sisters go against each for a 24th time in their stellar careers at a venue where both have enjoyed championship moments. Serena is seeking her third Family Circle title after wins in her last two appearances here in 2008 and 2012.

Venus took this title in 2004 and scored the clinching points last September when the Washington Kastles took the World Team Tennis crown at Family Circle Tennis Center. Serena, 31, comes in as world No. 1 having won Wimbledon, the Olympics and the U.S. Open since capturing last year's Family Circle. She added to her haul with a sixth Sony Open crown, rallying past Maria Sharapova for her 48th career WTA crown. Venus has struggled with illness and injury in recent years. She took some six months off after being diagnosed with Sjrogen's Syndrome, an autoimmune disease, and withdrew from the Sony last month because of a sore back. Still, Serena is wary of her sister's game and desire to win. "When I play Venus, it's never an easy opponent," she said. "She's my toughest opponent I've ever played, and I think she's beaten me the most of any player." Venus, who'll turn 33 in June, has lost four straight to Serena since a victory in Dubai in 2009. The older Williams hasn't won a major since Wimbledon in 2008.

"The last years have been challenging and at some points difficult," Venus said. "But I think in both of our heads, we never gave up on tennis or ourselves." There's another side of the bracket, too. Jelena Jankovic won her 500th career match with a straight sets win over Eugenie Bouchard . "In order to have 500 wins, I think you have to have a pretty long career, be pretty consistent," the 28-year-old Jankovic said. Jankovic will face Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele in the semifinals. Voegele rallied from a set down to defeat second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and send the 2011 Family Circle winner up the road to Augusta National -- she's scheduled to cheer on boyfriend Rory McIlroy next week at the Masters -- earlier than planned. The sisters were put in the unusual spot of doubling up when the rain postponed much of Thursday's schedule. Venus Williams looked her most comfortable of the week against the power-hitting Keys.

Williams had needed a third set to pull out both her previous matches and it looked as though it might happen again when Keys was a point away from moving in front 4-1 in the second set. But Williams was able to rally to win five of the final six games, securing her second semifinal berth in four tournaments this year. Venus Williams seemed to have her first match under control, ahead 6-2 and 3-0 in the second set. Lapchenko rallied to win seven of the next eight games while a chilly drizzle fell in the middle of the second set and took a 1-0 lead in the decisive set. That's when Williams again found her game and pulled away by winning six of the final seven games. Venus Williams returned to clay-court action at the 2012 Family Circle after an absence of about two years on the surface. A bout with the autoimmune disease Sjogren's Syndrome kept her from the game for almost six months between the 2011 U.S. Open and the 2012 Sony Open. She reached the quarterfinals here a year ago, falling to Samantha Stosur to prevent an all-Williams semi that time.

Safarova, who lost to Serena Williams, 6-0, 6-1 in the 2012 final, led in the opening set and had a point to go up 5-2. Instead, Williams rallied back from deuce and won the final four games to take the set. Williams' big serves and power game smothered Safarova after that. Williams served a 106 mph ace to set up match point, then chased down Safarova's drop shot to take the match -- and give herself a well-earned rest. Serena, Venus Williams in familiar place in sister showdown FacebookEmail Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Serena, Venus Williams in familiar place in sister showdown Like two sisters trading a secret diary, Venus and Serena Williams have been swapping tennis' history books back and forth for nearly two decades. Post to Facebook Serena, Venus Williams in familiar place in sister showdown Like two sisters trading a secret diary, Venus and Serena Williams have been swapping tennis' history books back and forth for nearly two decades. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

4 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Serena, Venus Williams in familiar place in sister showdown Nick McCarvel, Special for USA TODAY Sports Published 8:14 a.m. ET July 4, 2015 | Updated 12:45 p.m. ET July 4, 2015 Serena, left, after beating Venus in the 2002 final. (Photo: Ted S. Warren, AP) 1254 CONNECT TWEET LINKEDIN 4 COMMENTEMAILMORE WIMBLEDON, England — Like two sisters trading a secret diary, Venus and Serena Williams have been swapping tennis' history books back and forth for nearly two decades. Monday at Wimbledon, they'll carry a shared one onto Centre Court, foes there for the first time in six years. Lately, the book has been stored in Serena's room, tucked on a shelf as she's etched her name into it more and more the last few years, a steady flow of chapters on Grand Slam titles, passages about weeks at No. 1 and stories of accolades coming from every corner of the sporting world.

