http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/29/serena-venus-williams-win_n_441437.html
All,
Serena and Venus are my two favorite athletes on Planet Earth and I am ecstatic that Serena "Gunslinger" Williams just won her 12th career Grand Slam singles titles AND her 11th career Grand Slam doubles title with her sister Venus last week. This is also Serena's record breaking 5th Australian Open title of her career These extraordinary achievements make Serena one of the top six female singles champions of all time with the future opportunity to move even further up the ladder of tennis greatness...
The victory in the doubles final also make Venus and Serena one of the top two most succcessful doubles teams in the entire history of women's tennis--they have only lost ONCE together in their career in a doubles Grand slam tournament out of twelve career final appearances!
So CONGRATULATIONS Sisters! You both continue to be tremendous inspirations to your many fans throughout the world--both on and off the court...
Kofi
All,
Serena and Venus are my two favorite athletes on Planet Earth and I am ecstatic that Serena "Gunslinger" Williams just won her 12th career Grand Slam singles titles AND her 11th career Grand Slam doubles title with her sister Venus last week. This is also Serena's record breaking 5th Australian Open title of her career These extraordinary achievements make Serena one of the top six female singles champions of all time with the future opportunity to move even further up the ladder of tennis greatness...
The victory in the doubles final also make Venus and Serena one of the top two most succcessful doubles teams in the entire history of women's tennis--they have only lost ONCE together in their career in a doubles Grand slam tournament out of twelve career final appearances!
So CONGRATULATIONS Sisters! You both continue to be tremendous inspirations to your many fans throughout the world--both on and off the court...
Kofi
Serena, Venus Williams Win Australian Open Doubles Title
DENNIS PASSA | 01/29/10 Associated Press
MELBOURNE, Australia — Venus Williams is a much better doubles partner for her sister Serena than she is a keeper of the score.
The Williams sisters won their fourth Australian Open doubles title on Friday, beating Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-4, 6-3 in the final at Rod Laver Arena.
At the end, Venus couldn't figure out why Serena was so excited about what she thought was a game point. And Serena was perplexed why Venus was so subdued on match point.
The problem: Venus had lost track of the score.
The sisters, sitting in front of their newly won silverware in a news conference, couldn't contain their laughter when asked about the comical finish to the match.
"I actually didn't know the score, I thought that it was 5-2," Venus said. "I really don't know how I lost track. So I was confused, but I guess that's just focus.
"I thought, she's really happy about this break. I thought, 'Wow, I've never seen her this happy'. But I'll go with it."
Serena was happy, and confused.
"Yeah, I thought, 'OK, this is exciting. We defended our title' and she was like, 'What's going on?' I'm like, 'The match is over. We're done now.' It was funny."
Venus said not knowing they were one game away from clinching the match might have helped.
"I guess it's easier to hold at 3-2 instead of 4-3. I thought it was break point," she said. "I didn't know it was match. I need to play all my matches like this without knowing the score. I think it would help."
The sisters broke Huber's service to open the second set and won the match when they again broke Huber, clinching it on a winning reflex volley by Serena. They high-fived each other at the side of the court after the win.
The Williams sisters won the Australian title for the first time in 2001 and added championships in 2003 and last year. Black, of Zimbabwe, and Huber, a South African-born American citizen, won the Australian Open doubles title in 2007 and were the top-seeded team in the tournament this year.
"I have to congratulate Venus and Serena for a great tournament – you guys are too good," Black said.
It was the 11th time the Williams sisters have combined for a Grand Slam doubles title.
Serena has 11 singles majors, also, and is hoping for a 12th in the Australian Open final on Saturday against Justine Henin.
Venus Williams has also won a mixed doubles title at the Australian Open – in 1998 with American Jason Gimelstob. Serena Williams was a losing finalist in mixed doubles here with Max Mirnyi of Belarus in 1999.
Black is still in this year's mixed doubles tournament. She and partner Leander Paes of India, the top-seeded pairing, will play Ekaterina Makarova of Russia and Jaroslav Levinsky of Czech Republic in Sunday's final.
MELBOURNE, Australia — Venus Williams is a much better doubles partner for her sister Serena than she is a keeper of the score.
The Williams sisters won their fourth Australian Open doubles title on Friday, beating Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-4, 6-3 in the final at Rod Laver Arena.
At the end, Venus couldn't figure out why Serena was so excited about what she thought was a game point. And Serena was perplexed why Venus was so subdued on match point.
The problem: Venus had lost track of the score.
The sisters, sitting in front of their newly won silverware in a news conference, couldn't contain their laughter when asked about the comical finish to the match.
"I actually didn't know the score, I thought that it was 5-2," Venus said. "I really don't know how I lost track. So I was confused, but I guess that's just focus.
"I thought, she's really happy about this break. I thought, 'Wow, I've never seen her this happy'. But I'll go with it."
Serena was happy, and confused.
"Yeah, I thought, 'OK, this is exciting. We defended our title' and she was like, 'What's going on?' I'm like, 'The match is over. We're done now.' It was funny."
Venus said not knowing they were one game away from clinching the match might have helped.
"I guess it's easier to hold at 3-2 instead of 4-3. I thought it was break point," she said. "I didn't know it was match. I need to play all my matches like this without knowing the score. I think it would help."
The sisters broke Huber's service to open the second set and won the match when they again broke Huber, clinching it on a winning reflex volley by Serena. They high-fived each other at the side of the court after the win.
The Williams sisters won the Australian title for the first time in 2001 and added championships in 2003 and last year. Black, of Zimbabwe, and Huber, a South African-born American citizen, won the Australian Open doubles title in 2007 and were the top-seeded team in the tournament this year.
"I have to congratulate Venus and Serena for a great tournament – you guys are too good," Black said.
It was the 11th time the Williams sisters have combined for a Grand Slam doubles title.
Serena has 11 singles majors, also, and is hoping for a 12th in the Australian Open final on Saturday against Justine Henin.
Venus Williams has also won a mixed doubles title at the Australian Open – in 1998 with American Jason Gimelstob. Serena Williams was a losing finalist in mixed doubles here with Max Mirnyi of Belarus in 1999.
Black is still in this year's mixed doubles tournament. She and partner Leander Paes of India, the top-seeded pairing, will play Ekaterina Makarova of Russia and Jaroslav Levinsky of Czech Republic in Sunday's final.
