Venus and Serena Williams have changed the course of sporting history and captured the hearts of countless fans, particularly in the United States. The popularity they enjoyed during their early playing days influenced people differently. The two of them were entertainers and massive crowd pullers; whether they played against each other in singles or teamed up in doubles. As a testament to this fact, history was made when the legendary sisters competed for the US Open crown in 2001. A similar transcendence is currently happening in women’s soccer, 22 years since the Williams sisters changed the course of women’s tennis.

In addition to being entertainers, the Williams sisters are also legends of the sport. The younger sister, Serena, in particular, who retired from tennis earlier this year, has the second-highest major title record with 23 Grand Slam victories while Venus has seven.

Which record of Venus and Serena Williams was recently broken?

In 2001, Venus and Serena Williams‘ US Open final was telecasted on primetime by CBS for the first time, ushering in a new era for women’s sports. The record was standing until today. The recently concluded NWSL championship game broke the record set in the 2001 US Open.

The NWSL championship game was telecasted live during prime time on CBS Sports. The first time CBS covered a women’s sports finals was back in 2001 when the Williams sisters were at the peak of their career and playing the finals at Flushing Meadows. 

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Now, that record was broken by women’s soccer, one of the fastest growing sports in the United States, in terms of fan engagement and viewership.

Venus Williams’ victory over Serena

The Williams sisters competed against each another in the US Open championship match back in 2001. After winning her first US Open championship in 2000, the Venus was the clear favorite at that time. As expected, the reigning champion defeated her sister in straight sets in a fairly uncomplicated match for the seven-time Grand Slam champion.

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Despite their intense rivalry over the years, the Williams sisters have always maintained a strong bond outside the court. Venus has often attended her sister’s high-profile matches and Serena, in her emotional retirement speech, mentioned her sister as the most important person in her career.