It's the same book that sat on Venus' mantle, herself a five-time Wimbledon champion (just like Serena) and former world No. 1. Since 2011, when Venus announced she was living with the autoimmune deficiency Sjogren's Syndrome, the writing of her story has been more about perseverance than it has been about records, titles or major triumphs. Wimbledon: Venus vs. Serena Williams through the years But Monday that book comes back to Centre Court, and back to Venus and Serena. It's a moment when Serena, winner at both the Australian and French Opens so far this year, is more than halfway to a career-first calendar Grand Slam. Does Venus interrupt history in this story? "I take Venus very seriously against Serena," says Mary Carillo, the Tennis Channel analyst. "Venus beat her last summer in their most recent match. To me, this is the best place that Venus — like Roger Federer — the best place to win a major. This is clearly Venus' shot to win another Grand Slam." The tennis season in 2015 has undoubtedly been about Serena, who at 33 won her 20th Grand Slam at the French Open a few weeks ago.

She's been asked time and again about her quest for a calendar Slam. Serena Williams slips past Britain's Heather Watson at Wimbledon It's an accomplishment that hasn't been achieved in men's or women's tennis since Steffi Graf did so 1988. "I'm not answering any more questions about the Grand Slam," Serena said, putting a hand up in her press conference Friday after a dramatic three-set win over Heather Watson of Great Britain. "Or the alleged 'Serena Slam.'" The Serena Slam is capturing four consecutive majors, something Williams is going for as well, having won at the U.S. Open last summer. But on her way to perhaps making more history, Serena finds Venus across the net, a 35-year-old big sister with a game still to be reckoned with on grass. Interruption of Serena's history means Venus writing more of her own. Can she do it? Angry Serena Williams taunts Wimbledon crowd: 'Don't try me' "That's interesting," Venus said Friday after a third consecutive straight-set win here.

"We just have to see what happens." "It's unfortunate that it's so soon," said Serena, noting the fourth-round encounter, their earliest at a Slam since the 2005 U.S. Open. "She's my sister today, she's my sister next week and she's my sister next year. We'll leave everything out on the court. When it's done, we'll go back to regular life." For now, regular life includes them doing battle on Monday, most likely on Centre Court. "I think it will be a really good match," said Serena, who holds a 14-11 edge in their 25 matchups, five coming in London. "I'm practicing next to her every day and I'm in awe of how she's doing. It's a little frustrating because I know (now) I have to play her. I just don't know how I'm going to do, to be honest." American Denis Kudla keeps climbing into Wimbledon's fourth round "You have to play the match," Venus said of facing her sister. "It doesn't matter who's across the net, you have to play, show up, compete and do your best.

It doesn't change." But the winner will change the course of history — in one way or the other. Which sister walks away with the history book in hand this time? Follow Nick McCarvel on Twitter @NickMcCarvel . PHOTOS: BEST OF WIMBLEDON 2015 A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Jelena Jankovic celebrates her third-round victory over second-seeded and defending champion Petra Kvitova. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Jelena Jankovic falls to the ground as she celebrates her upset win over Petra Kvitova. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Petra Kvitova chases a return during her third-round loss against Jelena Jankovic. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Roger Federer runs down a backhand return during his third-round victory against Sam Groth. Tim Ireland, AP Viktor Troicki stretches for a backhand return against Dustin Brown during the third round. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Dustin Brown laments a point during his third-round loss to Viktor Troicki. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Andy Murray celebrates a point during his third-round win against Andreas Seppi.

