The story of Serena and Venus Williams perfectly describes hard work and subsequent success. There were various challenges the two faced on the way, but they didn’t stop until they achieved their goals. Serena and Venus are pretty close as sisters but have long been rivals on the court.
Elder sister Venus Williams has seven Grand Slam Majors and is a legend. However, with her 23 Grand Slam titles, Serena Williams has left her sister far behind. While everyone can not be Serena, Venus, being a great player herself, remained in the shadow of her supremely successful sister. Former American tennis star Zina Garrison once explained how Serena’s success impacted Venus.
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The impact of Serena’s success on Venus Williams
Having an extremely successful sibling can be very challenging. Especially when you both are in the same profession. However, if we look at Venus, the 42-year-old found a way to create a legacy of her own. While the attention was mostly on the younger and more successful sister, Venus quietly worked hard for her career.
Here’s what former American tennis star Zina Garrison said about Venus’ change in behavior after Serena’s success.
“I think it was a pretty difficult transition for Venus, as a competitor, from the moment Serena became the first one to win a Grand Slam (at the 1999 US Open). But she’s done a great job,” she said.
Garrison further added, “Venus kind of separated from everybody a little bit. Even now when I see her, she’s just like “Oh, hi.’ Sometimes she seems happy, other times she’s subdued. I think she made a decision to enhance the big sister role. And really focus on doing her own thing.”
Serena credits Venus for her success
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Serena Williams recently concluded her illustrious career. The 41-year-old was playing the dual role of a mother and a tennis player. Earlier this year the 23-time Grand Slam champion announced her intention to bid goodbye to tennis after the US Open.
The former world number one had a third-round run in her last tournament. After playing her last match, she had a list of people to thank for her achievements. The first one she had on her list was Venus Williams. The 41-year-old said that Venus is the reason she played tennis.
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Serena retired, but Venus is still active. The 42-year-old, however, has taken a break after the US Open and will make a return next year.