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(upbeat music)
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- [Narrator] The
Williams sisters.
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Never before has the
surname rang so synonymously
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with the sport of tennis.
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Dominating the game
for over three decades,
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winning every title imaginable.
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Few players will ever achieve
the heights of the famed duo.
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With 14 Grand Slam titles
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and three Olympic gold
medals as a doubles team
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and 30 combined Grand
Slam singles titles,
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winning almost seems
like second nature
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for Serena and Venus.
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From inexperienced
teenagers to seasoned vets,
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nobody could have predicted
the sister's careers,
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or could they?
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(upbeat music continues)
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- [Simon] Welcome to viewers
from British Eurosport.
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It's an amazing sound here,
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(crowd booing)
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a crescendo of boos
for Serena Williams.
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And there's father Richard
coming down, it's quite amazing.
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Jo Durie alongside me,
Simon Reed, there's Venus.
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And the crowd, an American
crowd booing an American family.
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And you have to say
that it does smack
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of a little bit of racism.
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- [Jo] Oh wow, I'm
just speechless.
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I've never heard
this before, ever.
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And I've been on the circuit,
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or was on circuit for
quite a long time.
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(crowd booing)
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- [Narrator] Known as
the sport of kings,
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tennis is rooted
in the upper class.
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From its origins in
the 12th century,
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tennis has become synonymous
with wealth and social status.
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Rod Laver, Pete Sampras,
Steffi Graf and Chris Everett,
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the game has given us some
of the greatest athletes
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to ever live.
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However, from the players,
to the umpires, to the fans,
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there is one thing
that stands out.
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(orchestra music)
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- I think tennis
is still perceived
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as a bit of a posh sport,
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bit of a middle class sport.
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So that one of the
reasons for that is
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its royal roots, if you like.
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It started off, you know,
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as a real tennis and
I think that it's got
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a royal connections
in that respect.
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Tennis is a sport that
started history hazard.
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It started the monks playing
in French monasteries
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in the 12th century, a
game called jeu de paume,
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which was they
are hitting a ball
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with the palm of their hands
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in the cloisters
against the wall.
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Now this developed
in the 16th century.
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They started playing with
rackets, and it, that's why,
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that's when the Royal
Association started.
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Henry the Fifth and,
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and Henry the Eighth
really loved the sport.
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You know, there are
perceived barriers to it,
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so it's perceived as a
middle class white sport.
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So there weren't many
role models for that,
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for the Williams
sisters to go into.
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Also, it's an expensive sport,
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so it can be an expensive sport.
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You've got to hire your courts,
you've gotta' buy rackets.
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And then once you've
started, you reach a level.
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Junior events, you go around,
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you gotta' travel around to
play with different events
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all around the country
and then internationally.
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So the, there are the,
there are these barriers
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that are for,
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that prevented many people
entering the sport before them.
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This is Hollywood.
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A fantasy land of
glamour and beauty.
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It stars our jewels
in the golden setting
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of exquisite homes,
monumental studios and
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sparkling atmosphere.
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(calm music)
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(upbeat music)
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(upbeat music)
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(police siren)
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- [Reporter] Los Angeles
means the city of the angels,
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but down below,
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the glittering lights of
Hollywood and Bel-Air,
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the streets are
far from angelic.
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For just a few blocks
from the Olympic sites and
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the tourist hotels,
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the glamour quickly gives
way to the grubby world
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of Gangland.
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Los Angeles has the worst
gang problem in the States
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with some 20,000 thugs
dedicated to violence.
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- I mean, going to
jail back and forth,
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I mean, killing and also
watching brothers get killed.
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I mean, it can take
a toll on your life,
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can take a toll on your mind.
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You just standing right
next to a brother and
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you just see him get
his head blown off.
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- [Narrator] Although
only 20 miles
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from the glamour and
glitz of Hollywood,
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Compton is a world away.
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The 1980s were difficult
times for the city of Compton.
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Having exceeded the middle
class bliss of the sixties,
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Compton had become a
hardened working class hub,
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tarnished by gun
violence and drug dealing
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by criminal gangs.
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- [Reporter] On Saturday night,
recently, five people died.
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All of them victims of
what they call here,
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drive-by shootings.
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- To me, it's very shocking
to talk to these youngsters.
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And I'm talking about a 15
or 16 year old young man
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that has the ability to go
by and just indiscriminately
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fire a weapon,
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not really caring if an
innocent bystander is struck and
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then not feeling any
sort of remorse for it.
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- [Narrator] Growing up
in the chaos and poverty
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that was 1980s Compton,
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the Williams sisters were
determined from a young age
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to not be another statistic.
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And with encouragement
from their father, Richard,
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the girls chose their path.
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- I mean the film King Richard,
the Oscar winning film,
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shows a little bit about this,
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this history and
how he took them,
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the two sisters onto
these tennis courts,
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public tennis courts
in Compton and LA and
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coached them, and coached
them, and coached them,
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and turned them into stars.
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He did it in a different way.
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So not only that's the,
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the traditional country
club way of doing it.
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Also, during their
younger years,
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he decided they weren't
gonna play junior events.
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You know, the events,
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that's the traditional path you
play against contemporaries,
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people of your age.
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You learn to play,
you learn to win.
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That, he didn't, decided his
daughters wouldn't do that.
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He wanted them to have
education as well, you know,
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a formal education.
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He wanted them to be at home.
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He wanted them to learn.
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And then, when the
time was right,
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he released them on
the tennis world.
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- I put that one
so long ago, sir.
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Me too.
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- [Interviewer] Here's
a, here's a question.
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I'm sure you've been
asked more than once.
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Yes.
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- [Interviewer] What do you
want to be when you grow up?
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Tennis player.
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- I would like to
be a tennis player.
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- [Interviewer 2] If you
were a tennis player,
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who would you want to be like?
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- Well, I'd like other
people to be like me.
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- [Interviewer 2]
That's a good answer.
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- [Narrator] From
the age of four,
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Richard began
coaching the girls,
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spending countless
hours on the courts,
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mapping out a path to stardom,
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training in harsh conditions
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with used equipment in the
heart of gang territory.
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The girls quickly
developed their skills,
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drawing in crowds to
watch them practice
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on the courts of Compton.
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By 1992,
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Venus and Serena were
playing on the Junior Circuit
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across the country,
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all under the watchful eye
of their protective father.
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- Richard Williams, not only
the father to Serena and Venus,
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he was their original coach and
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he was a driving force
behind their early successes.
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So there were
barriers to, you know,
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African-Americans, people of
colour accessing the sport.
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He decided that it was
a, it was an investment,
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it was a job, and money
could be made out of this.
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So he decided to
train champions and
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he took that on himself.
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[Interviewer] Very confident.
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I'm very confident.
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You say it so easily.
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Why?
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[Venus] Because I believe it.
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- [Richard] All right, cut
that here if you don't mind,
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and let me tell you why.
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What she said,
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she said it was so much
confidence the first time,
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but if you keep
going on and on...
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- [Interviewer] We
can't keep interrupting.
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I mean, if you want...
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- You got to understand that
you dealing with an image
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of a 14 year old child and
this child gonna' be out
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there playing when
your old ass and me
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gonna' be in the grave.
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When she say something, we
done told you what's happening,
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You dealing with a little
black kid and let her be a kid.
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She done answer it with
a lot of confidence,
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leave that alone.
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[Narrator] By 1997,
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Serena and Venus had
propelled themselves
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from the Junior Circuit to
playing professional tennis.
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- Well, it's interesting
because at our level it's,
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we still have a lot of
things that we wanna work on,
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00:10:18,170 --> 00:10:19,552
like basic techniques.
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00:10:19,652 --> 00:10:22,275
And you have to have a
strong foundation, I believe,
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and my parents and
my dad taught us
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that in order to be at a level
of a professional tennis,
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00:10:28,662 --> 00:10:31,606
you need to have a really,
really strong foundation
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so it can, it won't
break and it won't crack
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under any type of pressure.
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So sometimes my dad says,
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00:10:37,913 --> 00:10:39,454
"Okay, remember
when we were young,"
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00:10:39,554 --> 00:10:41,857
we used to always have this
saying, you know, "turn back."
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00:10:41,957 --> 00:10:45,061
And we would always say,
"yeah", so we'd go back to that.
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00:10:45,161 --> 00:10:47,483
So I think that's
really important.
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(thudding of tennis balls)
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- [Narrator] Making
their mark early,
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00:11:05,984 --> 00:11:09,929
Venus reached five quarter
finals, one semifinal,
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00:11:10,029 --> 00:11:12,732
and one final at
Grand Slam Tournaments
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in her first three years.
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(dramatic music)
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00:11:30,972 --> 00:11:33,475
Painstakingly close
to lifting gold,
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Venus looked set to
achieve her lifetime goal,
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00:11:37,299 --> 00:11:38,761
however,
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00:11:38,861 --> 00:11:42,285
it would be Serena that would
get the opportunity first.
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00:11:42,385 --> 00:11:46,209
Defeating world number one,
Hingis, in the US Open final,
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Serena captured the
first Grand Slam
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of the sister's careers.
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00:11:50,995 --> 00:11:53,718
(crowd cheering)
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- [Announcer] It is my great
pleasure to present to you
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00:11:59,965 --> 00:12:04,810
the 1999 US Open Women Singles
trophy to Serena William.
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(crowd roaring)
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00:12:12,219 --> 00:12:14,121
- [Announcer 2]
Ladies and gentlemen,
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00:12:14,221 --> 00:12:19,066
the 1999 US Open Women's Singles
champion, Serena Williams.
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00:12:20,588 --> 00:12:23,151
(crowd roaring)
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00:12:31,881 --> 00:12:33,783
- [Narrator] Serena's
Win would make her the
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00:12:33,883 --> 00:12:35,785
first African-American woman
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00:12:35,885 --> 00:12:39,769
to win a Grand Slam since
Althea Gibson in 1958,
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00:12:42,012 --> 00:12:44,174
making her first
mark in history.
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00:12:45,696 --> 00:12:47,078
- [Reporter] Althea Gibson
of New York became the
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00:12:47,178 --> 00:12:49,320
first of her race to win the
title at Wimbledon, England.
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00:12:49,420 --> 00:12:52,344
And she won the
US Nationals, too.
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Sportsmen everywhere
applauded Althea's triumph
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00:12:59,632 --> 00:13:01,414
and shared in her
moment of glory
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00:13:01,514 --> 00:13:03,416
when Queen Elizabeth
herself presented the
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00:13:03,516 --> 00:13:05,819
symbol of victory to
the girl from Harlem who
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00:13:05,919 --> 00:13:09,843
became the toast of the
tennis world in 1957.
