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Big Sunday payday Serena Williams, Rusedski earn Grand Slam Cup titles
Posted: Thursday October 14, 1999 08:15 PM
MUNICH, Germany (AP) -- Beating your older sister doesn't come easy, especially if she is a very good tennis player, too, and you haven't done it before. Serena Williams did Sunday, beating older sister Venus for the first time in their professional careers to capture the Grand Slam Cup and a $900,000 payday. The U.S. Open champion won 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in a final between the two American prodigies that had some tremendous shots but also many errors by both sisters. "I'd never actually beaten Venus. I didn't know how it feels. It's kind of tough to take this win," Serena said. Venus, at 19 one year older, applauded Serena and the sisters embraced at the net after the match, but did not show much emotion during play. Their mother, Oracene, also applauded at the end. "It's a win-win situation. One daughter is going to win. What's the difference?" Venus said. This was the second sister-sister final in the history of pro tennis. In the first, Venus beat Serena 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in Key Biscayne, Fla., in March. She also won their two non-title matches in 1998. The more muscular of the two sisters, Serena was all over Venus at the start of the match, winning 12 of the first 13 points and holding Venus to three points in the first five games. But Venus got back in the match as Serena's game deteriorated. "I was cruising today," Serena said. "I haven't played this well, especially in the first set. Other than that, I started going back to my regular game, making a lot of errors, being silly. "I guess it was exciting. It's just that we're going to go back and fourth a lot. 'I don't think Venus played that great today. When I'm playing my best, I'm kind of hard to beat, just as Venus, when she is playing her best, she's like invincible. We are both really tough to beat when we are playing our best." Serena got $800,000 for the tile and a $100,000 bonus for the U.S. Open championship. Venus earned $400,000, and the family budget grew by $1.3 million, but Venus said there would be no sisterly sharing. "She worked hard for her prize money and I worked hard for what I have," she said. Both sisters have already won more than $1 million each this year. "It's unfortunate that I lost," Venus said. "But there will be another chance where I can win, another chance where she can win." Earlier, Greg Rusedski used his big serve to overpower Tommy Haas in four sets and capture the richest prize in tennis, picking up $1.3 million as the men's champion. Rusedski fired 29 aces to win 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5). Serena, No. 4 in the world behind her third-ranked sister, won the U.S. Open three weeks ago and now has a 16-match winning streak. "I really wanted to win this match because I'm really trying to beat my record of 16," she said. Venus ended another 16-match winning streak when she beat Serena in March. Venus was the only top player Serena had never beaten. Winner of five titles this year, Serena has winning records against all other top players. But her game collapsed in the second set and Venus was able to even the score, although she also struggled. In the third, Serena broke serve for a 3-1 lead, missed two chances to go up 5-1, and needed three match points to win in one hour, 45 minutes. "This is exciting, this is what we always wanted," Serena said during the awards ceremony. "Congratulations, Serena, the U.S. Open champion," said Venus At the start of the match, it appeared Serena would demolish her sister. Hitting winners from all over the court, finding lines and corners, Serena really looked invincible. But the older sibling did not give up. Serena hit a forehand wide to drop her serve for the first time and Venus led 3-1. A double-fault by Serena delivered a 5-1 lead to Venus, who could not serve out the set in the next game. She missed a set point on Serena's serve, hitting an easy backhand volley into the net. Serena saved another set point in the next game, but Venus got another service winner to tie at one set apiece. One of Venus' 10 double-faults helped Serena take a 3-1 lead, but Venus got the break back with Serena hitting some wild shots. Venus then made errors and his a backhand into the net to drop serve again. Serena netted a forehand on her first match point, and sprayed a wild backhand on her second, but it ended when Venus' volley sailed long.
Both sisters are some of the biggest servers in the game, but
each had only five aces. Serena had four double-faults.
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