Venus and serena williams pictures as children
Nothing changes! As Serena and Venus prepare to face each other for 30th time, childhood photos show the beginning of the rivalry while old interview emerges of the ever-tenacious Venus and her dad defending her confidence
As Serena and Venus prepare to face each other on court for 30th time, photos have emerged of them playing as children and teenagers as their friendly sibling rivalry blossomed.
The Williams sisters will play each other in the third round of the Grand Slam tournament in Queens tomorrow - with the winner moving on to the round of 16.
Friday will mark the 16th time that they have played each other at Grand Slams, and the 30th time that they've competed against each other professionally. The first time they faced each other was back in 1998, when Venus shut down Serena in the Australian Open's second round.
As Serena and Venus prepare to face each other on court for 30th time, photos have emerged of them playing as children and teenagers as their friendly sibling rivalry blossomed (pictured together in 1991)
They were pictured on April 20, 1991, leaning against the fences on a break at the Compton tennis courts, South Central Los Angeles. Venus, then aged 11, and Serena, 9, had just completed a training session with their father
In another photo, 11-year-old Venus listened to her father's advice during the game at the Compton tennis courts, South Central Los Angeles, California, April 20 1991
Always competitive, Venus Williams, 11, covered her face after missing a serve during a training session at the Compton tennis courts
The Williams sisters will play each other in the third round of the Grand Slam tournament in Queens tomorrow - with the winner moving on to the round of 16 (Venus Williams celebrates after winning the women's singles second round match against Camila Giorgi of Italy at the 2018 US Open, left, Serena Williams in her women's singles second round match against Carina Witthoeft of Germany on Day Thr
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Vintage Photos of Venus & Serena Playing Tennis as Kids (1991)
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is home to a collection of photographs taken by Rod Lyons in 1991 of Venus and Serena Williams practicing tennis at the ages of 12 and 10 on a tennis court near their home in Compton. Their father Richard is in the photos as well, coaching his daughters. Patrick Sauer talked to Lyons about the photos for Smithsonian Magazine:
“Where I was sent to shoot an up-and-coming tennis player was interesting because [the sport’s] ’70s [to] ’80s boom was over, so [tennis] wasn’t that popular overall, and you certainly didn’t see Black people in Compton out there playing. But other than that it was no big deal,” Lyons recalls. “I got there and started taking pictures of two young sisters named Venus and Serena, 12 and 10, taking lessons from their father, Richard. The practice session was disciplined and intense. Richard was really coaching ‘em up that day, but he wasn’t dictatorial, and [he] treated his daughters with kindness and respect.”
There’s another photo of the sisters from 1991 in this NPR piece, as well as some stories from locals about the Williams family:
Barbee was a 21-year-old limo driver and part-time tennis coach when Richard Williams invited him to train with his daughters.
“Tennis was a passion,” he says.
Barbee was a tennis prodigy himself, so when he faced Venus and Serena on the court, he had finally met his match.
“Man, it was unbelievable,” Barbee says. “Never seen nobody that good. It was something I’d never seen before in my life.”
Venus wasn’t even a teenager yet.
Training meant hitting hundreds of balls with enough force to break the strings on their racquets.
“Every other day, I was restringing my racquets,”
Serena and Venus Williams' Throwback Twinning Moments on the Court
Compton Courts
Venus and Serena Williams sported colorful tees while practicing in Compton with their dad Richard Williams in 1991, years before they would play each other for the first time as pros at the Wimbledon semifinals in July 2000.
Sparking Smiles
Venus and Serena were as close as can be, especially during their early years training in Florida with matching Reebok gear in 1992.
Beaded Braids
As the sisters prepared for the U.S. Open at New York City's Arthur Ashe Stadium years ago, they twinned with their white-beaded braids — a look they would be remembered for.
Double Dare You
The dominating doubles partners matched in white tennis dresses and sneakers while facing off against Mercedes Paz and Rika Hiraki during a match in 1998. (They won, of course.)
Seeing Double
On and off the court, Serena has talked about copying older sister Venus.
"I was like, 'Why am I not Venus?' And she was tired of me copying her. She was like, 'Get your own identity, please!' " Serena told GQ in November 2018 about how close they were, and still are.
Sisters in Sync
The sisters hydrated at the same time in their matching white-and-blue tops at Wimbledon in 2001.
Victory Lap
Venus and Serena were all smiles after winning their third round doubles match at Wimbledon in 2000 against Irina Spirlea and Caroline Vis.
Silly Sisters
Serena giggled while chatting with Venus at the French Open tennis tournament in 1999. The two always had fun on the court, while coordinating in their tennis dresses.
Got Your Back
Serena showcased her powerful backhand while Venus focused forward during their 1999 match against Katrina Adams and Debbie Graham at the Evert Cup in Indian Wells.
Winning Big
After Serena won against Venus at Wimbledon in 2002, the sisters came together to show off their shiny new hardware.
Memory Lane
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Serena williams 20s Young serena williams photos