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I think it was a motivation.
249
00:13:16,250 --> 00:13:18,914
I think it was a motivation,
'cause it wasn't, you know,
250
00:13:19,014 --> 00:13:19,835
it was expected that, you know,
251
00:13:19,935 --> 00:13:21,396
Venus was the elder one and
252
00:13:21,496 --> 00:13:23,879
she would achieve
more and earlier and
253
00:13:23,979 --> 00:13:25,521
the fact that
Serena came through,
254
00:13:25,621 --> 00:13:28,604
and it was quite a shock for
her to win the 1999 US Open,
255
00:13:28,704 --> 00:13:29,806
to do that.
256
00:13:29,906 --> 00:13:31,448
So, you know,
257
00:13:31,548 --> 00:13:33,250
I'm sure it was a
motivation to her that,
258
00:13:33,350 --> 00:13:35,813
your little sister or little
brother does something
259
00:13:35,913 --> 00:13:38,596
before you, you want to
go out and do it as well.
260
00:13:40,157 --> 00:13:40,998
- [British Reporter]
It's a family affair
261
00:13:41,078 --> 00:13:42,500
that's gripped the nation.
262
00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,542
One of the Williams
sisters has to lose today,
263
00:13:44,642 --> 00:13:45,904
but which one?
264
00:13:46,004 --> 00:13:48,066
It's only happened twice
before in Wimbledon history.
265
00:13:48,166 --> 00:13:49,948
It's the first time
in the semifinals
266
00:13:50,048 --> 00:13:51,951
of a modern Grand Slam event.
267
00:13:52,051 --> 00:13:53,953
The experts forecast
a close match.
268
00:13:54,053 --> 00:13:55,835
- Sometimes when
you get two players
269
00:13:55,935 --> 00:13:57,437
that are too emotionally high,
270
00:13:57,537 --> 00:13:59,920
you can be too
emotionally high and,
271
00:14:00,020 --> 00:14:01,962
and maybe just be
a little tight.
272
00:14:02,062 --> 00:14:03,964
But I think once you get a
couple of games out the way,
273
00:14:04,064 --> 00:14:05,766
I think they'll settle
into their games and,
274
00:14:05,866 --> 00:14:07,768
and I think we're gonna see
some pretty good tennis.
275
00:14:07,868 --> 00:14:09,050
I think we're gonna see
276
00:14:09,150 --> 00:14:10,652
an extremely aggressive
tennis match.
277
00:14:10,752 --> 00:14:12,254
- The big question tomorrow
is how the umpire is going
278
00:14:12,354 --> 00:14:14,897
to address the two sisters.
279
00:14:14,997 --> 00:14:16,338
First names have been ruled out.
280
00:14:16,438 --> 00:14:19,261
The only solution appears
to be the full Monty,
281
00:14:19,361 --> 00:14:22,865
Miss Venus Williams and
Miss Serena Williams.
282
00:14:22,965 --> 00:14:24,868
Well all the excitement
over the sisters has rather
283
00:14:24,968 --> 00:14:27,631
overshadowed the men's
quarter finals this afternoon.
284
00:14:27,731 --> 00:14:30,955
- I don't know,
they just have a,
285
00:14:31,055 --> 00:14:35,680
a presence around that no
one else seems to have.
286
00:14:35,780 --> 00:14:37,001
- [British Reporter]
For once though,
287
00:14:37,101 --> 00:14:38,924
it was a less than
glamorous entrance
288
00:14:39,024 --> 00:14:40,285
for Serena and Venus,
289
00:14:40,385 --> 00:14:42,568
the brightest stars of
the ladies tournament.
290
00:14:42,668 --> 00:14:44,169
- We're feeling pretty
good about today.
291
00:14:44,269 --> 00:14:45,851
I'm ready to go home.
292
00:14:45,951 --> 00:14:48,574
- Which of these
two remarkable women
293
00:14:48,674 --> 00:14:51,177
would you put your
money on tomorrow?
294
00:14:51,277 --> 00:14:52,939
- Well, I picked Venus
to win the tournament
295
00:14:53,039 --> 00:14:54,101
at the beginning,
296
00:14:54,201 --> 00:14:56,383
so I gotta' stick with her now.
297
00:14:56,483 --> 00:14:58,185
I like her serve.
298
00:14:58,285 --> 00:15:00,628
I like the fact that she's
a little more mature,
299
00:15:00,728 --> 00:15:02,230
a little more experienced.
300
00:15:02,330 --> 00:15:05,473
But Serena has been
playing the better tennis,
301
00:15:05,573 --> 00:15:07,115
but she hasn't been
playing anybody.
302
00:15:07,215 --> 00:15:10,159
- Now of course,
these two are sisters.
303
00:15:10,259 --> 00:15:11,400
They're very close.
304
00:15:11,500 --> 00:15:12,962
They clearly love
each other very much.
305
00:15:13,062 --> 00:15:15,084
Will they be able to
be aggressive enough
306
00:15:15,184 --> 00:15:17,547
on court tomorrow
against each other?
307
00:15:19,909 --> 00:15:21,171
Well, they do, but they say
308
00:15:21,271 --> 00:15:23,293
that when they're on the
court, they're not related.
309
00:15:23,393 --> 00:15:27,058
Their previous four matches
have not been very good to watch
310
00:15:27,158 --> 00:15:30,421
because there's a tremendous
psychological block in there.
311
00:15:30,521 --> 00:15:31,943
You can't deny that.
312
00:15:32,043 --> 00:15:34,106
But I think as they
play each time,
313
00:15:34,206 --> 00:15:36,628
they realise they're
professional athletes,
314
00:15:36,728 --> 00:15:37,549
they're watching,
315
00:15:37,649 --> 00:15:38,751
the world is watching now.
316
00:15:38,851 --> 00:15:41,514
- So how is this
playing out in America?
317
00:15:41,614 --> 00:15:43,977
Has it gone Wimbledon
crazy over there?
318
00:15:45,138 --> 00:15:46,319
Very much so.
319
00:15:46,419 --> 00:15:48,161
This is a bigger story
in the United States
320
00:15:48,261 --> 00:15:49,963
than Agassi or Samprus.
321
00:15:50,063 --> 00:15:52,406
And if one of them
wins the title, woo!
322
00:15:52,506 --> 00:15:53,968
Well, no black person,
323
00:15:54,068 --> 00:15:56,851
no Black American has
won since Althea Gibson
324
00:15:56,951 --> 00:15:59,274
among the women in 1958.
325
00:16:00,555 --> 00:16:02,057
- I know when I had to
play my brother John,
326
00:16:02,157 --> 00:16:03,819
we tried to be friends,
but when we got on call,
327
00:16:03,919 --> 00:16:06,622
we had obviously, had to try
and win and beat each other.
328
00:16:06,722 --> 00:16:09,025
After the match, well,
we'd go and have a drink.
329
00:16:09,125 --> 00:16:11,067
If I won, I would buy him
a drink and vice versa.
330
00:16:11,167 --> 00:16:14,110
So it's gonna be tremendously
tough for both, both girls.
331
00:16:14,210 --> 00:16:16,794
But I just got a feeling
Venus is gonna come through
332
00:16:16,894 --> 00:16:18,155
on this one.
333
00:16:18,255 --> 00:16:20,638
- Whoever comes through
this afternoon's semifinal,
334
00:16:20,738 --> 00:16:22,680
the Williams family
will be the winner.
335
00:16:22,780 --> 00:16:25,123
And of course, both Venus
and Serena could yet
336
00:16:25,223 --> 00:16:29,207
appear in a final together
in that ladies doubles.
337
00:16:29,307 --> 00:16:30,809
- I hope that they
both could win,
338
00:16:30,909 --> 00:16:33,012
but I know that can't happen.
339
00:16:33,112 --> 00:16:35,454
To see where we come from,
out of the worst ghetto,
340
00:16:35,554 --> 00:16:39,219
to be here at the finest
club in the world.
341
00:16:39,319 --> 00:16:41,621
It's just phenomenal.
342
00:16:41,721 --> 00:16:44,344
Other words, if I was
writing a script for a movie,
343
00:16:44,444 --> 00:16:46,447
I would say it'll never happen.
344
00:16:49,050 --> 00:16:51,072
- [Serena] What don't, what
can't you love about Wimbledon?
345
00:16:51,172 --> 00:16:53,555
The grass, I mean,
wearing the white,
346
00:16:53,655 --> 00:16:57,159
playing one, the biggest
Grand Slam in the world.
347
00:16:57,259 --> 00:17:01,364
It's the biggest stadium and
you just gotta' get up for.
348
00:17:01,464 --> 00:17:03,686
- [Narrator] On the
7th of July, 2000,
349
00:17:03,786 --> 00:17:06,650
for the first time in the
history of the Open Era,
350
00:17:06,750 --> 00:17:10,394
two sisters would face off
in a Grand Slam semifinal.
351
00:17:12,916 --> 00:17:15,559
(dramatic music)
352
00:17:34,661 --> 00:17:36,563
From the public
courts of Compton,
353
00:17:36,663 --> 00:17:39,006
to the grandest stage of all,
354
00:17:39,106 --> 00:17:42,109
only one of the sisters can
make it through to the final.
355
00:17:48,356 --> 00:17:51,180
- So Lindsay Davenport will
be back on Center Court
356
00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,984
on Saturday to defend her
title against Venus Williams.
357
00:17:55,084 --> 00:17:57,226
This time Richard Williams
says he will be there
358
00:17:57,326 --> 00:17:58,788
to cheer his daughter on,
359
00:17:58,888 --> 00:18:00,991
and Venus expects
younger sister Serena
360
00:18:01,091 --> 00:18:03,273
to be rooting for her as well.
361
00:18:03,373 --> 00:18:05,275
- I didn't cry, but I
was pretty close to it.
362
00:18:05,375 --> 00:18:09,760
I sympathise with Serena
because Serena hates to lose,
363
00:18:09,860 --> 00:18:11,643
and she got to learn
that in this sport,
364
00:18:11,743 --> 00:18:13,284
you are gonna lose sometime.
365
00:18:13,384 --> 00:18:14,726
It must be very difficult.
366
00:18:14,826 --> 00:18:18,771
I remember 2000 Wimbledon when
they played in the semifinal,
367
00:18:18,871 --> 00:18:20,853
and be honest, it
was an awful match.
368
00:18:20,953 --> 00:18:23,095
You know, they both
looked nervous.
