It is a rivalry that in terms of importance and longevity compares with Chris Evert-Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf-Monica Seles. Venus and Serena Williams have met 26 times,13 in Grand Slam events and eight in Grand Slam finals. The 13 Grand Slam meetings are the most of any pair save for Evert and Navratilova, who met 22 times.
The Williamses’ latest match, Tuesday night in the United States Open quarterfinals, may be the most important yet, as Serena is bidding for the first Grand Slam since Graf in 1988.
But it is also a rivalry between sisters, and that brings with it some ambiguity or even discomfort. The sisters have said they do not especially enjoy playing each other. “It definitely doesn’t get easier,” Serena said after their most recent meeting, in the round of 16 at Wimbledon this year.
Amélie Mauresmo and others suggested years ago that matches between the sisters might be fixed. Fans and tennis writers often call their matches passionless.
The sisters met for the first time professionally in the round of 64 at the 1998 Australian Open. Venus, though playing in just her fourth Grand Slam event, was already a United States Open finalist. Serena, a year younger at 16, was making her Grand Slam debut. Venus won, 7-6,6-1.“It wasn’t so fun to eliminate my little sister in the second round,” Venus said.
Venus dominated the rivalry at first, winning four of the first five meetings as well as their first Grand Slam final, the 2001 United States Open. But beginning in 2002, Serena took over.
The heyday of the rivalry was from 2002 to 2003, during the so-called Serena Slam, when Serena won four consecutive Grand Slam events. All four of the victories came over Venus in the final.
Venus beat Serena in the Wimbledon final in 2008, but has not beaten her at a Grand Slam event since. That was also Venus’s last Grand Slam title, and her performances have slipped as she struggled with an immune deficiency diagnosed in 2011.
Sister vs. Sister in Grand Slams
Venus and Serena Williams have met 26 times, 13 in Grand Slam events and eight in Grand Slam finals.
| Year | Tournament | Round | Winner |
| 1998 | Australian Open | Round of 64 | Venus |
| 2000 | Wimbledon | Semifinal | Venus |
| 2001 | U.S. Open | Final | Venus |
| 2002 | French Open | Final | Serena |
| 2002 | Wimbledon | Final | Serena |
| 2002 | U.S. Open | Final | Serena |
| 2003 | Australian Open | Final | Serena |
| 2003 | Wimbledon | Final | Serena |
| 2005 | U.S. Open | Round of 16 | Venus |
| 2008 | Wimbledon | Final | Venus |
| 2008 | U.S. Open | Quarterfinal | Serena |
| 2009 | Wimbledon | Final | Serena |
| 2015 | Wimbledon | Round of 16 | Serena |
The most controversial match between the two came in 2001 at Indian Wells. At a news conference after losing to Venus in the quarterfinal, Elena Dementieva suggested that the sisters’ father, Richard, would decide who won the semifinal between them. A few minutes before the match, Venus pulled out, citing tendinitis.
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