Something Inside So Strong - The Return of The Williams Brand

In 1973 a cocky, arrogant chauvanist challenged one Billie Jean King to a tennis match, in order to prove that women’s tennis had no validity. He claimed that a 55 year old man could wipe the floor with the women’s multiple tennis champion, as the women’s game was so inferior he could demolish her in the smallest amount of time possible. Imagine his blushes when Billy Jean King comprehensively beat him in three sets, leaving him to squirm back the riches of his former glories.

            Now it is 2008, and there are two reasons why such a bizarre claim about the women’s game can never be made. Both reasons have a name, the first Serena, the second Venus.

            Two players who redefined the sport of women’s tennis, showing power, grit and determination never before seen in the sport; the fact that they appear of various Grand slam draw’s by their first names and not their second confirms their status. Some spectators were left stunned, amazed at the level of competition, others stood back in fear, and as a form of defense bartered about with jokes of extra downstairs anatomy. The two sisters destroyed any competition in their way, and set about conquering the world both on and off the court.

            However for some reason, after their immediate rise to the top both Serena and Venus have become somewhat of a hit and miss within the tennis world; the equivalent of David Coulthard, but on the courts. A competitor who on their day can beat anyone and everyone, but let that form slip just an iota and they falter and crash down with a great big wallop/

            Maybe now though, the times, they are a turning! Venus wins Wimbledon, yet again, which was accompanied by dominatory performances by both her and her sister throughout. And now Serena follows it up with victory at the follow up Grand Slam, and in return regains the number one spot that everyone assumed would be yo-yoed about from Venus to Serena during years of expected dictatorship.

            The question is can Serena now return to her peak, and in the process drag Venus along with her to  produce the lift that women’s tennis desperately needs at a time where no player consistently dominates the tour?

            Or would it be beneficial for the sport if the recent run of events carries on and the top players exchange the number one spot as regularly as swimmers break world records?

            I for one, after seeing the inspirational spectacle that was the Wimbledon ladies final and women’s doubles final, would like to see the likes of Jankovic begin to match the power of the Williams sisters, and provide the fight that we all want to see, as opposed to the one we see once a full moon when Venus and Serena find themselves facing each other on either side of the net.

            Let the last two Grand slams be a reminder to the worlds top 20, be too cautious and the Williams sisters will run away with trophy after trophy. Put forward greater might, and maybe just maybe the game of women’s tennis will live on, with all forms of excitement.