369
00:18:23,195 --> 00:18:25,698
They both looked like they
didn't want to beat each other.
370
00:18:25,798 --> 00:18:27,420
You know, it wasn't
a great spectacle.
371
00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:28,902
I mean, it was a great occasion,
372
00:18:29,002 --> 00:18:30,223
but the quality of the tennis,
373
00:18:30,323 --> 00:18:33,067
there was so many errors,
et cetera, out that.
374
00:18:33,167 --> 00:18:36,230
Venus went on to win
that and went on,
375
00:18:36,330 --> 00:18:38,072
went to win Wimbledon that year.
376
00:18:38,172 --> 00:18:39,194
But, you know,
377
00:18:39,294 --> 00:18:41,116
it must be difficult,
especially, you know,
378
00:18:41,216 --> 00:18:43,118
if you leave aside the
emotional side of it,
379
00:18:43,218 --> 00:18:44,560
the briefing someone
you love and shared
380
00:18:44,660 --> 00:18:46,662
so much of your life with,
381
00:18:47,343 --> 00:18:48,664
it's also the fact that they
prayed, trained and practiced
382
00:18:48,744 --> 00:18:50,206
together so many years.
383
00:18:50,306 --> 00:18:53,009
So they know each
other's game inside out.
384
00:18:53,109 --> 00:18:55,292
So it's very difficult
to surprise each other.
385
00:18:55,392 --> 00:18:57,895
So, you know that,
it, on so many levels,
386
00:18:57,995 --> 00:18:59,997
it was difficult for them.
387
00:19:01,278 --> 00:19:03,741
- [Narrator] Serena watched
on from the grandstands
388
00:19:03,841 --> 00:19:08,266
as sister, Venus, went on to
win her first Grand Slam title,
389
00:19:08,366 --> 00:19:11,230
the 2000 Wimbledon Championship.
390
00:19:11,330 --> 00:19:12,791
And unfortunately,
391
00:19:12,891 --> 00:19:15,314
it wasn't the last time
she'd be watching her sister
392
00:19:15,414 --> 00:19:17,416
from there.
393
00:19:23,383 --> 00:19:24,885
On the 9th of September, 2000,
394
00:19:24,985 --> 00:19:29,690
Venus won her second Grand
Slam title, the US Open.
395
00:19:29,790 --> 00:19:31,292
10 months later,
396
00:19:31,392 --> 00:19:34,936
she would go on to win her
third Grand Slam title.
397
00:19:35,036 --> 00:19:36,218
However,
398
00:19:36,318 --> 00:19:37,539
Serena wouldn't
have to wait long
399
00:19:37,639 --> 00:19:39,501
for another chance at glory
400
00:19:39,601 --> 00:19:42,144
when the two sisters were
scheduled to face each other
401
00:19:42,244 --> 00:19:44,787
in the Indian Wells Semi-final.
402
00:19:44,887 --> 00:19:46,509
Four minutes before the match,
403
00:19:46,609 --> 00:19:50,273
Venus pulled out sparking
allegations of match-fixing and
404
00:19:50,373 --> 00:19:53,757
racial abuse towards the
sisters and their dad.
405
00:19:53,857 --> 00:19:54,999
(crowd cheering)
406
00:19:55,099 --> 00:19:57,281
[Announcer] But Serena,
407
00:19:57,381 --> 00:19:59,404
has been put out,
no doubt about it.
408
00:19:59,504 --> 00:20:02,647
(announcer speaking
indistinctly)
409
00:20:02,747 --> 00:20:03,929
but I don't like it.
410
00:20:04,029 --> 00:20:05,330
I don't like the
atmosphere at all.
411
00:20:05,430 --> 00:20:07,092
I do think it smacks of a
certain amount of racism
412
00:20:07,192 --> 00:20:09,135
by a certain proportion
of the crowd,
413
00:20:09,235 --> 00:20:11,237
and that is distasteful.
414
00:20:12,438 --> 00:20:14,140
- [Narrator] Serena
would go on to say,
415
00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,143
"I looked up and all I could
see was a sea of rich people,
416
00:20:16,243 --> 00:20:18,785
mostly older, mostly white."
417
00:20:18,885 --> 00:20:21,428
Although she won the match,
418
00:20:21,528 --> 00:20:25,092
Serena felt more disconnected
from the sport than ever.
419
00:20:30,459 --> 00:20:32,441
Richard would later state that,
420
00:20:32,541 --> 00:20:35,304
"I think Indian Wells
disgraced America."
421
00:20:38,427 --> 00:20:41,030
(dramatic music)
422
00:20:43,153 --> 00:20:46,176
After the controversial
Indian Wells Tournament,
423
00:20:46,276 --> 00:20:48,619
allegations of
match-fixing continued
424
00:20:48,719 --> 00:20:52,083
as people began to question
the sister's other encounters.
425
00:20:56,047 --> 00:20:59,391
However, on the 10th
of September 2001,
426
00:20:59,491 --> 00:21:02,154
the sister had a chance
to prove the world wrong,
427
00:21:02,254 --> 00:21:04,797
when for the first time
in Open Era history,
428
00:21:04,897 --> 00:21:09,202
two sisters would face each
other in a Grand Slam final,
429
00:21:09,302 --> 00:21:11,705
the 2002 US open.
430
00:21:19,994 --> 00:21:22,777
Losing out once
again to her sister,
431
00:21:22,877 --> 00:21:27,062
Serena was determined to make
her mark on the tennis world.
432
00:21:27,162 --> 00:21:29,024
Facing off against
Venus, yet again,
433
00:21:29,124 --> 00:21:31,347
at the 2002 French open,
434
00:21:31,447 --> 00:21:35,792
Serena pulled through to win
her first Grand Slam final
435
00:21:35,892 --> 00:21:37,894
against her sister.
436
00:21:39,576 --> 00:21:41,578
And it wouldn't be the last.
437
00:21:45,823 --> 00:21:49,968
Meeting each other yet again
at the 2002 Wimbledon final,
438
00:21:50,068 --> 00:21:51,890
Serena once again
beat her sister
439
00:21:51,990 --> 00:21:54,072
in a tightly contested match.
440
00:21:57,476 --> 00:22:01,381
At the final Grand Slam of
the year, the Australian Open,
441
00:22:01,481 --> 00:22:05,666
Serena and Venus met
once again in the final.
442
00:22:05,766 --> 00:22:07,267
Winning the match,
443
00:22:07,367 --> 00:22:11,392
Serena now held three out
of four possible Grand Slams
444
00:22:11,492 --> 00:22:14,215
and had the chance to
do the unimaginable,
445
00:22:15,497 --> 00:22:16,518
when she faced her
sister once again
446
00:22:16,618 --> 00:22:20,002
at the 2003
Australian Open final.
447
00:22:20,102 --> 00:22:23,325
Serena prevailed in a
tightly contested match,
448
00:22:23,425 --> 00:22:24,607
winning by tie break,
449
00:22:24,707 --> 00:22:28,692
to claim four out of a possible
four Grand Slam titles,
450
00:22:28,792 --> 00:22:31,495
dubbed the Serena Slam.
451
00:22:31,595 --> 00:22:35,900
- So to hold all four Grand
Slam titles simultaneously
452
00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,544
shows not only your mastery
of all the three surfaces
453
00:22:39,644 --> 00:22:40,985
in the four Grand Slams,
454
00:22:41,085 --> 00:22:44,870
it also shows your consistency
during this period.
455
00:22:44,970 --> 00:22:46,431
You know,
456
00:22:46,531 --> 00:22:47,573
it's so easy to have a
bad day and an off day and
457
00:22:47,653 --> 00:22:48,954
if someone else comes out and
458
00:22:49,054 --> 00:22:50,957
plays out of this
world and beats you.
459
00:22:51,057 --> 00:22:54,440
She was able to do that
for a consistent period.
460
00:22:54,540 --> 00:22:56,082
[Newscaster] The night before,
461
00:22:56,182 --> 00:22:58,765
they'd been turning heads at
the Wimbledon Champions Ball,
462
00:22:58,865 --> 00:23:00,728
and we're as pleased with
their performance there
463
00:23:00,828 --> 00:23:02,830
as at the tournament itself.
464
00:23:04,512 --> 00:23:05,813
[Neil] Serena also,
465
00:23:05,913 --> 00:23:08,296
I think Serena enjoys the
limelight a little bit more.
466
00:23:08,396 --> 00:23:10,979
I think she's more at
ease in press conferences.
467
00:23:11,079 --> 00:23:13,622
I think she enjoys that
side of it slightly more,
468
00:23:13,722 --> 00:23:15,664
where Venus is
slightly more guarded.
469
00:23:15,764 --> 00:23:18,047
I don't think she
enjoys sharing so much.
470
00:23:19,529 --> 00:23:22,952
- [Narrator] Red carpets,
charity events, and gala dinners
471
00:23:23,052 --> 00:23:26,797
all became the norm for
tennis' newest stars.
472
00:23:26,897 --> 00:23:28,098
- [Interviewer] Some people
suggest that you've got
473
00:23:28,178 --> 00:23:29,960
so many extra side
interests that since
474
00:23:30,060 --> 00:23:32,683
have become more of a
hobby, how do you react?
475
00:23:32,783 --> 00:23:35,086
- I think that basically
you just have to listen
476
00:23:35,186 --> 00:23:36,608
to what Serena and I say.
477
00:23:36,708 --> 00:23:40,953
Any other person's suggestion
would just be opinion.
478
00:23:42,875 --> 00:23:44,296
They became megastars,
479
00:23:44,396 --> 00:23:46,379
they became known
outside the sport.
480
00:23:46,479 --> 00:23:47,780
What you're always looking
through in tennis and
481
00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,945
all sports is, you know, we
talk about a breakthrough.
482
00:23:52,045 --> 00:23:55,950
So most tennis fans will
watch all tennis events,
483
00:23:56,050 --> 00:23:57,031
you know, come what may.
484
00:23:57,131 --> 00:23:58,553
Now the sports fans,
485
00:23:58,653 --> 00:24:00,595
who have got a general
interest in sport,
486
00:24:00,695 --> 00:24:03,598
will watch, you know, the
Grand Slams, the bigger events,
487
00:24:03,698 --> 00:24:05,200
as well as a tennis fan.
488
00:24:05,300 --> 00:24:07,563
Now, what Serena Williams
and Venus Williams did,
489
00:24:07,663 --> 00:24:09,285
it helped transform the sport,
490
00:24:09,385 --> 00:24:11,367
is to make it across,
the crossover,
491
00:24:11,467 --> 00:24:14,290
to have an appeal for
everyone in society,
492
00:24:14,390 --> 00:24:16,653
to everybody that wanted to
know what they were doing.
