Venus and Serena have teamed to win 13 Grand Slam doubles titles and won Olympic gold in doubles in 2000, 2008 and 2012. Serena also won the singles gold this year, while Venus won it in 2000. Serena, who beat Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3 to win the WTA Championships final in Istanbul last week, is ranked No. 3 in the world.
Venus, diagnosed last year with an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue, has struggled with illnesses and injuries in recent months and is ranked No. 24.
This is a breakdown of their visit to the city of Lagos, Nigeria.
- Wednesday Oct 31st, 2012
The Williams sister first paid a courtesy call to the Governor of Lagos State, Nigeria Governor Babatunde Fashola on Wednesday the 31st of October.
After a visit to Fashola, the tennis stars visited a Tennis Club at Ikoyi Club.
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — On their first visit to Nigeria, Serena and Venus Williams want to inspire local kids to set their goals high.
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| U.S. Tennis player Serena Williams, right, in action as she plays tennis with a school child, during a clinic session in Lagos, Nigeria. Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. Tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams say they eagerly await playing in the 2016 Olympics after their third doubles gold this year. The two sisters made the comments Wednesday in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, during their first visit to the country. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) |
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| US tennis star Venus Williams (R) speaks to children on October 31, 2012 during a two-hour tennis clinic at the Ikoyi club in Lagos. AFP |
The sisters swatted tennis balls with local children at a private club on Ikoyi Island, home to diplomats and many of the nation’s wealthy. If they have their way, the sisters will be hitting tennis balls for at least another four years, all the way to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“It’s our main goal,” said the 31-year-old Serena, a three-time Olympic doubles gold medalist with Venus. “We were talking … about how we can’t wait to get to Rio. And obviously, bearing that we’re both healthy, that’s our goal to be there.”
Venus, who is 32, agreed: “That’s what we’ve begun preparing for.”
“We were really able to break the mold and win a lot of Grand Slams and a lot of tournaments and not only that, but kind of change the face of tennis,” Serena said
“We were able to break the mold in a sport that was really dominated by white people … it doesn’t matter what your background is and where you come from. If you have dreams, if you have goals, that’s all that really matters.”
- Thursday November 1st, 2012
Serena and her sister held session with some girls at designated schools in Lagos on Thursday
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| US tennis superstars Venus (Center R) and Serena Williams (Center L) dance with children during a program entitled “Kick Like a Girl”, after an interactive session with students of the Federal Government College in Lagos, on Thursday. The Williams sisters, accompanied by their mother Oracene Price are in Lagos as part of a two-nation tour to usher in a change to Nigerian tennis and empower women and the girl child. Photo: AFP |
Venus, who is a year older than her sister, said that Nigerian women must believe in their ability to get to the peak of their careers.
“Self-belief is very important in life. Nigerian women must believe that they can succeed. We did it and that is the message we bring to Nigerian women. It is possible to become the very best if you believe and work on the things that would make you achieve those dreams.
“I also believe that Nigerian tennis players can also become great if they train well, believe and stay focused”, added Venus.
Friday November 2, 2012.
Venus and Serena Williams played an exhibition match before an enthusiastic crowd at Lagos Lawn Tennis Club on Friday.
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — After months of injuries and illnesses, Venus Williams was all smiles as she interrupted a break during an exhibition match with her sister Serena to shake her hips to a Nigerian pop song.
And after winning 6-4, 7-5 on Friday, she offered a prediction for the future.
‘‘For me to get a win against Serena, it means 2013 is going to be a great year,’’ Venus said to cheers from the crowd at Lagos Lawn Tennis Club.
Despite 91-degree heat that felt like 101 on the clay court, Venus appeared loose during play, at one point dancing at an intermission to the song ‘‘Oliver Twist’’ by Nigerian singer D'banj.
She also playfully teased her sister, who had repeated trouble on her serve toss looking into the sun.
The sisters move on to South Africa as part of their two-nation tour.
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