TWENTY two years ago, 17-year-old Venus Williams emerged triumphant over her 16-year-old sister, Serena in the second round of the Australian Open. While both had shown immense talent as teenagers, few would have predicted what would develop, as both sisters would go on to win multiple Grand Slams, Serena vying for a record-equalling 24 if she can stand up at Flushing Meadows in a few weeks. But her immediate challenge is her sister Venus, who played some of the best tennis she has in the past five years with the end much closer for the 15-month older sibling who has languished outside the top 50 of late. Serena herself might not be the all-conquering Greatest of All-Time (GOAT) that many have known her to be, but she is still well and truly amongst the top few on the WTA Tour.

Since that summer meeting back in January 1998, the Williams sisters have faced off 30 times, with Serena holding the advantage 18-12. In fairness, the last time they were scheduled to face-off, Serena had to withdraw, which levelled the withdrawals at one apiece following Venus withdrawing from the 2001 Indian Wells semi-final. In the past decade, Serena has won five of the past seven they have stepped on court, and really blown out the head-to-head after Venus held a lead early in her career. But fast forward to tomorrow, and the traditionalists who will enjoy the throwback will now get to witness a 40-year-old Venus taking on an almost 39-year-old (next month) Serena.

To put their durability and sheer dominance of the past two-and-a-half decades in perspective, Serena’s first round win in the Top Seed Open – where the pair will now face-off – came against Bernarda Pera who had only turned three-years-old the month prior to the Williams sisters first meeting. It did not stop her putting up a massive fight though, taking the tournament favourite to three sets, surprising her early before the power and class of Serena won out, 4-6 6-4 6-1. Dusting off the cobwebs, it was like she just needed that challenge to finally click into gear, and then steamrolled past the now 25-year-old American. Venus would not have felt quite as old competing against fellow veteran, Victoria Azarenka, though the Belarusian is still nine years her junior. Venus won that match with surprising ease, getting up 6-3 6-2 to book a date with her sister in the Round of 16 and no doubt create plenty of excitement for those spectators allowed in attendance.

Winding back to their first meeting, once again to put it in perspective of just how long ago it was, among the fellow Top Seed Open Round 1 winners were: Yulia Putintseva (three-years-old) and Jil Teichmann (six-months-old), while Anna Blinkova, Catherine Bellis, Leylah Fernandez and Coco Gauff were not even born – Gauff did not come into the world for another six years. The two exceptions were veteran Belarusian Olga Govortsova and United States’ Shelby Rogers who would at least be able to recount the first meeting between the Williams sisters if they tuned in.

There was a definite feel of youth about the Top Seed Open’s first round results, and whilst the two best players of the past two and a half decades go head-to-head in a match that realistically the younger one should prevail, there is no shortage of talented up-and-comers. The second round match between Gauff and second seed, Aryna Sabalenka will be just as highly sought after, whilst a number of under 21s will be looking to resume play on the Tour in great form ahead of the 2020 US Open.