493
00:24:16,753 --> 00:24:18,255
And Serena's achievement of the,
494
00:24:18,355 --> 00:24:20,577
the Serena Slam in '02, '03,
495
00:24:20,677 --> 00:24:23,460
winning Wimbledon
without dropping a set.
496
00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:24,542
I mean that impact in the UK,
497
00:24:24,642 --> 00:24:26,344
that made her into
an instant star.
498
00:24:26,444 --> 00:24:28,506
The way the way
she did it as well,
499
00:24:28,606 --> 00:24:30,869
was just a style of
tennis with people,
500
00:24:30,969 --> 00:24:33,031
made people step
up, look up and say,
501
00:24:33,131 --> 00:24:34,233
"Wow, that is something else,
502
00:24:34,333 --> 00:24:36,495
I've never seen anything
like that before."
503
00:24:37,536 --> 00:24:40,219
(dramatic music)
504
00:24:48,669 --> 00:24:52,133
(press yelling)
505
00:24:52,233 --> 00:24:53,654
- [Narrator] Having
established themselves
506
00:24:53,754 --> 00:24:55,176
as two of the most dominant
female tennis players
507
00:24:55,276 --> 00:24:56,377
in the world,
508
00:24:56,477 --> 00:24:59,541
Serena and Venus
transformed the sport.
509
00:24:59,641 --> 00:25:03,706
Taking on major brand
deals with Nike and Reebok,
510
00:25:03,806 --> 00:25:05,628
the sisters have become
the biggest names
511
00:25:05,728 --> 00:25:09,352
in the world of tennis.
512
00:25:09,452 --> 00:25:12,135
(dramatic music)
513
00:25:16,700 --> 00:25:20,685
Finishing the year ranked
number one and two in the world.
514
00:25:20,785 --> 00:25:22,527
- I think it reflects
the consistency
515
00:25:22,627 --> 00:25:24,129
of your performances as well.
516
00:25:24,229 --> 00:25:27,092
So, I mean, the Grand Slam
you go down in history for,
517
00:25:27,192 --> 00:25:28,013
for winning Grand Slam.
518
00:25:28,113 --> 00:25:29,294
Your name will always be there,
519
00:25:29,394 --> 00:25:30,496
but if you are a number one,
520
00:25:30,596 --> 00:25:32,098
get to become world
number one and
521
00:25:32,198 --> 00:25:33,659
certainly the end
of the year to say
522
00:25:33,759 --> 00:25:35,622
you were the best
player in that year,
523
00:25:35,722 --> 00:25:38,144
you need to be perform, to
get to world number one,
524
00:25:38,244 --> 00:25:39,546
you need to perform
on all the serves.
525
00:25:39,646 --> 00:25:41,108
You can't just be a
clay court specialist.
526
00:25:41,208 --> 00:25:42,870
You can't just be a
grass court specialist.
527
00:25:42,970 --> 00:25:44,832
You've gotta' perform
all around the world
528
00:25:44,932 --> 00:25:46,113
all through the year.
529
00:25:46,213 --> 00:25:48,356
So that's why people
value that honour.
530
00:25:48,456 --> 00:25:50,438
- [Narrator] The
sisters were now two
531
00:25:50,538 --> 00:25:52,721
of the biggest names in tennis.
532
00:25:52,821 --> 00:25:54,723
By the end of 2003,
533
00:25:54,823 --> 00:25:57,927
Serena had claimed
six Grand Slam titles
534
00:25:58,027 --> 00:26:00,730
compared to Venus's four,
535
00:26:00,830 --> 00:26:03,813
dominating the sport
with an unstoppable serve
536
00:26:03,913 --> 00:26:06,376
like nothing the tennis
world had seen before.
537
00:26:06,476 --> 00:26:07,658
[Neil] Let anyone dispute.
538
00:26:07,758 --> 00:26:10,020
She has the biggest serve
539
00:26:10,120 --> 00:26:12,103
in the history of
the women's sport and
540
00:26:12,203 --> 00:26:14,665
also, you know, has dominated it
541
00:26:14,765 --> 00:26:18,310
during certain periods
like no other player.
542
00:26:18,410 --> 00:26:19,591
So she has been,
543
00:26:19,691 --> 00:26:22,955
when she's been fit
and mentally tuned in,
544
00:26:23,055 --> 00:26:26,178
she is undoubtedly the
best player in the world.
545
00:26:28,381 --> 00:26:29,562
- [Narrator] Shortly
after winning
546
00:26:29,662 --> 00:26:31,244
her second Wimbledon title,
547
00:26:31,344 --> 00:26:34,968
Serena suffered a partial
tear of her quadriceps tendon
548
00:26:35,068 --> 00:26:37,852
in her left knee
requiring surgery.
549
00:26:37,952 --> 00:26:41,816
At the same time Venus
suffered an abdominal injury
550
00:26:41,916 --> 00:26:44,699
requiring her to step
away from the game.
551
00:26:44,799 --> 00:26:46,541
At the heartbreak
of the US fans,
552
00:26:46,641 --> 00:26:51,607
neither Venus nor Serena
competed in the 2003 US Open.
553
00:26:52,928 --> 00:26:53,930
- Yeah, the US open's the
last event of the year
554
00:26:54,010 --> 00:26:55,351
in August, September.
555
00:26:55,451 --> 00:26:56,673
It's in New York City.
556
00:26:56,773 --> 00:26:58,114
It's also the noisiest one.
557
00:26:58,214 --> 00:27:00,477
That for me at the US open
is the buzz of the crowd.
558
00:27:00,577 --> 00:27:02,679
So there's this thing at
Wimbledon where they say,
559
00:27:02,779 --> 00:27:03,761
"Quiet please," before play.
560
00:27:03,861 --> 00:27:05,483
They like it to be
perfect silence.
561
00:27:05,583 --> 00:27:07,765
It doesn't happen in New York.
562
00:27:07,865 --> 00:27:10,008
So there's the biggest
tennis arena in the world,
563
00:27:10,108 --> 00:27:12,210
the Arthur Ashe Arena, it's
like 23, 24,000 people.
564
00:27:12,310 --> 00:27:16,215
And the noise during a match
is just like nothing else.
565
00:27:16,315 --> 00:27:19,178
So there's that constant
hum and the, you know,
566
00:27:19,278 --> 00:27:21,901
the street, the vendors, the
hotdog sellers, all that.
567
00:27:22,001 --> 00:27:23,182
That's sort of, the
smells, everything.
568
00:27:23,282 --> 00:27:25,265
It's just like
nothing else for me.
569
00:27:25,365 --> 00:27:27,507
And the crowd get
into it as well and
570
00:27:27,607 --> 00:27:29,870
the crowd can give
players a hard time or
571
00:27:29,970 --> 00:27:31,592
get behind the
Americans or singing.
572
00:27:31,692 --> 00:27:34,175
The crowd atmosphere is
very special at the US Open.
573
00:27:35,576 --> 00:27:36,958
- [Narrator] Justine
Henin went on
574
00:27:37,058 --> 00:27:39,761
to claim her first US Open title
575
00:27:39,861 --> 00:27:42,945
as the sisters struggled
to return to winning form.
576
00:27:44,506 --> 00:27:46,048
- They have been unlucky and
I think they would've won
577
00:27:46,148 --> 00:27:50,253
an awful lot more if they
hadn't suffered these injuries.
578
00:27:50,353 --> 00:27:51,855
They've kept going.
579
00:27:51,955 --> 00:27:53,897
I mean that's the big thing
about these Williams sisters.
580
00:27:53,997 --> 00:27:56,940
They had various chances
during their career
581
00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:58,943
to say, "I've had a great
career, thanks very much.
582
00:27:59,043 --> 00:28:00,585
I'm gonna, I'm
gonna leave it now."
583
00:28:00,685 --> 00:28:02,387
But they've had this, you know,
584
00:28:02,487 --> 00:28:05,630
inner drive, inner belief,
to keep coming back.
585
00:28:05,730 --> 00:28:08,794
I think that differentiates
the great sports people
586
00:28:08,894 --> 00:28:11,797
that go on and win,
again and again,
587
00:28:11,897 --> 00:28:13,319
have the motivation
to do that and
588
00:28:13,419 --> 00:28:15,441
overcome obstacles like that.
589
00:28:15,541 --> 00:28:17,123
I think that's one of
the defining things
590
00:28:17,223 --> 00:28:18,805
about their careers.
591
00:28:18,905 --> 00:28:20,927
- We definitely will
miss tennis one day,
592
00:28:21,027 --> 00:28:23,450
but not any time soon
'cause Venus and I are like,
593
00:28:23,550 --> 00:28:25,132
okay, we're gonna keep playing,
594
00:28:25,232 --> 00:28:26,774
we've had a lot of
time off in our career,
595
00:28:26,874 --> 00:28:29,277
so maybe we can just keep
going and keep doing some.
596
00:28:33,441 --> 00:28:34,983
- [Narrator] On the
14th of September 2003,
597
00:28:35,083 --> 00:28:36,985
the sisters were forced to deal
598
00:28:37,085 --> 00:28:39,088
with a different type of loss.
599
00:28:41,010 --> 00:28:44,654
The loss of their half
sister, Yetunde Price.
600
00:28:47,017 --> 00:28:50,320
While Serena and Venus had been
conquering the tennis world,
601
00:28:50,420 --> 00:28:54,405
Yetunde had stayed in Compton
finding success as a nurse,
602
00:28:54,505 --> 00:28:56,928
opening her own
business and working
603
00:28:57,028 --> 00:28:59,871
as a part-time assistant
to Venus and Serena.
604
00:29:02,874 --> 00:29:06,098
However, on the night of
the 14th of September 2003,
605
00:29:06,198 --> 00:29:08,261
in a case of mistaken identity,
606
00:29:08,361 --> 00:29:12,465
Yetunde was shot while in the
passenger seat of her car.
607
00:29:12,565 --> 00:29:14,548
The Williams family
had fallen victim
608
00:29:14,648 --> 00:29:16,430
to the exact environment
they had escaped
609
00:29:16,530 --> 00:29:18,953
over 10 years previous.
610
00:29:19,053 --> 00:29:20,234
- [Newscaster] One
Saturday night recently,
611
00:29:20,334 --> 00:29:21,676
five people died.
612
00:29:21,776 --> 00:29:23,918
All of them victims of
what they call here,
613
00:29:24,018 --> 00:29:25,640
drive-by shootings.
