As at the last US Open or Wimbledon 2020, the Williams sisters will not be on the Australian Open starting line.
And for the first time since 1997, there won't be at least one of the two in the Australian Open draw.
Like Roger Federer, Serena (40 years old; 47th in the world) and Venus (41 years old; 318th in the world) have to deal more and more with injuries.
To discover
Australian Open: men's schedule and results
Australian Open: ladies schedule and results
Serena, who suffers from hamstrings, has not appeared in competition since her retirement in the 1st round at Wimbledon last June against Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
Venus affected in one leg has only played 12 matches (3 wins) in 2021.
Serena Williams still wants to maintain the dream of 24 Grand Slam crowns which would allow her to equal the Australian Magareth Court (between 1960 and 1973).
Venus is chasing a 50th title on the circuit since Kaohsiung in February 2016…
Their life, their rise, the “
plan
” of their trainer father was brought to the screen in the film “
The Williams Method
”. Invited to the red carpets, the Americans observe from the circuit from afar and see the time pass. There are no more Americans in the world Top 10 (the first Sofia Kenin, points to 12th place).
Since 2015 (3 Grand Slam titles for Serena Williams who stalled in the semi-finals of the US Open against the Italian Roberta Vinci), the circuit has been living in instability reigns at the top. No player has been able to lift two Grand Slam trophies in the same year (and the most successful player over the period, Noami Osaka, has 4 major titles). Variety prevailed. It does not lack appeal (especially compared to the more predictable men's tennis), highlights different personalities, backgrounds and reminds us that tennis has slowly changed times.
Serena Williams (7 titles in Melbourne, the last in 2017) and Venus (2 unfortunate finals at the Australian Open), two figures with 30 Grand Slam titles (23 for Serena). But more than the trophies, Venus and Serena Williams have been sources of inspiration. “
My young aspirations owe a lot to Serena and Venus. Without these pioneers, there would be no Naomi, ''Coco'' (Gauff), Sloane (Stephens), Madison (Keys). Everything we have done has been inspired by them
,” Japanese Naomi Osaka wrote in the Telegraph. “
Their way of doing things was incredible, they are an example for all the success they had
“Summarized Sloane Stephens.
The fathers of American Cori Gauff and Canadian Leylah Fernandez, rising tennis stars, were inspired by the methods of Richard Williams and the successes on all courts of an incomparable duo since 1998...
