WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND –
Bill Simons
It’s a tale beyond belief. And the most implausible, astounding, head-scratching yarn in sports history just got a lot more astounding.
Serena and Venus Williams were conceived by their visionary, one-of-a-kind papa in order to become the No. 1 and No. 2 players in the world and to create a lucrative income stream. As little girls they trained on hardscrabble courts with threadbare balls. As young teens they emerged into a daunting, largely white sport with beads in their hair, raw power in their rackets and an “us against them,” take-no-prisoners ‘tude. Bold, brash and good, they danced from victory to victory, navigated one controversy after another, and transformed the game quite thoroughly. They bumped into their foes, whom their dad called “ugly white turkeys” and bumped into the expectations of fans and the creaky ways of the establishment.
They were feared and reviled until everything gradually morphed and they gained the world’s respect and love. Pioneers and trailblazers, they fought against the Confederate flag and anti-Semitism, and for everything from equal justice to equal prize money for women. On court and off, they held their ground.
And no duo – certainly no two siblings – have come close to their heady accomplishments: 28 Grand Slam singles titles, 118 tournament titles, 8 Olympic Gold Medals and enough money, we imagine, to float the debt of a country or two. Sure, Venus could be aloof, even imperious. Serena – well, Serena was always Serena. She’s threatened lines persons, stared down foes and been unkind to more than one ump. She stepped on a glass in a German bar and stepped on the feelings of fans. She almost died in an LA hospital due to an aneurysm. Six years ago Venus revealed that she was dealing with the debilitating Sjogren’s Syndrome.
Flawed and fantastic, icons and role models, they seem more American than America. And today, in the impeccable mother church of tennis, the two oldest players in the women’s draw quickly dismissed their little-known, overmatched foes from Kazakhstan and Russia to book their spots in Wimbledon’s semifinals.
The All-England club oozes dignity. But fans and media alike couldn’t help but be giddy over the prospect of a storybook all-Williams final on Saturday – their ninth Slam final. Then again, for 19 years, the wild, wonderful, wondrous Williams sisters have been shattering expectations and crafting stories that inspire the heart and stoke the imagination.
VENUS WILLIAMS – “I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR EASY”: After her win, Venus spoke with the media:
Q: Given how long it’s been, how would you describe your road to getting back here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, the road was six years. They go by fast…But I’ve been really blessed…I don’t have any regrets…It’s been a journey, but it’s made me stronger.
Q: What were the challenges to your belief during that time?
VW: The good part is I always felt like I had the game. This is always a plus…[Then] you just have to keep working until things fall into place.
Q: When you had your physical problem, many people said okay, she’s had a fabulous career but that’s it. Then you went on this incredible journey. What’s been the most difficult part of the journey, and what have you learned the most?
VW: The most difficult part is just not being in control because when you’re an athlete, you’re used to being in control, being able to work for anything. Not being able to do that is a challenge.
Also, it was a relief for me to know what was wrong with me, because I hadn’t felt well in a while. It was, “Okay, I’m not crazy.” So that was a good moment.
This has been my life. What can I say? I wouldn’t wish it any other way. It’s been my life. It’s been a beautiful life. It’s been a great experience. It’s been everything.
Q: What have you learned through these past years when you’ve been dealing with everything? What’s really the takeaway?
VW: It’s hard to say just one lesson. It’s easy to be afraid. You have to let fear go. Another lesson is you just have to believe in yourself, you just have to. There’s no way around it…No matter how things are stacked against you, you just have to – every time.
Q. Was there ever any kind of thought of retiring at any point while it was at its most difficult?
VW: Retiring is the easy way out. I don’t have time for easy. Tennis is just hard.
Q: Were you never angry, did you never feel robbed?
VW: No, you can’t change what happens. It could have happened differently, but it didn’t.
Q: A few years ago you said that you would never expect to be playing tennis being 35 years old…If someone would tell you you’d be still playing at 40 would that be feasible?
VW: You have to understand that 21-year-olds are foolish. I didn’t think I was going to be here at 36. Now, if I’m here at 46, I will say that 36-year-olds are foolish.
Q: With everything that’s gone on, if this was Hollywood, you’d go on and win…
VW: Real life is what Hollywood is based off of. So, hey, let’s do it.
