Wimbledon: Sister act works again for Venus and Serena Williams

Published on 08/07/2012 01:30

Serena Williams made it two titles in a day as she followed up victory over Agnieszka Radwanska by partnering sister Venus to doubles glory at Wimbledon last night.

The American siblings, 30-year-old Serena and 32-year-old Venus, beat Czech sixth seeds Andrea 
Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka 7-5, 6-4, Venus sealing victory with a searing ace.

Almost five hours after clinching her 14th grand slam singles title, and fifth at Wimbledon, with victory over Radwanska in three sets, Serena was back out on Centre Court after a five-set men’s doubles final won by Briton Jonny Marray and Dane Freddie Nielsen.

She and Venus, who will also team up for the United States when the Olympics comes to Wimbledon later this month, gave a typically forceful performance to earn their fifth Wimbledon doubles title together, and 13th slam in tandem.

Venus had suffered a tough first-round exit from the singles, losing to Russian Elena Vesnina, and her career has been hit by Sjogren’s syndrome, the autoimmune disease, which has left her lacking in energy.

She gave as good as Serena last night and the Williams sisters were just too strong for their opponents, breaking through in the 11th game of the opening set and the fifth game of the second.

There was a scare when Serena slipped awkwardly in the seventh game but she climbed gingerly to her feet and, in the next game, it was Venus taking centre stage, her volleying at the net quite remarkable as three times in rapid succession she intercepted attempted passing shots, the third volley winning the point.

The Williams sisters’ previous titles together at Wimbledon came in 2000, 2002, 2008 and 2009.