How Frances Tiafoe went from sleeping at a tennis center to the US Open semifinals, where she beat former No. 1 Williams sister and Wimbledon title holder Venus Williams
It’s been two years since Venus Williams withdrew from The Championships and it looks like that trend will continue: Venus is out of action, Serena is still recovering from a left foot injury, and sister Serena Williams, who was ranked No. 1 at the All England Club in March, is off to an 0-3 start in Grand Slam tournaments. (At least they’re not in the same tournament.)
But on Saturday, Venus Williams made herself at home at the prestigious All England Club, where she and Serena were the first women in history to play on the same day in the same ATP men’s and women’s singles tournament.
The Williams siblings are all playing this week in the U.S. Open quarterfinals. Serena will be defending her title – which she’s won 13 times – going against a former No. 1 in Madison Keys, Venus will try to win her third British Open title by beating No. 41 Johanna Konta and No. 2 Karolina Pliskova, and younger sister Serena will play against wild card Karolína Plíšková on Sunday.
With all of the sisters in the same match, it’s a reunion that didn’t seem possible even a couple of years ago.
“I have just always been really, really lucky to have three siblings,” Venus said. “This is like my first Grand Slam quarterfinal and it’s like my first time playing in a Grand Slam semifinal.”
Williams was a little nervous before the match. But she was happy and excited to be in familiar surroundings with her sister and another sister.
“I love playing here,” Venus said. “I love playing here. I have a lot of family here and I feel like the sisterhood is here, it is family. We have really tight relationships. It’