Tim Ireland, AP Andy Murray serves to Andreas Seppi during the third round. Justin Tallis, AFP/Getty Images Andy Murray fans go nuts during his third-round victory against Andreas Seppi. Tim Ireland, AP Madison Keys celebrates a point during her third-round win against Tatjana Maria. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Gilles Simon returns to Gael Monfils during their third-round match. GLYN KIRK, AFP/Getty Images Gael Monfils reacts after slipping during a point against Gilles Simon during their third-round match. GLYN KIRK, AFP/Getty Images Caroline Wozniacki blows a kiss to the crowd after her third-round victory over Camila Giorgi. Ian Walton, Getty Images Caroline Wozniacki serves to Camila Giorgi during the third round. Andy Rain, EPA Petra Kvitova serves to Jelena Jankovic during the third round. Gerry Penny, EPA Serena Williams reacts during her match against Heather Watson on Day 5 at Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Britain's Heather Watson acknowledges the crowd as she leaves the court after her loss to Serena Williams. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Serena Williams reacts during her match against Heather Watson.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Britain's Heather Watson serves to Serena Williams during their match. Adrian Dennis, AFP/Getty Images Nick Kyrgios reacts during his match against Milos Raonic on Day 5 at Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia returns a ball to Venus Williams of the United States. Tim Ireland, AP Venus Williams returns to Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic. Glyn Kirk, AFP/Getty Images Russia's Maria Sharapova serves against Romania's Irina-Camilia Begu during their third-round match at Wimbledon. Justin Tallis, AFP/Getty Images Serena Williams reacts during her match against Heather Watson. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Heather Watson of Great Britain plays a forehand in her match against Serena Williams of the United States. Shaun Botterill, Getty Images U.S. player Sloane Stephens returns to the Czech Republic's Lucie Safarova. GLYN KIRK, AFP/Getty Images Australian fans cheer Australia's Nick Kyrgios during his third-round match against Canada's Milos Raonic. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka celebrates after a point against Spain's Fernando Verdasco during their third-round match on Day 5 at Wimbledon.

Justin Tallis, AFP/Getty Images Novak Djokovic of Serbia makes returns to Bernard Tomic of Australia. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic returns a ball to Sloane Stephens of the United States. Tim Ireland, AP Nick Kyrgios of Australia celebrates a point against Milos Raonic of Canada. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Victoria Azarenka of Belarus plays a backhand in her match against Kristina Mladenovic of France. Ian Walton, Getty Images Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States of America plays a backhand against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. Ian Walton, Getty Images Spain's Pablo Andujar returns to Czech Republic's Lukas Rosol. Adrian Dennis, AFP/Getty Images Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France celebrates after winning the singles match against Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain. Alastair Grant, AP Adrian Mannarino of France returns a ball to Gael Monfils of France, during their singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Spectators in attendance for the Roger Federer and Sam Querrey match.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Roger Federer in action during his match against Sam Querrey. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Roger Federer celebrates recording match point in his match against Sam Querrey. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Germany's Dustin Brown celebrates winning a game against Spain's Rafael Nadal during their men's singles second round match. Glyn Kirk, AFP/Getty Images Dustin Brown of Germany in action against Rafael Nadal of Spain during their second round match for the Wimbledon Championships. Facundo Arrizabalaga, EPA Spain's Rafael Nadal serves against Germany's Dustin Brown during their men's singles second round match. Glyn Kirk, AFP/Getty Images Gael Monfils of France returns to compatriot Adrian Mannarino in their second round match during the Wimbledon Championships. Aandy Rain, EPA Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland in action against Silvia Soler-Espinosa of Spain during their second round match. Sean Dempsey, EPA Evgeniya Rodina of Russia in action against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia. Sean Dempsey, EPA Dustin Brown of Germany returns to Rafael Nadal of Spain in their second round match during the Wimbledon Championships.

Facundo Arrizabalaga, EPA Rafael Nadal of Spain returns to Dustin Brown of Germany in their second round match during the Wimbledon Championships. Facundo Arrizabalaga, EPA Madison Keys of the United States plays a forehand in her women's singles second round match against Elizaveta Kulichkova of Russia. Shaun Botterill, Getty Images Sabine Lisicki in action during her match against Christina McHale. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Christina McHale in action during her match against Sabine Lisicki. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland makes a return to Ajla Tomljanovic of Croatia. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Sam Querrey. Facundo Arrizbalaga, EPA Andy Murray of Britain serves to Robin Haase during their match at Wimbledon. GERRY PENNY, EPA Caroline Wozniacki returns to Denisa Allertova during Wimbledon. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Robin Haase of the Netherlands returns to Andy Murray of Britain in their second round match.

