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They're back Williams sisters in top form so far
Posted: Wednesday June 28, 2000 02:23 PM
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Eleven minutes. That's how long it took Serena Williams to win a set on Wednesday at Wimbledon. Her sister, Venus, wasn't quite as quick but the message from the two Americans was clear: The Williams sisters are back. Injury free, smiling freely and enjoying grass-court tennis where they both should excel, Venus and Serena Williams are into the third round of Wimbledon and looking like favorites. Eighth-seeded Serena, in her first tournament in just over two months as she nurses a tender left knee back from tendinitis, beat Yvette Basting of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-0 in only 35 minutes -- a mere 11 minutes in the second set. Asked if it took longer to bead her hair -- which she didn't do for this match -- she replied sheepishly: "Yes." Fifth-seeded Venus, playing only her fourth tournament of the year and her first on grass, took almost twice as long to beat Ai Sugiyama of Japan 6-1, 6-4, and looked free of the tendinitis in both wrists that kept her out for six months and had her talking retirement. The only thing that flustered Venus on Wednesday was the speed of her sister's match. "It was unbelievable. I don't know what happened," she said, pausing to note it may not be a family record. "I think I've had one in 30 minutes." Serena, who took two months off last year and then returned to win the U.S. Open, figures she could do it here, too, after missing Wimbledon last season with an injury. "Just because I had two months off doesn't mean anything at all," she said. What she liked best was admiring her own serve, which delivered nine aces in her brief match. "I was popping it today," said the 18-year-old American. "It was amazing. Sometimes I just had to pinch myself. That's how it was going at the [U.S.] Open. I'm glad that it's back. I love just to pop them like that." Compared to her 20-year-old sister, Serena may have the better game for grass-court tennis. "I like the grass. It suits my game. I have a fast-paced game. I have a nice serve. I can serve and volley. I can stay at the baseline. I have an overall game. I think this is the surface for me." As for Venus, no more talk of retirement. "I don't know," she said. "When you're real good at something, it's tough to say good-bye. Especially if it's something you've done all your life. I suppose I'll be around a little while more. No more retirement scares at this point." As for the girls' father Richard? He'll continue to coach them both despite some criticism they're succeeding despite his tutoring. "If I change my dad as coach, I can't think of anyone else that I would want to get or that I could get along with for more than two weeks," Venus said.
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