My sister is two years my junior, but she learned how to do everything at the same time as me.
When I learned how to ride a bike, so did she. When I passed the swim test, she did too. When I played in my first tennis tournament, she entered as well. She was eager and determined and too impatient to wait her turn, as she still is today (And I mean that in a very good way.)
Growing up, the tennis players we admired most were Venus and Serena Williams because they, like us, were sisters close in age. I remember watching them play against each other and cheering for Venus because she was my self-proclaimed counterpart. Besides, I thought, wouldn’t she feel bad losing to her little sister?
Back then, I didn’t know that I would have to play my own younger sister in arguably the biggest match of my tennis career.
Much like Venus and Serena, my sister and I learned how to play tennis from our parents and were permanent practice partners throughout our childhood. As a result, I knew better than anyone where she liked to attack on the forehand and how much she hated the net (which I’m told has changed now).
Fortunately, I never had to use this knowledge to my advantage because being two years apart, we were always in separate age divisions in tournaments.
Still, from a young age, it was obvious that she was better than I was. She achieved better results in tournaments, and has always been stronger, more aggressive and more athletically inclined.
The first time we had to really talk about who was better was when she joined my high school tennis team as an eighth grader (which was permitted by the state’s athletic association.) At the time, I was playing in the No. 1 spot and losing quite a bit. So, without a challenge match, it was determined that she would play above me.
I can honestly say this demotion bothered me for at most 10 minutes (because I worried what people would think about the reverse sibling dynamic) and then I realized that I myself didn’t care and it never bothered me again. (Actually, I was quite relieved to have the pressure taken off.)
In my sister’s initial year playing high school tennis, we won our school’s first team state championship. Then, in the individual tournament, my sister became the youngest person in Tennessee history to capture a state championship in tennis. Meanwhile, I lost in the first round.
The following year, our team did not repeat that state title. But in the individual tournament, I surprised myself by making it to the finals. The only thing standing between me and a first-place trophy was the reigning champion — my little sister.
Venus and Serena will have played each other 27 times after tonight’s quarterfinal match at the 2015 U.S. Open. Serena leads the series 15-11 and is favored to win tonight (but I don’t have to tell you that.)
Tonight, I can assure you, that when the Williams sisters play it will feel just like practice. I know because that’s how it felt when I played my sister in our version of the U.S. Open when we were teenagers. How strange it is to have to play against that person who has always been your permanent hitting partner, who you know better than anyone else, both on and off the court.
My sister won her second individual state championship against me 6-4, 6-3. The last time that Serena played Venus, she won by the same margin.
During that state championship match, my sister and I laughed during every changeover. We laughed when we shook hands. To us, it felt the same as any other day that we would hit together. And afterward I was so happy to stand next to her with a silver medal around my neck and was so proud of her for winning.
The following year, my sister and I were recognized for our success in high school tennis and invited to a banquet where Venus and Serena were speaking. We met them briefly, and Serena told me that she liked my dress (my sister swears it was Venus who gave the compliment), but the famous duo has no idea how alike we are.
Sure, my sister and I were never going to be professional tennis players, but there was still sibling rivalry. Very friendly sibling rivalry.
I was Venus and my sister was Serena.
Tonight, Serena will probably win. And I want her to — because I want her to win that Serena Slam. But I gotta support my girl Venus, too. Us older siblings have to stick together.
