Probably a wise old man would agree – great is the one who can learn from others without them teaching. The statement holds water, especially in the case of sports. A player has, of course, his own set of skills, but there is no problem taking a cue from others from time to time. That’s what Venus Williams did. The company of her little sister, Serena Williams had a long-lasting and game-changing impact on the career of Venus who says ‘you’re who you hang out with.’

During a recent appearance on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, the 44-year-old threw light on her formative years as the elder sister of Serena Williams. When the presenter Chris Evans asked her about the possible impact Serena might have had on her career, Venus had nothing but praises and gratitude to share over her bond with Serena.

Expressing her thankfulness, the seven-time Grand Slam champion stated, “I had the honor of having great company in Serena and I learned so much from her too. She was younger by 15 months, but still younger, right? And she was the first in the family to win a Grand Slam even though I was the first to be on tour. I learned so much from her just by watching her – without her saying a word. You know by her courage, her character, and her fearlessness. And I was like I want that too – that’s how you win a major… I was so lucky to have that (inspiration) right at home.” Venus concluded by saying even though Serena was just 17 at the time, she did things so ‘amazing’ and ‘positive’ that it motivates her to this day. 

The former world no. 1 has always praised her sister for the way she steers through tough situations and finds her way to the top. Just like Venus learned a great deal from Serena – the same way, Serena also found a great coach in Venus. The 23-time Grand Slam winner also highlighted previously, how Venus helped her enhance her game and pushed her to deliver more.

When the sisters were in their early 20s, during a chat with Oprah Winfrey,  Serena said, “When we were younger, it was difficult for me to play Venus because she’d always beat me so badly. I had to improve just so I could stay in the game. Even now when we practice together, I have to watch out because she’ll just blow me off the court.”

The sisters have a great deal of love and appreciation for each other. But every time they met on the court, there was bound to be a blast. 

Venus Williams vs Serena Williams on the Tour – some intense matches there

Venus and Serena have played against each other 31 times with the H2H being 12-19 in Serena’s favor. The sibling rivalry that lasted over 2 decades saw some really tight matches. Given you weren’t a newborn at the time, you might probably remember the 2003 Australian Open final where Serena had a tough 7–6(7–4), 3–6, 6–4 victory to complete the Serena Slam.

The flashes of the Wimbledon final the same year might pop in your head occasionally where Serena again had to fight real hard to lift the trophy. And who can forget the famous 3-set semifinal in Dubai where Venus gleamed after an intense 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 victory! There are many more on the list. 

The Williams Sisters rivalry might have come to an end. But it’s tennis bud – and exhibition and celebrity matches aren’t an uncommon occurrence. Who knows if a match news is right around the corner? Not rather far-fetched, right? There is nothing wrong with hoping. Do you think we’ll get to see Venus and Serena lock horns on the court again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below: