No Williams sisters at AO for first time since 1997
Venus Williams has withdrawn her name from the 2022 Australian Open. Venus has joined her younger sister Serena Williams in a long list of high-profile absentees from the first Grand Slam of the year. It will be the first instance since 1997 when both Williams sisters will miss the AO. The development regarding Venus' absence from the Melbourne event was confirmed by News Corp.
Why does it matter?
The Williams sisters dominated women's tennis for over two decades. Serena and Venus have 30 Grand Slams (singles) between them. However, now it seems the new generation players have taken over the baton. Both their absence from the upcoming Australian Open is yet another reminder that the Williams sisters are heading towards the twilight zone of their respective careers.
The reason behind Serena and Venus' absence from AO
Serena pulled out from AO last month due to her hamstring injury, which she picked during Wimbledon. Serena missed US Open due to the same. Venus has not walked on the court since August 2021 due to a leg injury. She needed a wildcard to participate in Melbourne due to her ranking and was awarded one. But she decided to opt out anyway.
How many times Serena and Venus have missed Australian Open?
Serena and Venus debuted in the Australian Open together in 1998 and reached R64 and the quarter-finals respectively in their first attempt in the tournament. Since making their debut, Serena (2002, 2004, 2011, 2018 and 2022) has missed AO five times while Venus (2000, 2007, 2012 and 2022) has been absent on four occasions. But their absence never overlapped with each other before 2022.
Serena and Venus in Australian Open
Venus has never won the Australian Open title. She is a two-time runner-up. She reached the AO final in 2003 and 2017 and on both occasions was beaten by her sister Serena. She has four Australian Open double titles with Serena and one mixed double title. Serena has won the Australian Open singles title seven times (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, and 2017).