614
00:29:25,740 --> 00:29:29,244
- To me, it's very shocking
to talk to these youngsters.
615
00:29:29,344 --> 00:29:31,807
And I'm talking about a 15
or 16 year old young man
616
00:29:31,907 --> 00:29:35,531
that has the
ability to go by and
617
00:29:35,631 --> 00:29:37,934
just indiscriminately
fire a weapon,
618
00:29:38,034 --> 00:29:41,978
not really carrying if an
innocent bystander is struck and
619
00:29:42,078 --> 00:29:45,202
then not feeling any
sort of remorse for it.
620
00:29:47,525 --> 00:29:50,028
- [Narrator] The death
had a profound effect
621
00:29:50,128 --> 00:29:51,870
on Venus and Serena,
622
00:29:51,970 --> 00:29:54,773
who were already struggling
to get back to winning form.
623
00:29:56,535 --> 00:29:58,897
(sad music)
624
00:30:00,980 --> 00:30:02,441
With Serena stating that,
625
00:30:02,541 --> 00:30:04,043
"She was a wonderful person.
626
00:30:04,143 --> 00:30:07,087
We're dealing with
it however we can.
627
00:30:07,187 --> 00:30:09,189
Some days are
better than others."
628
00:30:10,350 --> 00:30:12,132
And in 2016,
629
00:30:12,232 --> 00:30:15,456
the Williams sister opened a
community centre in Compton
630
00:30:15,556 --> 00:30:17,859
for victims of violence
and their families
631
00:30:17,959 --> 00:30:21,303
called the Yetunde
Price Resource Center.
632
00:30:21,403 --> 00:30:23,745
Yetunde's murder would
have a prolonged effect
633
00:30:23,845 --> 00:30:25,628
throughout the sister's careers,
634
00:30:25,728 --> 00:30:29,452
often acting as inspiration
and motivation to succeed.
635
00:30:33,136 --> 00:30:36,239
- They were very close
family, so raised, you know,
636
00:30:36,339 --> 00:30:38,162
coached by Richard, the father.
637
00:30:38,262 --> 00:30:40,244
The two of them became
the two big stars,
638
00:30:40,344 --> 00:30:41,886
but the other sisters as well,
639
00:30:41,986 --> 00:30:45,170
and they worked for them as
you know, as a PA, et cetera.
640
00:30:45,270 --> 00:30:48,213
So the impact it had, the
death had, on the family
641
00:30:48,313 --> 00:30:50,095
was quite, you
know, quite great.
642
00:30:50,195 --> 00:30:54,260
And I think Serena dedicated
her victory though afterwards,
643
00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:56,802
she dedicated to
her dead sister.
644
00:30:58,885 --> 00:31:00,106
And most of all,
645
00:31:00,206 --> 00:31:01,748
I would like to dedicate
this win to my sister,
646
00:31:01,848 --> 00:31:03,270
who's not here.
647
00:31:03,370 --> 00:31:06,073
Her name is Yetunde and
I just love her so much.
648
00:31:06,173 --> 00:31:09,016
(crowd applauding)
649
00:31:14,262 --> 00:31:18,287
I'll try not to get teary eyed,
but couple days ago I said,
650
00:31:18,387 --> 00:31:20,129
if I win this, it's
gonna be for her.
651
00:31:20,229 --> 00:31:22,231
So thanks Tundi.
652
00:31:26,236 --> 00:31:28,098
- [Narrator] Spurred on
by her sister's death,
653
00:31:28,198 --> 00:31:31,902
Serena won her first Grand
Slam title in two years,
654
00:31:32,002 --> 00:31:34,345
as well as completing
a near impossible feat,
655
00:31:34,445 --> 00:31:37,628
winning the tournament
as an unseeded player.
656
00:31:37,728 --> 00:31:39,190
If you are unseeded,
657
00:31:39,290 --> 00:31:41,913
you can play anybody at
the beginning of the event.
658
00:31:42,013 --> 00:31:44,196
So you can draw the number
one seed in the first round.
659
00:31:44,296 --> 00:31:47,039
Now, if you are seeded an
event, the top 32 is seeded,
660
00:31:47,139 --> 00:31:49,882
the idea is you get an
easier introduction into it,
661
00:31:49,982 --> 00:31:53,166
so your first two rounds,
you'll draw an unseeded player.
662
00:31:53,266 --> 00:31:55,408
By definition, they're
not ranked as high say,
663
00:31:55,508 --> 00:31:58,132
should be easy, you'll ease
your way into the tournament.
664
00:31:58,232 --> 00:32:02,056
So being unranked
is very rare and
665
00:32:02,156 --> 00:32:03,458
the times it has happened,
666
00:32:03,558 --> 00:32:04,519
but when Serena did
it, when was that,
667
00:32:04,599 --> 00:32:06,461
in 2007, Australia was it?
668
00:32:06,561 --> 00:32:08,103
That's when she did it.
669
00:32:08,203 --> 00:32:10,185
And she was ranked
number 81 at the time.
670
00:32:10,285 --> 00:32:11,547
They're memorable.
671
00:32:11,647 --> 00:32:14,089
You can identify when it's
happened because it's so rare.
672
00:32:15,971 --> 00:32:18,394
- [Narrator] Serena had the
chance to build on her success
673
00:32:18,494 --> 00:32:20,517
when she faced
Daniela Hantuchová
674
00:32:20,617 --> 00:32:23,080
at the 2007
Wimbledon Tournament.
675
00:32:23,180 --> 00:32:26,804
A match that would go on
to epitomise her career.
676
00:32:26,904 --> 00:32:29,126
- [Neil] The green grass at
Wimbledon is a different look
677
00:32:29,226 --> 00:32:31,889
from the hard courts
and the clay as well.
678
00:32:31,989 --> 00:32:34,492
Certainly British society
and British sport,
679
00:32:34,592 --> 00:32:36,174
has a very special
place as well.
680
00:32:36,274 --> 00:32:38,857
So tennis is a popular
sport in the UK.
681
00:32:38,957 --> 00:32:40,699
I wouldn't pretend it's
the most popular sport,
682
00:32:40,799 --> 00:32:42,541
but for those two weeks,
683
00:32:42,641 --> 00:32:44,183
especially when there's not
a big football tournament on,
684
00:32:44,283 --> 00:32:46,706
it's the biggest sporting
event in the country,
685
00:32:46,806 --> 00:32:48,788
arguably the world.
686
00:32:48,888 --> 00:32:51,411
(fans cheering)
687
00:33:00,261 --> 00:33:02,724
And it's also become, you know,
Wimbledon is a sexy sport.
688
00:33:02,824 --> 00:33:04,606
People want to go
along and see it.
689
00:33:04,706 --> 00:33:08,050
And so the royal box is full
of other sports stars, actors,
690
00:33:08,150 --> 00:33:10,172
film stars, et
cetera, like that.
691
00:33:10,272 --> 00:33:11,894
People want to go
to the tennis and
692
00:33:11,994 --> 00:33:13,997
wanna' be seen at the tennis.
693
00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:19,283
(dramatic music)
694
00:33:24,288 --> 00:33:26,311
- [Sportscaster] Serena's
starting to cramp here.
695
00:33:26,411 --> 00:33:28,413
- [Sportscaster 2] She
is. Serena is cramping.
696
00:33:29,374 --> 00:33:31,376
[Sportscaster 3] Left calf.
697
00:33:33,779 --> 00:33:34,480
And that...
698
00:33:34,580 --> 00:33:36,002
we are,
699
00:33:36,102 --> 00:33:38,484
from our location
very close to that.
700
00:33:38,584 --> 00:33:40,046
And it's visual.
701
00:33:40,146 --> 00:33:43,910
Very visible that her left
calf was up in a ball.
702
00:33:50,237 --> 00:33:51,579
It must have been,
703
00:33:51,679 --> 00:33:52,200
I'm starting to wonder if
this is more than a cramp.
704
00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,123
(Serena screams)
705
00:33:56,364 --> 00:33:58,467
And that's an awful shriek that,
706
00:33:58,567 --> 00:34:00,069
what certainly looked to be,
707
00:34:00,169 --> 00:34:01,630
and there was a
visible knot and ball
708
00:34:01,730 --> 00:34:02,992
in the back of her calf.
709
00:34:03,092 --> 00:34:05,254
May have been something
more than a cramp.
710
00:34:07,297 --> 00:34:08,278
Think about individual sports.
711
00:34:08,378 --> 00:34:10,480
Generally, there's
no hiding place.
712
00:34:10,580 --> 00:34:11,922
Now, the individual
sports, if you,
713
00:34:12,022 --> 00:34:13,924
you are, it's down
to you what you do.
714
00:34:14,024 --> 00:34:16,127
If you can play in a rugby
team or a football team,
715
00:34:16,227 --> 00:34:17,368
you can have a bad day.
716
00:34:17,468 --> 00:34:19,250
You can play badly
and you can still win.
717
00:34:19,350 --> 00:34:20,932
Everyone else can carry you.
718
00:34:21,032 --> 00:34:22,414
But when you're out there
on a tennis court playing,
719
00:34:22,514 --> 00:34:24,176
it's one-on-one, man on man,
there's no hiding place.
720
00:34:24,276 --> 00:34:25,257
It's what you do on the day.
721
00:34:25,357 --> 00:34:27,099
And if you don't
perform, you lose.
722
00:34:27,199 --> 00:34:28,901
And that's your job.
723
00:34:29,001 --> 00:34:29,822
It's your career.
724
00:34:29,922 --> 00:34:30,743
All the pressure's on you and
725
00:34:30,843 --> 00:34:32,845
all the responsibility is yours.
726
00:34:35,048 --> 00:34:37,891
(crowd applauding)
727
00:34:42,816 --> 00:34:43,918
- [Sportscaster]
I cannot imagine
728
00:34:44,018 --> 00:34:46,861
Serena Williams
coming back from this.
729
00:34:48,343 --> 00:34:49,764
- [Narrator] After
a short rain break,
730
00:34:49,864 --> 00:34:52,247
an injured Serena returned
back onto the court,
731
00:34:52,347 --> 00:34:56,232
bandaged and limping, determined
to see the game through.
732
00:35:02,999 --> 00:35:04,421
Just refused to give in,
733
00:35:04,521 --> 00:35:05,983
so that any normal person
734
00:35:06,083 --> 00:35:08,546
wouldn't have been able
to continue in that match.
735
00:35:08,646 --> 00:35:09,787
You know,
736
00:35:09,887 --> 00:35:10,728
the injury issue that
she was suffering.
