When it comes to sibling rivalry in the sporting world with the added drama of media scrutiny and coverage, the Williams sisters are second to none. In tennis, one can never forget the astounding sisters who burst onto the women’s circuit in their teens, challenging and creating history together. Along with the appreciation for pushing each other, opinions also pour in from all sides. In an interview in 2008, Venus Williams, the elder sibling, was asked about her being pitted against her sisters, among other things. What did she say?

Competition is necessary for sports. But what if the rivals are not just your friends, but your siblings? Whom you have looked up to for as long as you can remember? It may bring out arguably the best players of all time; Be it Gasol Brothers in NBA or the ‘Rocket’ and the ‘Pocket Rocket’ (Maurice and Henry Richard) with 19 Stanley Cups between them. And the same was the case with the Williams sisters.

When Venus Williams brushed aside the media glare on their intriguing sibling rivalry

Back in 2008, Serena reclaimed her US Open crown after cruising past the elder Williams in the quaterfinals. Whereas Venus defended her Wimbledon trophy after outwitting the younger sibling in the finals. Consequently, during an interview with CNN, the elder Williams sister was asked whether being compared to her younger sibling bothers her.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion handled the tricky question with the same grace as she displays on-court. She calmly stated, “No, to be honest, I don’t read a lot, I’ll look at the pictures, we’re like oh, I look so bad, or oh, that’s pretty good, I’ll keep that hair, you know.”

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The sisters’ famed rivalry started with Venus Williams stepping into the tennis circuit first, followed by her younger sibling, Serena Williams. However, it was the younger Williams sister who started the Grand Slam winning streak first by securing the US Open title in 1999, and later Venus followed suit in 2000.

The elder Williams sibling, strikingly mentioned, about staying aloof in public opinions about the sisters. She further added, “I don’t really get into reading the articles, but as far as everyone else’s opinion, I mean, if I would have thought that everyone was right, I probably wouldn’t have left Compton, so I don’t get too caught up on what the next person thinks.“

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In 2008, despite being on-court rivals and off-court best friends since their childhood, the sisters have been one of the most inspirational figures in the world of sports. They together share 44 Grand Slams, ( Serena- 23 singles, Venus- 7 singles, and 14 doubles Grand Slam titles), with little to no care for media glares.

What do you have to say about Venus Williams’ indifference towards the opinions of media? Do share your thoughts in the comments.