March was a difficult month for the famous dynamic tennis duo, sisters Serena and Venus Williams. Through the death of a loved one and injuries on the court, the queens of the court have held together and continue to represent a close and brotherly bond.
On March 23, Robert Maxfield, a member of the Crips gang, came out unopposed in the 2003 shooting of the professionals’ sister, Yetunde Price. Price was sitting in a vehicle with her boyfriend when Maxfield took her own life, allegedly believing the car was holding members of a rival gang.
Physically, both had to put aside their love of the game due to injuries sustained on the court.
A sprained ligament forced Venus to withdraw from the Nasdaq 100 Open in Florida in late March, while Serena Williams withdrew from the Nasdaq Open in Miami due to a knee injury.
While times are tough, the sisters shouldn’t throw in the towel. The duo has become a unique element for success. They have won 11 major individual titles between them.
In 1999, they became the first sisters to win a 20th century Grand Slam crown together by winning the French Open doubles title; and playing together in the 2001 US Open final, the marked history of being the first sisters to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament. The sisters aren’t a shadow in the Hollywood spotlight, either. They filmed their reality show Venus and Serena: For Real in 2005.