Gerry Penny, EPA Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in action against Angelique Kerber. SEAN DEMPSEY, EPA Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) celebrates recording match point in her match against Ana Ivanovic (SRB) on day three of The Championships Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Sloane Stephens (USA) celebrates recording match point in her match against Lauren Davis (USA) on day three of The Championships Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Sloane Stephens of the United States returns a shot to Lauren Davis of the United States during their second-round match at Wimbledon. Pavel Golovkin, AP Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland returns to Victor Estrella Burgos of Dominican Republic in their second-round match. SEAN DEMPSEY, EPA Fernando Verdasco of Spain celebrates winning in his second-round match against Dominic Thiem of Austria during Day 3 at Wimbledon> Shaun Botterill, Getty Images Serena Williams of the United States stretches for a forehand against Timea Babos of Hungary. Clive Brunskill, Getty Images Serena Williams (USA) in action during her match against Timea Babos (HUN) on day three of The Championships Wimbledon.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Serena Williams (USA) reacts during her match against Timea Babos (HUN) on day three. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Dominican Republic's Victor Estrella Burgos falls during his round-match against Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka. GLYN KIRK, AFP/Getty Images Great Britain's Heather Watson celebrates match point against Daniela Hantuchova on Day 3 at Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Grigor Dimitrov in action against Steve Johnson during their second-round match for the Wimbledon Championships. Facundo Arrizabalaga, EPA U.S. player Venus Williams returns to Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva. Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images Novak Djokovic of Serbia serves to Jarkko Nieminen of Finland during their singles match. Alastair Grant, AP Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia returns a shot to Heather Watson of Britain/ Tim Ireland, AP Russia's Maria Sharapova returns to Netherlands' Richel Hogenkamp during their second-round match, Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images John Isner reacts during his match against Matthew Ebden.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Alexander Zverev of Germany plays a forehand against Denis Kudla of the United States. Julian Finney, Getty Images Heather Watson of Great Britain plays a backhand against Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Marcel Granollers of Spain in action against Leonardo Mayer of Argentina. GERRY PENNY, EPA Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania returns a shot to Marin Cilic of Croatia during their singles match. Alastair Grant, AP Spectators on Aorangi Terrace take shelter from the sun on a hot day during the Wimbledon Championships. Andy Rain, EPA Coco Vandeweghe returns during her match against Karolina Pliskova. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Finland's Jarkko Nieminen reacts to losing the first set against Serbia's Novak Djokovic. Adrian Dennis, AFP/Getty Images Urszula Radwanska of Poland returns a shot to Samantha Stosur of Australia during their singles match. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Spectators enjoy a drink during second-round action at Wimbledon. Andy Rain, EPA Jack Sock reacts during his match against Sam Groth on Day 2 at Wimbledon.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark plays a return to Saisai Zheng of China during the first round. Tim Ireland, AP Gael Monfils of France serves to Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain during the first round. Alastair Grant, AP Ying-Ying Duan of China celebrates after defeating Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in their first-round match at in Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Ball boy during Day 2 of the Wimbledon Championships. Clive Brunskill, Getty Images Madison Keys reacts during her match against Stefanie Voegele. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Rafael Nadal celebrates a match point in his match against Thomaz Bellucci. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Eugenie Bouchard returns to Ying-Ying Duan during their singles match. Pavel Golovkin, AP Laura Robson of Britain returns a ball to Evgeniya Rodina of Russia during the women's singles first round match. Alastair Grant, AP Garbine Murguruza returns a ball during her match against Vavara Lepchenko. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Rafael Nadal returns against Thomaz Bellucci.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Andy Murray reaches for a return from Mikhail Kukushkin at Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Vavara Lepchenko in action during her match against Garbine Murguruza. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a ball to Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia during their singles first-round match. Tim Ireland, AP Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci returns to Spain's Rafael Nadal during their men's singles first-round match. Adrian Dennis, AFP/Getty Images Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands returns to Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. Andy Rain, EPA Spectators sit on "Murray Mount" and watch a big screen during the second day of play at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships. Alastair Grant, AP Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic returns a ball to Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands. Tim Ireland, AP Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in action in his gentlemen's singles first-round match. Ian Walton, Getty Images Kurumi Nara of Japan in action in her ladies singles first round match against Magda Linette of Poland.

Ian Walton, Getty Images Serena Williams reacts during her match against Margarita Gasparyan on Day 1 of Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Defending champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after winning his first round match against Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany during day one of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships Julian Finney, Getty Images Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a ball to Johanna Konta of Britain during their first round-match. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Belarus's Victoria Azarenka arrives to play her singles first round match against Estonia's Anett Kontaveit at The All England Tennis Club. Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images Margarita Gasparyan in action against Serena Williams at Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Spectators watch the first-round match between Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria at Wimbledon. Alastair Grant, AP Serena Williams returns against Margarita Gasparyan on Day 1 at Wimbledon at the AELTC. Mandatory. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports A Novak Djokovic fan shows her arm decoration on Day 1 at Wimbledon.

Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany reaches to return a ball to Bernard Tomic of Australia. Alastair Grant, AP A match is reflected in the glasses of a spectator on Day 1 at Wimbledon. JUSTIN TALLIS, AFP/Getty Images Johanna Konta of Great Britain returns against Maria Sharapova of Russia. Julian Finney, Getty Images Samantha Stosur of Australia returns to Danka Kovinic of Montenegro during their first-round match. Alastair Grant, AP Bernard Tomic of Australia plays a return to Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany. Alastair Grant, AP Samantha Stosur of Australia is sheltered from the sun during a break in play. Alastair Grant, AP Belinda Bencic of Switzerland returns to Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria during their first-round match. Alastair Grant, AP Venus Williams returns to Madison Brengle during their first-round match. Adrian Dennis AFP/Getty Images Richard Gasquet of France plays a forehand in his first-round match against Luke Saville of Australia. Ian Walton, Getty Images Estonia's Kaia Kanepi serves against Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh during their first-round match.

LEON NEAL, AFP/Getty Images Kei Nishikori of Japan serves to Simone Bolelli of Italy during the first round. Pavel Golovkin, AP Estonia's Kaia Kanepi serves against Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh. LEON NEAL, AFP/Getty Images Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: Replay Serena Williams rolls past sister Venus at Wimbledon FacebookEmail Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Serena Williams rolls past sister Venus at Wimbledon LONDON – Back on Centre Court for the first time in six years against sister Venus, Serena Williams demonstrated why – and how – she's distanced herself as the better of the two sisters, as well as perhaps the Post to Facebook Serena Williams rolls past sister Venus at Wimbledon LONDON – Back on Centre Court for the first time in six years against sister Venus, Serena Williams demonstrated why – and how – she's distanced herself as the better of the two sisters, as well as perhaps the Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

12 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Serena Williams rolls past sister Venus at Wimbledon Nick McCarvel, Special for USA TODAY Sports Published 9:26 a.m. ET July 6, 2015 | Updated 5:47 p.m. ET July 6, 2015 CLOSE Share Brian Webber breaks down the fourth-round action at Wimbledon. Serena Williams (USA) and Venus Williams hug at the net after their match on day seven of Wimbledon. (Photo: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports) 6714 CONNECT TWEET LINKEDIN 12 COMMENTEMAILMORE LONDON – Back on Centre Court for the first time in six years against sister Venus, Serena Williams demonstrated why – and how – she's distanced herself as the better of the two sisters, as well as perhaps the greatest women's tennis player to play this game. Monday the younger Williams sister, 33, beat 35-year-old Venus in their 26th career meeting, earning a berth in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Here's what went down. Scoreline: [1] Serena Williams (USA) def.

[16] Venus Williams (USA) 6-4, 6-3 The crowd was squarely in Venus' corner, but Serena never gave them the chance to play a role in this match, jumping to 2-0 and 4-2 advantages in the first set. Venus had won their most recent meeting, in Montreal last summer, but Serena extended her head-to-head advantage to 15-11. CLOSE x Share Nick McCarvel breaks down some of the favorites and sleepers ahead of the 2015 edition of Wimbledon. USA TODAY Sports What it means: Serena keeps her chase of the calendar Grand Slam alive, having won the Australian and French Opens. She's also looking for the second 'Serena Slam' of her career, having won at the US Open last year. She'll have claimed four consecutive Grand Slams should she walk away the winner Saturday. How it happened: Serena outdueled sister Venus, closing out the first set with an ace wide, 33 minutes after they walked on court. Venus held in an all-important first game of the second set, but Serena broke midway through the second and didn't look back.