737
00:35:10,808 --> 00:35:12,310
But she got a little bit lucky
738
00:35:12,410 --> 00:35:14,272
with the rain break,
et cetera, as well.
739
00:35:14,372 --> 00:35:17,556
But she managed to get herself
strapped up and go out again
740
00:35:17,656 --> 00:35:19,838
and then come back out
and win that match.
741
00:35:19,938 --> 00:35:22,802
Defying sort of medical
science, if you like.
742
00:35:22,902 --> 00:35:24,363
So that, I think that sort of,
743
00:35:24,463 --> 00:35:27,126
that kind of performance showed
that how different she was,
744
00:35:27,226 --> 00:35:28,368
how special she was.
745
00:35:28,468 --> 00:35:29,849
I mean, the extent of her injury
746
00:35:29,949 --> 00:35:31,812
where she lost in the
next round just based,
747
00:35:31,912 --> 00:35:33,413
she wasn't fit.
748
00:35:33,513 --> 00:35:36,217
So how she managed to
get through that match
749
00:35:36,317 --> 00:35:37,899
against Hantuchova
given the injuries,
750
00:35:37,999 --> 00:35:40,281
it is sheer adrenaline
and sheer will to win.
751
00:35:42,764 --> 00:35:44,586
- [Narrator] Although Serena's
injuries prevented her
752
00:35:44,686 --> 00:35:46,949
from yet another
Grand Slam title,
753
00:35:47,049 --> 00:35:50,553
sister Venus prevailed to claim
her fourth Wimbledon title
754
00:35:50,653 --> 00:35:53,156
and sixth Grand Slam overall,
755
00:35:53,256 --> 00:35:55,839
setting the sisters up for
one of the greatest periods
756
00:35:55,939 --> 00:35:57,941
in their careers.
757
00:35:58,502 --> 00:36:01,445
Between 2008 and 2010,
758
00:36:01,545 --> 00:36:04,408
Serena and Venus
dominated world tennis.
759
00:36:04,508 --> 00:36:08,052
Between them, they took home
six, out of a possible 12,
760
00:36:08,152 --> 00:36:10,575
Grand Slam titles.
761
00:36:10,675 --> 00:36:12,497
This meant that for three years,
762
00:36:12,597 --> 00:36:16,982
half of all Grand
Slam tournaments were
won by a Williams,
763
00:36:17,082 --> 00:36:19,706
making them two of the
most decorated players
764
00:36:19,806 --> 00:36:21,988
on the WTA circuit.
765
00:36:22,088 --> 00:36:24,351
The Williams sisters were back.
766
00:36:24,451 --> 00:36:27,314
Not only were the sisters at
the height of their careers,
767
00:36:27,414 --> 00:36:30,578
they were also changing the
very fabric of the sport.
768
00:36:34,262 --> 00:36:37,806
- I think that Serena Williams
has dominated women's tennis
769
00:36:37,906 --> 00:36:41,090
ever since her
first Grand Slam win
770
00:36:41,190 --> 00:36:44,533
at the 1999 US Open,
along with her sister.
771
00:36:44,633 --> 00:36:47,737
You know, there's nobody to
compare with her and her sister.
772
00:36:47,837 --> 00:36:50,500
And they're still
the person that they,
773
00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:52,502
you want to, everyone
wants to see.
774
00:36:52,602 --> 00:36:54,985
Everybody wants to
know their result.
775
00:36:55,085 --> 00:36:57,388
I always make the comparison
with Tiger Woods and
776
00:36:57,488 --> 00:37:01,152
his impact on golf and
similar unusual backgrounds,
777
00:37:01,252 --> 00:37:03,435
in fact, not used
to having, you know,
778
00:37:03,535 --> 00:37:05,917
an African American
dominate that sport.
779
00:37:06,017 --> 00:37:09,481
And so they changed the way
that people, it became sexy.
780
00:37:09,581 --> 00:37:13,566
It became, you know,
more than just, you know,
781
00:37:13,666 --> 00:37:16,449
golf and tennis have
got these perceptions
782
00:37:16,549 --> 00:37:18,892
of being quite stuffy,
middle class, white sport.
783
00:37:18,992 --> 00:37:22,056
But Tiger was for golf
and these Williams sisters
784
00:37:22,156 --> 00:37:24,999
in tennis have changed that
and changed it for the better.
785
00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:29,204
(dramatic music)
786
00:37:35,771 --> 00:37:37,233
I would say even,
787
00:37:37,333 --> 00:37:38,834
basically they're similar
and they've achieved,
788
00:37:38,934 --> 00:37:40,116
you know, similar,
789
00:37:40,216 --> 00:37:41,758
Serena's taken it to a
different level though.
790
00:37:41,858 --> 00:37:44,441
Serena's always been a
more explosive player and
791
00:37:44,541 --> 00:37:48,365
able to play at a, I think
her, Serena's best play,
792
00:37:48,465 --> 00:37:52,490
what she's been able to
achieve is, has eclipsed Venus.
793
00:37:52,590 --> 00:37:54,612
I mean, it's strange
to say that, you know,
794
00:37:54,712 --> 00:37:56,094
Venus Williams,
795
00:37:56,194 --> 00:37:57,896
for all her amazing
achievements she's achieved,
796
00:37:57,996 --> 00:38:01,059
she's not even the best
tennis player in her family.
797
00:38:01,159 --> 00:38:03,462
[Narrator] By the end of 2010,
798
00:38:03,562 --> 00:38:07,306
Serena had begun to establish
herself as the dominant sister
799
00:38:07,406 --> 00:38:10,310
with 13 Grand Slam
titles under her belt,
800
00:38:10,410 --> 00:38:12,412
compared to Venus' seven.
801
00:38:17,137 --> 00:38:18,960
Now at the height
of their careers,
802
00:38:19,060 --> 00:38:22,944
nothing would prepare
the sisters for what
was to come next.
803
00:38:24,786 --> 00:38:25,707
- [Reporter] Serena
didn't even know
804
00:38:25,787 --> 00:38:27,809
if she'd ever play tennis again.
805
00:38:27,909 --> 00:38:29,371
She severed a tendon in her foot
806
00:38:29,471 --> 00:38:31,534
stepping on a piece of
broken glass in a restaurant
807
00:38:31,634 --> 00:38:34,217
celebrating last
year's Wimbledon win,
808
00:38:34,317 --> 00:38:36,740
and then had emergency
surgery to remove blood clots
809
00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:40,263
from her lungs just before
heading out to an Oscar's party.
810
00:38:40,363 --> 00:38:41,705
- Yeah, I definitely
dodged a bullet.
811
00:38:41,805 --> 00:38:43,547
I mean, literally,
812
00:38:43,647 --> 00:38:46,511
I definitely view tennis
maybe a little different.
813
00:38:46,611 --> 00:38:48,032
I mean, I view like, okay,
814
00:38:48,132 --> 00:38:49,594
I just wanna' be healthy and
815
00:38:49,694 --> 00:38:52,998
nothing can keep one
healthy no matter,
816
00:38:53,098 --> 00:38:55,641
no titles, no money, nothing.
817
00:38:55,741 --> 00:38:57,883
- Well, Serena's career
was known for its highs and
818
00:38:57,983 --> 00:39:01,047
also its lows, usually
through injuries.
819
00:39:01,147 --> 00:39:02,969
So she had lots of
injuries during the year.
820
00:39:03,069 --> 00:39:05,772
She also admitted
suffering with depression
821
00:39:05,872 --> 00:39:08,175
after a knee injury
early in her career.
822
00:39:08,275 --> 00:39:10,978
So it was always, you know,
she never knew what to expect.
823
00:39:11,078 --> 00:39:14,081
It was all a rollercoaster
ride through her career.
824
00:39:16,204 --> 00:39:18,466
- [Narrator] Suffering
from yet another injury,
825
00:39:18,566 --> 00:39:22,271
Serena was forced to miss the
first half of the 2011 season.
826
00:39:22,371 --> 00:39:25,274
Absent from the Australian
and French Opens,
827
00:39:25,374 --> 00:39:28,037
Serena saw her rankings plummet.
828
00:39:28,137 --> 00:39:29,759
By the first week in May 2011,
829
00:39:29,859 --> 00:39:34,825
Serena was ranked
175th in the world.
830
00:39:35,706 --> 00:39:37,688
Her lowest ranking since 1997.
831
00:39:37,788 --> 00:39:39,370
Yeah, well, Venus,
832
00:39:39,470 --> 00:39:43,815
she was diagnosed with an
autoimmune disease in 2011.
833
00:39:43,915 --> 00:39:46,498
So this had a huge impact
on not just her career,
834
00:39:46,598 --> 00:39:47,699
but her life.
835
00:39:47,799 --> 00:39:49,581
So she had to
adopt a vegan diet,
836
00:39:49,681 --> 00:39:51,664
control her calories, et cetera.
837
00:39:51,764 --> 00:39:53,666
She was fatigued, everything.
838
00:39:53,766 --> 00:39:56,269
So really she had to
evaluate, you know,
839
00:39:56,369 --> 00:39:58,712
how she had to rebuild
her game and sort of
840
00:39:58,812 --> 00:40:00,994
adapt her training and
her calendar to do this.
841
00:40:01,094 --> 00:40:04,358
So, you know, on various levels,
842
00:40:04,458 --> 00:40:05,840
it's really interesting
that it just goes to show
843
00:40:05,940 --> 00:40:08,322
that even with a
condition like this,
844
00:40:08,422 --> 00:40:09,844
you could still be
successful sportsman
845
00:40:09,944 --> 00:40:12,327
if you're careful and get
the right sports science.
846
00:40:12,427 --> 00:40:15,010
It also showed her
incredible drive
847
00:40:15,110 --> 00:40:16,492
to keep continuing to play,
848
00:40:16,592 --> 00:40:18,334
'cause it would be
very easy, you know,
849
00:40:18,434 --> 00:40:20,696
she'd already won, you
know, countless Grand Slams,
850
00:40:20,796 --> 00:40:22,979
she'd already achieved
anything, most,
851
00:40:23,079 --> 00:40:25,181
a career that most players,
the envy of most players.
852
00:40:25,281 --> 00:40:27,584
But she decided, no,
I'm not gonna stop here.
853
00:40:27,684 --> 00:40:28,665
I'm gonna' keep going.
854
00:40:28,765 --> 00:40:30,708
I'm gonna' learn how
to cope with this.
855
00:40:30,808 --> 00:40:32,109
I'm gonna' adapt to it.
856
00:40:32,209 --> 00:40:33,431
I'm gonna' come back again.
