Venus and Serena Williams didn’t just break into tennis, they kicked the door wide open. Both turned professional at just 14, one after the other between 1994 and 1995. From the moment they arrived on the scene to making history as the stars of the US Open’s first-ever primetime women’s final in 2001, and all the way to their final seasons together, the sisters left an undeniable mark on the sport and beyond. And now Venus is looking back at some of their unforgettable memories at Roland Garros.

Venus Williams stepped into a new arena last week — the broadcast booth! The 44-year-old recently joined the TNT Sports team as a commentator for the French Open. Sharing the news on X, she wrote, “I’m excited to join @tntsports as a commentator for @rolandgarros, alongside this incredible roster of athletes! Stay tuned for our coverage to start on Sunday, May 25. #RolandGarros 🎾” She dropped the update on her Instagram Stories, too.

Since then, we’ve had a barrage of amazing perspectives and some doses of nostalgia. Particularly since the French Open was a site that witnessed many dreams of the Williams sisters come true. Talking to the panel on TNT Sports, Venus recalled, “We played a final here. We won our first doubles major here. Played against her in a mixed doubles final, if you can imagine. So a lot of, like again, you know, playing with each other, playing against each other. But that was our dream growing up, to play each other in the final. Now, of course, when you get there, it’s a lot trickier than what you dreamed of as a kid. But it’s still the dream, and it’s crazy that we got to live it so many times.”

They really did live that dream. Serena and Venus Williams faced each other 31 times in their careers, with Serena leading the rivalry 19–12. Of those 31 matches, the 2002 French Open final is hard to forget. Serena beat Venus 7–5, 6–3 to win her first Roland Garros singles title in three years. That win also meant the Williams sisters became No. 1 and No. 2 in the world rankings.

But their rivalry wasn’t just limited to singles. In 1998, the sisters met in the French Open mixed doubles final. Venus paired up with Justin Gimelstob, and Serena teamed with Luis Lobo. The result? Venus and Gimelstob won 6–4, 6–4. It was the only time the sisters faced off in a mixed doubles Grand Slam final.

Of course, they weren’t just rivals; they were partners in crime, too. Venus and Serena won the women’s doubles title at Roland Garros twice. First came the 1999 title, where they beat Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova. Then in 2010, they defeated Květa Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik 6–2, 6–3. That win was historic. Not only was it their second French Open doubles crown, but they also became the first sisters to be co-ranked world No. 1 in doubles and completed their second career Golden Slam in women’s doubles.

And their influence still echoes today.

Jessica Pegula credits Venus and Serena Williams for inspiring U.S tennis

Jessica Pegula, currently flying the American flag at Roland Garros, recently spoke about that impact. After beating former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 3–6, 6–4, 6–2, she made it to the round of 16. Not bad for someone who had lost early in three straight clay tournaments before the French Open. She’s not alone, though. Pegula is one of five American women in the last 16, joined by Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, and Hailey Baptiste. Over on the men’s side, 3 American players have also reached the same stage.

In her post-match press conference, Pegula was told that there are 15 WT American players inside the top 100. She replied, “It is incredible. I did not know the exact number, but 15 is a crazy number.” (Quick fact check: There are actually 16 WTA players inside the top 100)

The World No.3 added, “We are a big country, and I think we have so much depth, and we have a lot of inspiration from girls like Serena and Venus, who have inspired so many generations of players because they played for so long and are still such icons. I mean, I think maybe that is why we a really strong generation for tennis and seeing girls like myself, Madi and Coco do well. I hope we are still inspiring the even younger girls coming up.”

That legacy is hard to top. Between them, Serena and Venus Williams have 14 women’s doubles Grand Slam titles and were never beaten in a Grand Slam doubles final. That’s right, 14-0. In singles, they share 30 Grand Slam titles. Venus and Serena gave tennis history some of its brightest moments. Which one do you remember the most? Let us know in the comments below!