21 Years After Their Last Battle, Serena Williams Re-Unites With Old Foe in a Delightful Night That Celebrates Latin Music

Post her retirement, the tennis legend Serena Williams is definitely living her best life. With a storied career that lasted for nearly three decades, Serena had made quite a few rivals on the WTA Tour. Although she has successfully ‘evolved’ from the sport, she keeps getting confronted by her yesteryear rivals. After meeting her archrival, Maria Sharapova at the 2021 Met Gala, she had the chance to revisit another iconic rivalry.

Williams appeared at the highly anticipated music show led by superstars like Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, and Pitbull. It is there that Williams got the chance to meet her old rival Anna Kournikova after a total of  21 years. Kournikova last played against Williams back in 2002, before beating her in a charity match as well. Now, seeing the two legends together was indeed a sweet surprise for fans. 

Serena Williams meets Anna Kournikova, more than two decades after their last battle

In a remarkable twist of fate, Williams found herself on a stage that showcased her musical prowess. She was alongside her former on-court rival, Anna Kournikova. This created waves of excitement among fans who never thought they’d see these titans together again. Amidst the beats of Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, and Pitbull, the reunion of Serena and Anna became the night’s showstopper.

Serena, known for her tennis prowess, and Anna, having gracefully transitioned from the court to a life as a mother of three with pop sensation Enrique Iglesias, have had several memorable on-court battles. Williams had the upper hand in their last match in the 2002 Adidas International, Sydney, as she beat Kournikova 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. For fans, seeing them on the same stage after more than two decades proved to be a nostalgic delight.

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No longer adversaries on the court, but rather kindred spirits in the shared experience of life after the game. However, this isn’t the first time the 23-time Grand Slam champion has met one of her rivals outside the courts.

Serena and her tendency to meet old rivals

The rivalry between Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams is still considered one of the best in the Open Era. Both these athletes kept the other one on their toes throughout their 22 encounters. Although the ‘Queen of the Courts’ got the better of her Russian rival in 20 of those matches, it didn’t stop them from posing together a couple of years ago at the 2021 Met Gala. The two had an interesting interaction, along with Venus Williams, and it seems like not everyone takes their on-court rivalry home.

Now that Williams has retired from the sport, she seems to be indulging more and more with other players. Her appearance with Anna Kournikova can be counted as one such encounter. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.

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