857
00:40:33,531 --> 00:40:35,954
- [Narrator] With both
Serena and Venus absent
858
00:40:36,054 --> 00:40:37,155
from the game,
859
00:40:37,255 --> 00:40:38,797
questions were
beginning to be asked
860
00:40:38,897 --> 00:40:41,360
about the state
of women's tennis.
861
00:40:41,460 --> 00:40:43,482
- Just in case it
escaped your notice,
862
00:40:43,582 --> 00:40:45,965
every single one of the
Women's Quarter finalists
863
00:40:46,065 --> 00:40:48,007
at Wimbledon this
year were European,
864
00:40:48,107 --> 00:40:50,450
most of them
Eastern European and
865
00:40:50,550 --> 00:40:52,692
with the Williams
sisters gone as well,
866
00:40:52,792 --> 00:40:56,296
what does it say about the
state of women's tennis?
867
00:40:56,396 --> 00:40:58,419
- But it's similar
on the men's side,
868
00:40:58,519 --> 00:41:01,182
there was always a
new generation of
players threatening
869
00:41:01,282 --> 00:41:02,623
to come through to replace them.
870
00:41:02,723 --> 00:41:03,985
So, you know,
871
00:41:04,085 --> 00:41:07,389
the constant talking point
during the 2010s was,
872
00:41:07,489 --> 00:41:09,631
when's the changing of
the guard going to happen?
873
00:41:09,731 --> 00:41:11,233
When are these new guys
gonna come through and
874
00:41:11,333 --> 00:41:14,557
start dominating the sport
like the old guard have done?
875
00:41:14,657 --> 00:41:16,839
- [Narrator] As young new
talent began to break through,
876
00:41:16,939 --> 00:41:19,723
Serena was determined
to prove she was still
877
00:41:19,823 --> 00:41:22,205
the greatest player
in world tennis.
878
00:41:22,305 --> 00:41:24,768
- Now, 2015 was one
of the highs again,
879
00:41:24,868 --> 00:41:26,490
when she established herself
880
00:41:26,590 --> 00:41:27,772
as the best player in the world.
881
00:41:27,872 --> 00:41:29,213
So this, you know,
882
00:41:29,313 --> 00:41:31,856
the longevity of
Williams' career is shown
883
00:41:31,956 --> 00:41:34,820
that she first completed the
Serena Slam, which is holding
884
00:41:34,920 --> 00:41:37,903
all four Grand Slam singles
titles simultaneously.
885
00:41:38,003 --> 00:41:41,507
2002, 2003, she won
Wimbledon for the first time,
886
00:41:41,607 --> 00:41:43,229
it was the dominant force.
887
00:41:43,329 --> 00:41:46,273
She did it again, you
know, 14 years later.
888
00:41:46,373 --> 00:41:48,735
So 2014, 2015, she did it again.
889
00:41:50,898 --> 00:41:53,541
(dramatic music)
890
00:41:55,863 --> 00:41:57,846
[Narrator] By the end of 2015,
891
00:41:57,946 --> 00:42:00,088
Serena has cemented her position
892
00:42:00,188 --> 00:42:02,851
as the number one
player in the world.
893
00:42:02,951 --> 00:42:05,774
- [Neil] So you could argue
that her game, in that period,
894
00:42:05,874 --> 00:42:08,257
in '14 or '15, was
the best she ever had.
895
00:42:08,357 --> 00:42:11,341
So you know, when
she was in '02,'03,
896
00:42:11,441 --> 00:42:12,542
she had the youth,
897
00:42:12,642 --> 00:42:14,544
she had the athleticism
and explosiveness.
898
00:42:14,644 --> 00:42:17,908
2014, '15, she
also had game plan,
899
00:42:18,008 --> 00:42:18,769
she knew what she was doing,
900
00:42:18,849 --> 00:42:20,591
she had the experience to do it,
901
00:42:20,691 --> 00:42:21,592
and she was, you know,
902
00:42:21,692 --> 00:42:23,694
she blew away everyone else.
903
00:42:25,056 --> 00:42:27,439
- Next year something I
definitely wanna' continue to do
904
00:42:27,539 --> 00:42:32,504
is just really focus on
breaking records in the Slam.
905
00:42:33,986 --> 00:42:36,169
- [Narrator] Having completed
her second Serena Slam,
906
00:42:36,269 --> 00:42:39,412
Serena had the chance
to make history and
907
00:42:39,512 --> 00:42:42,215
complete a calendar
year Grand Slam
908
00:42:42,315 --> 00:42:46,000
when she reached the
2015 US Open final,
909
00:42:48,002 --> 00:42:51,226
Losing in a shock
defeat to Roberta Vinci,
910
00:42:51,326 --> 00:42:53,428
Serena would go on to lose
911
00:42:53,528 --> 00:42:55,751
another two consecutive
Grand Slam finals,
912
00:42:55,851 --> 00:42:59,315
the Australian and French Opens.
913
00:42:59,415 --> 00:43:02,799
However, she didn't have to
wait long to achieve her goals
914
00:43:02,899 --> 00:43:04,721
when on the 9th of July 2016,
915
00:43:04,821 --> 00:43:09,786
Serena claimed her 22nd
Grand Slam at Wimbledon,
916
00:43:10,948 --> 00:43:12,289
equaling Steffi
Graf's Open Era record
917
00:43:12,389 --> 00:43:14,992
for Grand Slam titles
and weeks at number one.
918
00:43:17,675 --> 00:43:20,418
On the 28th of January 2017,
919
00:43:20,518 --> 00:43:23,782
the tennis world was treated
to a match they had longed for
920
00:43:23,882 --> 00:43:26,465
when the sisters were
scheduled to face each other
921
00:43:26,565 --> 00:43:28,668
in the Australian Open final.
922
00:43:28,768 --> 00:43:30,149
- Well, the 2017
Australian Open,
923
00:43:30,249 --> 00:43:33,193
is known as the Golden
Oldie Grand Slam
924
00:43:33,293 --> 00:43:34,714
because on the men's side
925
00:43:34,814 --> 00:43:37,998
you had Roger Federer and
Rafael Nadal reaching the final.
926
00:43:38,098 --> 00:43:39,039
On the women's side,
927
00:43:39,139 --> 00:43:42,443
you had Serena and Venus
reaching the final.
928
00:43:42,543 --> 00:43:44,606
It was like the
throwback Grand Slam.
929
00:43:44,706 --> 00:43:46,728
It was like you know, a time
warp going back 10 or 15 years.
930
00:43:46,828 --> 00:43:49,851
It was the first time
that they'd met in a,
931
00:43:49,951 --> 00:43:52,815
the sisters had met
in a Grand Slam final
932
00:43:52,915 --> 00:43:56,939
since 2009 Wimbledon, and they
renewed their rivalry again.
933
00:43:57,039 --> 00:44:00,744
I don't think many people
expected to see them back again.
934
00:44:00,844 --> 00:44:02,826
So for, for various reasons.
935
00:44:02,926 --> 00:44:05,309
- [Sportscaster] Championship
point for Serena Williams.
936
00:44:05,409 --> 00:44:08,593
(Serena grunting)
937
00:44:08,693 --> 00:44:11,255
(ball thudding)
938
00:44:18,984 --> 00:44:20,005
(crowd yelling)
939
00:44:20,105 --> 00:44:23,089
And Serena smashes
Steffi's record.
940
00:44:23,189 --> 00:44:25,912
It's number 23,
an iconic number.
941
00:44:28,875 --> 00:44:32,239
And like Michael Jordan,
she's in Rare Air.
942
00:44:33,601 --> 00:44:37,124
The sisters embrace,
they share a moment.
943
00:44:39,127 --> 00:44:41,129
What a special moment.
944
00:44:42,811 --> 00:44:46,295
A moment we might not
see again in history.
945
00:44:48,537 --> 00:44:51,080
- [Narrator] Having won
the Australian Open final,
946
00:44:51,180 --> 00:44:54,324
Serena was now the most
successful female tennis player
947
00:44:54,424 --> 00:44:56,426
in Open Era history.
948
00:45:01,192 --> 00:45:04,976
Boasting an impressive
23 Grand Slam titles,
949
00:45:05,076 --> 00:45:07,859
etching her name into
the history books.
950
00:45:07,959 --> 00:45:12,104
Her success between
2015 and 2017
951
00:45:12,204 --> 00:45:14,106
was unlike any
player in history,
952
00:45:14,206 --> 00:45:17,430
reaching seven Grand
Slam finals and
953
00:45:17,530 --> 00:45:19,993
two Grand Slam semifinals,
954
00:45:20,093 --> 00:45:23,376
claiming five, out of a
possible nine, titles.
955
00:45:24,978 --> 00:45:26,059
- [Neil] Everybody wants to
be the greatest of all time.
956
00:45:26,140 --> 00:45:28,683
So you are known as the GOAT and
957
00:45:28,783 --> 00:45:33,047
the most objective way of
defining who is the best player
958
00:45:33,147 --> 00:45:35,090
is the number of
Grand Slam titles.
959
00:45:35,190 --> 00:45:36,251
So everyone can have an opinion
960
00:45:36,351 --> 00:45:37,573
on who's their favourite player,
961
00:45:37,673 --> 00:45:38,974
who's your favourite backhand?
962
00:45:39,074 --> 00:45:40,736
What the way, who's
the funniest person?
963
00:45:40,836 --> 00:45:42,058
Whatever like that.
964
00:45:42,158 --> 00:45:43,900
If you want to get down
to the cold hard facts,
965
00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:46,422
it's how many Grand
Slam titles you've won.
966
00:45:46,522 --> 00:45:49,146
So Chris Evert and Martina
Navratilova both won 18,
967
00:45:49,246 --> 00:45:52,189
they ended up their
careers on the same level.
968
00:45:52,289 --> 00:45:53,510
Steffi Graf, you know,
969
00:45:53,610 --> 00:45:57,475
came past them and took,
won 22 in the Open Era.
970
00:45:57,575 --> 00:46:00,478
So for Serena to
overtake those three
971
00:46:00,578 --> 00:46:03,802
was a huge significant event,
972
00:46:03,902 --> 00:46:05,123
you know, in the
context of what,
973
00:46:05,223 --> 00:46:07,006
the history of Open Tennis.
974
00:46:07,106 --> 00:46:09,128
- [Narrator] Serena's
success made her
975
00:46:09,228 --> 00:46:12,292
the highest paid women's
athlete of all time,
976
00:46:12,392 --> 00:46:16,096
cementing her name as the
greatest female tennis player
977
00:46:16,196 --> 00:46:18,198
to ever live.