Q: Seven of the men in the top 10 are married, how much harder is it for a female to have a balanced life?
VW: I heard being married is tough (smiling). Have to stick around, be supportive, listen. It seems really hard.
Q: What do you feel are your one or two best qualities as a player?
VW: To reach the highest level, just the belief that you ought to be the one. The passion to fight. In any sport you see it. Somehow we athletes all figure out how to make a play.
Q: When did you first get that feeling that you could do it?
VW: When I was playing my dad in the ’80s. It was like ’88 at Compton Park [in LA].
GO FIGURE: The New Yorker called Nick Kyrgios “a walking existential crisis”…There were 13 breaks of serve in the Angelique Kerber–Simona Halep quarterfinal…Sam Querrey is the first American man to reach the quarters since Mardy Fish in 2011…Serena has a 4-0 record vs. Elena Vesnina, whom she’ll face in the semis. Angelique Kerber has a 3-2 record over Venus…Serena lost for the first time against Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open final in February, and has a 16-11 record over Venus…Injury-plagued Kei Nishikori has withdrawn from tournaments 16 times…Serena said that any time she loses it is “major international news”…Kyrgios brings to mind the truism, “Sport does not build character, it reveals it”…After Venus won her quarterfinal it was hard to tell who had a more radiant smile –Williams or her mom.
WAS A SEED PLANTED?: After his much-criticized performance, Kyrgios wrote this poignant note on Facebook: “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”
JUST WONDERING: Was the Cibulkova-Radwanska fourth-round encounter the best match so far at Wimbledon?…Which family duo is more likely to come away from Wimbledon with multiple championships: Serena and Venus, Andy and Jamie Murray, or Bob and Mike Bryan?
URINE TROUBLE, PABLO? Questions still hover about whether Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas peed into a tennis can under the stands late in a doubles match when the ump would not grant him a bathroom break, as some said. But officials denied it happened.
IS TENNIS GOING SOFT? Kyrgios conceded that he was “just a little soft” during his loss to Murray…The BBC said “all of us have a little bit of a soft spot for Venus.”
QUOTEBOOK
“To be honest I woke up this morning and played computer games. Is that the greatest preparation? I don’t know. But it was fun.” – Nick Kyrgios on his match preparation before playing Andy Murray
“He’s mentally lazy…[The word] disappointed doesn’t even describe my feelings.” – John McEnroe on Kyrgios
“It’s no longer a sport about teenagers.” Lindsay Davenport on the fact that the youngest women’s quarterfinalist is 24
“I never saw myself as a great grass court player.” – Dominika Cibulkova on why she planned her wedding for Saturday, the same day as the Wimbledon final
GIVING NEW MEANING TO THE PHRASE COLD FEET: It wasn’t until she was taking an ice bath after her fourth round win that Dominika Cibulkova realized she might have to postpone her wedding, which was set for Saturday.
SOUNDS AND SMELLS: Cibulkova gained notoriety when she was able, without hesitation, to identify the smell of each of the tennis ball brands that are used in each of the Grand Slams, but today it was not odors but sounds which were key. Since she lost today, she will now go through with her plans to get married and she will be hearing wedding bells Saturday.
HEADLINES OF THE DAY:
It Is Time We Saluted Serena As the Game’s Greatest Icon?
Silky Federer Is Growing Old Gracefully
Querrey Proves He Is No Flash In the Pan
Sullen Kyrgios Letting His Great Talent Go to Waste
Krygios Branded a Disgrace After Pathetic Surrender to Majestic Murray
Now Go On and Win This, Andy
Whisper It, But Murray Looks Set for Final
This Wasn’t Tennis: This Was a Brutal Dissection
THE DALAI LAMA AND THE POPE AT WIMBLEDON: Writer Simon Briggs claimed that “Murray has been as mentally unflappable as the Dalai Lama.” The religious Juan Martin del Potro recalled that he’d met Pope Francis, and said, “We are so proud to have the Pope from Argentina. In our country, he’s doing everything well for us. He’s trying to change a few things in the world.
“But at this moment, the world, it’s very aggressive in all countries, as [we saw] a few days ago in Turkey. It was a really sad moment for the people. He’s doing well, but also [it’s] really difficult to dominate the world in that position. But we have to pray for him.”
