VenusandSerena Williamswere seasoned tennis pros before they even finished middle school.
Venus, then 10, told theTodayinterviewer of her passion for the sport, explaining, “I think when I was 5 years old, that’s when I think I started liking it a lot.”
“I really started getting serious when I was 7,” continued the preteen athlete. “I think first it was my dad and my mom and my family, going out there to help me and push me.”
The clip noted that Venus’ 9-year-old sister Serena — using a neon racket — was following in her sisters’ footsteps.
Heard offscreen, the athletes’ mother, Oracene Price, said, “Sometimes I feel just like it was destiny, you know, for the both of them. Because my first three girls, they went out, they didn’t take to it. But the last two, they liked it a great deal.”
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Venus, now 38, and Serena, now 36,are competing in the U.S. Open this week.Serena has won the grand slam 6 times, and Venus twice.
On Monday night, Serena dominated the court in her women’s singles match against Magda Linette from Poland, advancing to the second round of the tournament. Venus also advanced, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova, in her first-round match.
The start of the open hasn’t been all smooth sailing, however. On Saturday,Serena responded after French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli said the catsuit the athlete wore in Mayto compete in the French Open would “no longer be accepted,” drawing backlash.
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In fact, the mom of one joked, she wouldn’t be wearing the catsuit anytime soon, anyhow. Explained Serena, “When it comes to fashion you don’t want to be repeat offender. It’ll be a while before this even has to come up again.”
And on Monday, she did just that,wearing achic one shoulder dress, a pleated tulle skirt, fishnet stockings and custom sparkly Off-White sneakers to compete.
source: people.com
