This was the second match of the day for Serena, 34: The 22-time major singles champion won her first-rounder in that event earlier Sunday. The sisters had won their previous 15 matches, winning gold medals at Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004 and London in 2012. The Czech athletes defeated Serena and Venus 6-3, 6-4, dealing a devastating loss for the popular sisters. Hopefully Serena can work past this defeat and excel in singles competition to prove yet again that she is the best female tennis player in the world. I don’t know why.
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“It was big motivation because I haven’t done well against [her] in the past”, Williams said.
But these were the Williams women, winners of 14 Grand Slam doubles titles. But she labored at times Saturday and even showed frustration by shouting “Ridiculous!” after dropping one point.
Wimbledon champion Murray, the second seed, clinched an eighth win in eight meetings against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki, 6-3, 6-2.
“Venus said she and Serena will now focus on the US Open later this month”.
“It was what it was”, Serena Williams said in a post-match press conference. “I was a little nervous about that so I was happy to get through”.
It’s been a tough weekend for Venus, as she suffered a loss of her own in a singles match against Belgian Kirsten Flipkens just one day before her doubles upset with Serena.
On Saturday night, Venus’ availability for doubles was put in doubt by USA women’s tennis coach Mary Joe Fernandez, who said the four-time gold medalist and seven-time Grand Slam champion had cramping, dehydration and an upset stomach following a first-round loss in singles.
“She had been ill for a few days with a bad virus. We like to have a chance to play our way into the tournament”, said Venus.
Dropping points at key moments in the first set proved their downfall, losing it 6-3.
Who would’ve ever thought the Rio Olympics would be so short-lived for the Williams sisters?!
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Serena Williams (left) and sister Venus commiserate during their first-round doubles loss.