She held for 5-3, then broke to love for the match, Venus belting a backhand long to end the match in one hour, seven minutes. Sister, sister: The Williams sisters have never delivered their best tennis against one another, but this was an affair of Serena's poised power against Venus, who is a step slower at 35, playing in her 18th Wimbledon. Both five-time champions here, Serena is looking to collect her first crown at the All England Club since 2012. U-S-A party: She joins compatriots Madison Keys and CoCo Vandeweghe in the quarterfinals, marking the first time three American women have been this far since 2004, when Serena was joined by Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati in the round of eight. Key stat: Serena served 10 aces on a day when her sister needed her serve to deliver more poignantly, Venus winning just 59 percent of points off of her first serve. It was one of the more cleanly-played matches you'll see Serena engage in, striking 36 winners and hitting just 13 unforced errors over the court of the 17 games played.

The distance between them was shown in the overall points won, as well, Serena with a 69-47 advantage. What she said: "It's hard to feel excited," Serena told the BBC after the match. "It's never easy to play someone that you love and care about. She's my best friend in the world. I just had to stay focused." "It definitely doesn't get easier," Serena said of facing her sister. "I was thinking that I am 33 and she just turned 35. I plan on playing for years, but you never know, so I just took that moment in. It was kind of surreal for a moment there." "It was really good for me to get it done in straight sets and put this behind me." Added Venus, in a news conference after the loss: "I think we've always dreamed, growing up, of playing at the highest level, playing each other. Playing before the later rounds is definitely not ideal. But, you have to play whoever you play... that's the draw." "I guess I'll not come back when I don't want to be here," Venus added about her Wimbledon future.

PHOTOS: Top shots from Wimbledon A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Jelena Jankovic celebrates her third-round victory over second-seeded and defending champion Petra Kvitova. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Jelena Jankovic falls to the ground as she celebrates her upset win over Petra Kvitova. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Petra Kvitova chases a return during her third-round loss against Jelena Jankovic. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Roger Federer runs down a backhand return during his third-round victory against Sam Groth. Tim Ireland, AP Viktor Troicki stretches for a backhand return against Dustin Brown during the third round. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Dustin Brown laments a point during his third-round loss to Viktor Troicki. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Andy Murray celebrates a point during his third-round win against Andreas Seppi. Tim Ireland, AP Andy Murray serves to Andreas Seppi during the third round. Justin Tallis, AFP/Getty Images Andy Murray fans go nuts during his third-round victory against Andreas Seppi. Tim Ireland, AP Madison Keys celebrates a point during her third-round win against Tatjana Maria.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Gilles Simon returns to Gael Monfils during their third-round match. GLYN KIRK, AFP/Getty Images Gael Monfils reacts after slipping during a point against Gilles Simon during their third-round match. GLYN KIRK, AFP/Getty Images Caroline Wozniacki blows a kiss to the crowd after her third-round victory over Camila Giorgi. Ian Walton, Getty Images Caroline Wozniacki serves to Camila Giorgi during the third round. Andy Rain, EPA Petra Kvitova serves to Jelena Jankovic during the third round. Gerry Penny, EPA Serena Williams reacts during her match against Heather Watson on Day 5 at Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Britain's Heather Watson acknowledges the crowd as she leaves the court after her loss to Serena Williams. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Serena Williams reacts during her match against Heather Watson. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Britain's Heather Watson serves to Serena Williams during their match. Adrian Dennis, AFP/Getty Images Nick Kyrgios reacts during his match against Milos Raonic on Day 5 at Wimbledon.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia returns a ball to Venus Williams of the United States. Tim Ireland, AP Venus Williams returns to Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic. Glyn Kirk, AFP/Getty Images Russia's Maria Sharapova serves against Romania's Irina-Camilia Begu during their third-round match at Wimbledon. Justin Tallis, AFP/Getty Images Serena Williams reacts during her match against Heather Watson. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Heather Watson of Great Britain plays a forehand in her match against Serena Williams of the United States. Shaun Botterill, Getty Images U.S. player Sloane Stephens returns to the Czech Republic's Lucie Safarova. GLYN KIRK, AFP/Getty Images Australian fans cheer Australia's Nick Kyrgios during his third-round match against Canada's Milos Raonic. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka celebrates after a point against Spain's Fernando Verdasco during their third-round match on Day 5 at Wimbledon. Justin Tallis, AFP/Getty Images Novak Djokovic of Serbia makes returns to Bernard Tomic of Australia.

Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic returns a ball to Sloane Stephens of the United States. Tim Ireland, AP Nick Kyrgios of Australia celebrates a point against Milos Raonic of Canada. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Victoria Azarenka of Belarus plays a backhand in her match against Kristina Mladenovic of France. Ian Walton, Getty Images Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States of America plays a backhand against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. Ian Walton, Getty Images Spain's Pablo Andujar returns to Czech Republic's Lukas Rosol. Adrian Dennis, AFP/Getty Images Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France celebrates after winning the singles match against Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain. Alastair Grant, AP Adrian Mannarino of France returns a ball to Gael Monfils of France, during their singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Spectators in attendance for the Roger Federer and Sam Querrey match. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Roger Federer in action during his match against Sam Querrey.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Roger Federer celebrates recording match point in his match against Sam Querrey. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Germany's Dustin Brown celebrates winning a game against Spain's Rafael Nadal during their men's singles second round match. Glyn Kirk, AFP/Getty Images Dustin Brown of Germany in action against Rafael Nadal of Spain during their second round match for the Wimbledon Championships. Facundo Arrizabalaga, EPA Spain's Rafael Nadal serves against Germany's Dustin Brown during their men's singles second round match. Glyn Kirk, AFP/Getty Images Gael Monfils of France returns to compatriot Adrian Mannarino in their second round match during the Wimbledon Championships. Aandy Rain, EPA Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland in action against Silvia Soler-Espinosa of Spain during their second round match. Sean Dempsey, EPA Evgeniya Rodina of Russia in action against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia. Sean Dempsey, EPA Dustin Brown of Germany returns to Rafael Nadal of Spain in their second round match during the Wimbledon Championships. Facundo Arrizabalaga, EPA Rafael Nadal of Spain returns to Dustin Brown of Germany in their second round match during the Wimbledon Championships.

Facundo Arrizabalaga, EPA Madison Keys of the United States plays a forehand in her women's singles second round match against Elizaveta Kulichkova of Russia. Shaun Botterill, Getty Images Sabine Lisicki in action during her match against Christina McHale. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Christina McHale in action during her match against Sabine Lisicki. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland makes a return to Ajla Tomljanovic of Croatia. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Sam Querrey. Facundo Arrizbalaga, EPA Andy Murray of Britain serves to Robin Haase during their match at Wimbledon. GERRY PENNY, EPA Caroline Wozniacki returns to Denisa Allertova during Wimbledon. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Robin Haase of the Netherlands returns to Andy Murray of Britain in their second round match. Gerry Penny, EPA Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in action against Angelique Kerber.

SEAN DEMPSEY, EPA Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) celebrates recording match point in her match against Ana Ivanovic (SRB) on day three of The Championships Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Sloane Stephens (USA) celebrates recording match point in her match against Lauren Davis (USA) on day three of The Championships Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Sloane Stephens of the United States returns a shot to Lauren Davis of the United States during their second-round match at Wimbledon. Pavel Golovkin, AP Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland returns to Victor Estrella Burgos of Dominican Republic in their second-round match. SEAN DEMPSEY, EPA Fernando Verdasco of Spain celebrates winning in his second-round match against Dominic Thiem of Austria during Day 3 at Wimbledon> Shaun Botterill, Getty Images Serena Williams of the United States stretches for a forehand against Timea Babos of Hungary. Clive Brunskill, Getty Images Serena Williams (USA) in action during her match against Timea Babos (HUN) on day three of The Championships Wimbledon.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Serena Williams (USA) reacts during her match against Timea Babos (HUN) on day three. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Dominican Republic's Victor Estrella Burgos falls during his round-match against Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka. GLYN KIRK, AFP/Getty Images Great Britain's Heather Watson celebrates match point against Daniela Hantuchova on Day 3 at Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Grigor Dimitrov in action against Steve Johnson during their second-round match for the Wimbledon Championships. Facundo Arrizabalaga, EPA U.S. player Venus Williams returns to Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva. Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images Novak Djokovic of Serbia serves to Jarkko Nieminen of Finland during their singles match. Alastair Grant, AP Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia returns a shot to Heather Watson of Britain/ Tim Ireland, AP Russia's Maria Sharapova returns to Netherlands' Richel Hogenkamp during their second-round match, Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images John Isner reacts during his match against Matthew Ebden.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Alexander Zverev of Germany plays a forehand against Denis Kudla of the United States. Julian Finney, Getty Images Heather Watson of Great Britain plays a backhand against Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Marcel Granollers of Spain in action against Leonardo Mayer of Argentina. GERRY PENNY, EPA Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania returns a shot to Marin Cilic of Croatia during their singles match. Alastair Grant, AP Spectators on Aorangi Terrace take shelter from the sun on a hot day during the Wimbledon Championships. Andy Rain, EPA Coco Vandeweghe returns during her match against Karolina Pliskova. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Finland's Jarkko Nieminen reacts to losing the first set against Serbia's Novak Djokovic. Adrian Dennis, AFP/Getty Images Urszula Radwanska of Poland returns a shot to Samantha Stosur of Australia during their singles match. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Spectators enjoy a drink during second-round action at Wimbledon. Andy Rain, EPA Jack Sock reacts during his match against Sam Groth on Day 2 at Wimbledon.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark plays a return to Saisai Zheng of China during the first round. Tim Ireland, AP Gael Monfils of France serves to Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain during the first round. Alastair Grant, AP Ying-Ying Duan of China celebrates after defeating Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in their first-round match at in Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Ball boy during Day 2 of the Wimbledon Championships. Clive Brunskill, Getty Images Madison Keys reacts during her match against Stefanie Voegele. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Rafael Nadal celebrates a match point in his match against Thomaz Bellucci. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Eugenie Bouchard returns to Ying-Ying Duan during their singles match. Pavel Golovkin, AP Laura Robson of Britain returns a ball to Evgeniya Rodina of Russia during the women's singles first round match. Alastair Grant, AP Garbine Murguruza returns a ball during her match against Vavara Lepchenko. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Rafael Nadal returns against Thomaz Bellucci.

Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Andy Murray reaches for a return from Mikhail Kukushkin at Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Vavara Lepchenko in action during her match against Garbine Murguruza. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a ball to Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia during their singles first-round match. Tim Ireland, AP Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci returns to Spain's Rafael Nadal during their men's singles first-round match. Adrian Dennis, AFP/Getty Images Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands returns to Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. Andy Rain, EPA Spectators sit on "Murray Mount" and watch a big screen during the second day of play at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships. Alastair Grant, AP Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic returns a ball to Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands. Tim Ireland, AP Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in action in his gentlemen's singles first-round match. Ian Walton, Getty Images Kurumi Nara of Japan in action in her ladies singles first round match against Magda Linette of Poland.

Ian Walton, Getty Images Serena Williams reacts during her match against Margarita Gasparyan on Day 1 of Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Defending champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after winning his first round match against Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany during day one of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships Julian Finney, Getty Images Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a ball to Johanna Konta of Britain during their first round-match. Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP Belarus's Victoria Azarenka arrives to play her singles first round match against Estonia's Anett Kontaveit at The All England Tennis Club. Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images Margarita Gasparyan in action against Serena Williams at Wimbledon. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports Spectators watch the first-round match between Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria at Wimbledon. Alastair Grant, AP Serena Williams returns against Margarita Gasparyan on Day 1 at Wimbledon at the AELTC. Mandatory. Susan Mullane, USA TODAY Sports A Novak Djokovic fan shows her arm decoration on Day 1 at Wimbledon.

Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany reaches to return a ball to Bernard Tomic of Australia. Alastair Grant, AP A match is reflected in the glasses of a spectator on Day 1 at Wimbledon. JUSTIN TALLIS, AFP/Getty Images Johanna Konta of Great Britain returns against Maria Sharapova of Russia. Julian Finney, Getty Images Samantha Stosur of Australia returns to Danka Kovinic of Montenegro during their first-round match. Alastair Grant, AP Bernard Tomic of Australia plays a return to Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany. Alastair Grant, AP Samantha Stosur of Australia is sheltered from the sun during a break in play. Alastair Grant, AP Belinda Bencic of Switzerland returns to Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria during their first-round match. Alastair Grant, AP Venus Williams returns to Madison Brengle during their first-round match. Adrian Dennis AFP/Getty Images Richard Gasquet of France plays a forehand in his first-round match against Luke Saville of Australia. Ian Walton, Getty Images Estonia's Kaia Kanepi serves against Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh during their first-round match.

LEON NEAL, AFP/Getty Images Kei Nishikori of Japan serves to Simone Bolelli of Italy during the first round. Pavel Golovkin, AP Estonia's Kaia Kanepi serves against Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh. LEON NEAL, AFP/Getty Images Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: Replay

Question: Who is the tennis playing sister of Venus Williams?
Answer: SERENA