978
00:46:19,279 --> 00:46:22,583
- [Neil] The 2017 Australian
Open on the women's side
979
00:46:22,683 --> 00:46:25,026
was it showed that Serena
and Venus were still
980
00:46:25,126 --> 00:46:26,668
the two players to beat.
981
00:46:26,768 --> 00:46:30,031
It was also sort of like
a full stop, if you like,
982
00:46:30,131 --> 00:46:32,114
'cause it was, you know,
983
00:46:32,214 --> 00:46:34,036
the high point and it
was very emotional.
984
00:46:34,136 --> 00:46:35,277
It was, you know,
985
00:46:35,377 --> 00:46:36,759
it was great fun for
everybody to watch that.
986
00:46:36,859 --> 00:46:39,362
It was the last Grand
Slam final Venus got to,
987
00:46:39,462 --> 00:46:44,047
and it was also the last Grand
Slam title that Serena won.
988
00:46:44,147 --> 00:46:47,091
So it came out after the event,
989
00:46:47,191 --> 00:46:50,815
she was actually eight weeks
pregnant with her first child.
990
00:46:50,915 --> 00:46:53,338
So she gave birth
later that year and
991
00:46:53,438 --> 00:46:57,502
she came back and she
got through to four
Grand Slam finals
992
00:46:57,602 --> 00:46:59,064
and never won one of them.
993
00:46:59,164 --> 00:47:03,349
So the 2017 Australian Open
final on the tournament
994
00:47:03,449 --> 00:47:05,451
generally, is just remarkable.
995
00:47:07,974 --> 00:47:09,195
- [Narrator] Having
given birth shortly
996
00:47:09,295 --> 00:47:12,199
after the 2017 Australian Open,
997
00:47:12,299 --> 00:47:14,562
Serena took time
away from the game,
998
00:47:14,662 --> 00:47:16,524
returning eight months later
999
00:47:16,624 --> 00:47:19,907
after a number of pregnancy
related health issues.
1000
00:47:23,231 --> 00:47:24,773
- [Reporter] Serena so
good to see you back here.
1001
00:47:24,873 --> 00:47:26,895
Can you explain
how hard it's been
1002
00:47:26,995 --> 00:47:29,538
to get back in shape
after having Alexis?
1003
00:47:29,638 --> 00:47:31,501
What it's like to
have her here as well?
1004
00:47:31,601 --> 00:47:33,142
It's amazing.
1005
00:47:33,242 --> 00:47:36,426
It was definitely hard, but
it's also so fulfilling and
1006
00:47:36,526 --> 00:47:39,349
it's like just goals after
goals after goals and,
1007
00:47:39,449 --> 00:47:43,434
you know, just amazing,
1008
00:47:43,534 --> 00:47:47,879
and just, I just feel like
life is just better now.
1009
00:47:47,979 --> 00:47:50,282
Even though I've had so
much success in my life,
1010
00:47:50,382 --> 00:47:52,384
I just feel like
it's just better now.
1011
00:47:55,387 --> 00:47:56,409
- [Narrator] Having
made her way back
1012
00:47:56,509 --> 00:47:57,810
to professional tennis,
1013
00:47:57,910 --> 00:48:00,173
the tennis world would
be given one of the most
1014
00:48:00,273 --> 00:48:03,096
heartwarming matches in
the history of the sport.
1015
00:48:03,196 --> 00:48:05,819
When on the 13th of March, 2018,
1016
00:48:05,919 --> 00:48:09,583
the sisters would return to
the infamous Indian Wells
1017
00:48:09,683 --> 00:48:12,887
to face each other
after 17 years.
1018
00:48:21,977 --> 00:48:24,280
- [Sportscaster] 17 years
on in the same arena
1019
00:48:24,380 --> 00:48:27,483
where these two legends of the
game were scheduled to meet.
1020
00:48:27,583 --> 00:48:29,245
Tonight, they come
together again.
1021
00:48:29,345 --> 00:48:32,369
This time it is safe to
say the atmosphere is one
1022
00:48:32,469 --> 00:48:34,411
of love, joy, and
positivity for two sisters
1023
00:48:34,511 --> 00:48:38,175
who have transcended a sport.
1024
00:48:38,275 --> 00:48:40,558
Venus and Serena Williams.
1025
00:48:42,320 --> 00:48:43,862
- [Narrator] Their
return to Indian Wells
1026
00:48:43,962 --> 00:48:46,265
reflected the admiration
they had built up
1027
00:48:46,365 --> 00:48:48,267
over the course
of their careers.
1028
00:48:48,367 --> 00:48:51,751
The two young teens who were
once booed out of the arena,
1029
00:48:51,851 --> 00:48:55,134
were now welcomed with
standing ovations and applause.
1030
00:48:57,457 --> 00:48:58,759
- [Neil] Venus and
Serena Williams
1031
00:48:58,859 --> 00:49:00,881
are two American tennis players
1032
00:49:00,981 --> 00:49:05,366
who have changed the face of
tennis during their career.
1033
00:49:05,466 --> 00:49:10,131
They're African American
players who have dominated the
1034
00:49:10,231 --> 00:49:13,615
sport over the last 20 years
and made tennis change it
1035
00:49:13,715 --> 00:49:16,819
in the way that the
physicality of the sport and
1036
00:49:16,919 --> 00:49:19,302
the access to the
sport and become two
1037
00:49:19,402 --> 00:49:21,404
of the greatest
players of all time.
1038
00:49:23,807 --> 00:49:26,029
- [Narrator] With careers
spanning over three decades,
1039
00:49:26,129 --> 00:49:29,313
winning a combined
30 Grand Slam titles,
1040
00:49:29,413 --> 00:49:32,877
it's hard to say if any
players will ever come close
1041
00:49:32,977 --> 00:49:36,501
to the success and longevity
of the Williams sisters.
1042
00:49:39,464 --> 00:49:42,248
- [Neil] So Pete Sampras
retired when he was 32,
1043
00:49:42,348 --> 00:49:44,330
and that at the time was
seen as quite normal.
1044
00:49:44,430 --> 00:49:47,453
32, 33, early thirties.
That's your career, done.
1045
00:49:47,553 --> 00:49:49,736
We've now got Serena
Williams and Roger Federer,
1046
00:49:49,836 --> 00:49:53,360
they played into their forties,
which is just remarkable.
1047
00:49:55,883 --> 00:50:00,848
- [Narrator] After 27 years
of tennis, in September 2022,
1048
00:50:02,370 --> 00:50:04,152
to the heartbreak of tennis
fans all over the world,
1049
00:50:04,252 --> 00:50:07,436
Serena Williams announced her
retirement from the sport.
1050
00:50:07,536 --> 00:50:09,999
- It's always
difficult to decide
1051
00:50:10,099 --> 00:50:13,923
for these top sports people
when to say goodbye and
1052
00:50:14,023 --> 00:50:15,605
choosing the right moment.
1053
00:50:15,705 --> 00:50:17,367
There's also, you know,
you want to go out,
1054
00:50:17,467 --> 00:50:20,250
you still, you're still
enjoying the sport,
1055
00:50:20,350 --> 00:50:23,374
but you don't want to be
losing every week and sort of,
1056
00:50:23,474 --> 00:50:26,297
you know, tainting your
legacy is probably too strong,
1057
00:50:26,397 --> 00:50:28,419
but you want to be
remembered as a great player.
1058
00:50:28,519 --> 00:50:31,343
So there's always this
balancing act, whereas playing,
1059
00:50:31,443 --> 00:50:33,065
as long as you still
enjoy it and still,
1060
00:50:33,165 --> 00:50:35,147
you still feel you
can achieve something.
1061
00:50:35,247 --> 00:50:36,669
Whereas in retiring before,
1062
00:50:36,769 --> 00:50:39,992
you still lose sort
of your great powers.
1063
00:50:40,092 --> 00:50:43,276
So I don't think it's gonna
be long for Venus either.
1064
00:50:43,376 --> 00:50:45,118
- I think the time
to retire is when
1065
00:50:45,218 --> 00:50:48,402
you're just going backwards
and the level of the game is,
1066
00:50:48,502 --> 00:50:50,885
you can't maintain it
or you can't improve or
1067
00:50:50,985 --> 00:50:52,326
when you've had enough.
1068
00:50:52,426 --> 00:50:54,849
So I'm at neither
of those points yet.
1069
00:50:54,949 --> 00:50:56,171
[Neil] And I don't think
1070
00:50:56,271 --> 00:50:57,812
we will ever see
their story again.
1071
00:50:57,912 --> 00:51:00,215
So it's not just the fact
that they've dominated,
1072
00:51:00,315 --> 00:51:03,619
you know, tennis for over
a couple of decades and
1073
00:51:03,719 --> 00:51:07,503
not only though the way
they've performed on the court,
1074
00:51:07,603 --> 00:51:09,466
it's the social impact
or the, you know,
1075
00:51:09,566 --> 00:51:11,868
they've changed the sport.
1076
00:51:11,968 --> 00:51:13,710
They've changed
perception of the sport.
1077
00:51:13,810 --> 00:51:15,272
They have become role models
1078
00:51:15,372 --> 00:51:17,595
for the African American
community, people of colour,
1079
00:51:17,695 --> 00:51:20,678
in the United States
and around the world.
1080
00:51:20,778 --> 00:51:23,201
And they've also developed
and used their platform
1081
00:51:23,301 --> 00:51:25,524
to speak on political issues.
1082
00:51:25,624 --> 00:51:28,527
And now Serena, you
know, has got investment.
1083
00:51:28,627 --> 00:51:30,209
She invests in
different companies.
1084
00:51:30,309 --> 00:51:34,173
She's one of the investors in
the LA women's football team.
1085
00:51:34,273 --> 00:51:36,376
She wants to empower
other women in the future.
1086
00:51:36,476 --> 00:51:38,018
So I think they've had a,
1087
00:51:38,118 --> 00:51:42,142
an impact beyond tennis in
society in a positive way.
1088
00:51:42,242 --> 00:51:44,425
- [Narrator] As the sisters'
careers come to an end,
1089
00:51:44,525 --> 00:51:46,787
the legacy left
behind is undoubted.
1090
00:51:46,887 --> 00:51:49,671
Two icons in the
world of tennis,
1091
00:51:49,771 --> 00:51:51,993
an unrivalled story,
1092
00:51:52,093 --> 00:51:54,896
which we are unlikely
to ever see again.
1093
00:51:57,059 --> 00:51:59,422
(calm music)
86617
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