Williams and the US Open

The US Open Championships, one of the four most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world, is less than three weeks away, and already the consensus is that the name ‘Williams’ will remain engraved on the women’s title for another year.

Venus Williams, that is. Ever since her historic Wimbledon triumph in early July, the 20 year-old’s form has shown no sign of abating in a season, one suspects, she can look forward to enjoying even greater success.  Last Sunday (August 6) saw the American register her third, consecutive win (and 12th in all) on the WTA Tour, after defeating compatriot Monica Seles in the final of the $535,000 Acura Classic in Carlsbad, California.  Williams emerged a 6-0, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 victor.

Notwithstanding the impressive score-line and the fact that it was over a player of Seles’ calibre, Venus remained self-critical. “There are a lot of things I’m not doing right that I can do right,” she said following the 1hr 44min contest – only also to remark, “I know that I have pretty great shots. If I can make them, it's going to be pretty tough for the next player.”

That is enough send a frisson down any opponent’s spine.  It is not only the phenomenal brawn of the woman that imbues the world tour with trepidation, but also the intimation that she has yet to attain her maximum potential.

The same can equally be said, however, of Venus’ younger sister Serena, the current US Open champion, whose win at Flushing Meadows last September, though bringing joy to the family, forced Venus to put matters into perspective.  Her defeat at the hands of Martina Hingis in the last four of that competition in 1999 prevented a mouth-watering all-Williams final that was initially in prospect.  Accordingly, Serena avenged her sibling’s semi-final loss to the Swiss, humbling the world number one in the two-set final – yet, by doing so, conquered a Grand Slam event before Venus, a year and three months her senior.  That isn’t how things are supposed to happen.

But, far from demoralising Venus, Serena’s triumph in New York supplied the added incentive to attain success, her diligent efforts being justly rewarded at Wimbledon last month.  Her indomitable aggression and die-hard attitude has taken her unbeaten streak to 15 matches, just six away from this year’s record of 21, held by the Williams’ arch-rival and fellow countrywoman, Lindsay Davenport.  Should Venus extend her formidable run into the US Open, it will be Serena this time who will watch her sister hoist aloft the title on September 9.

Are we about to see a repeat of history?

Last Sunday (September 10) saw Marat Safin win the US Open Championship, his first ever Grand Slam, as a mere 20-year-old - almost a decade after his vanquished final opponent, Pete Sampras, emerged the victor at Flushing Meadows in a manner so strikingly similar.

In 1990 the American was just 19, and only an alien from Mars could be excused for being oblivious to Sampras' subsequent success. Within ten years, he has managed to accumulate 11 Grand Slam titles, more than any other player in history - a feat that surely confirms his status as the greatest of all time.

How significant was it, therefore, that just when he finally ran out of steam, the man who exhausted him was none other than a precocious talent who, one suspects, also has the ability to go all the way as Sampras had done himself? The American, for one, deems it very meaningful.

"He reminded me of myself when I was 19 and came here and won for the first time," the seven-time Wimbledon champion said. "The way he's playing he's the future of the game".

Few in the 23,000 crowd that watched the final would disagree. Having ousted the mighty Todd Martin in the last four, Safin continued his powerful game against Sampras and played outstandingly, eventually claiming a straight sets victory, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, to become the first ever Russian to win the $550,000 tournament. It was Safin's second win over Sampras in the summer, during which he also triumphed in the ATP Masters Series in Toronto.

Perhaps it is too early - even needless - to anticipate Safin now taking the sport by storm and maybe even par with, if not better, Sampras, in ten years' time. But who would dare bet against it?