Serena and Venus Williams were too hurt to play tennis at the US Open, but not too injured to appear on television shows in New York on Wednesday and declare the Grand Slam event diminished by their absence.
In promoting American broadcast coverage of the year’s last Grand Slam event, world number one and reigning US Open champion Serena and her fifth-ranked sister addressed their absence in serious and comical fashion.
Appearing on a US Open highlights show, Venus agreed with the notion that the value of this year’s Open title is diminished by their absence.
”A lot of people may look at it that way. I think unfortunately it might be the case because it is true,” Venus said. ”At the same time, these players have worked hard all year and deserve their chance.”
But on Late Show with David Letterman, the sisters jokingly listed their ”top 10 real reasons for not playing in the Open”.
”For once we thought we would give the other players a chance,” said Venus, who also cracked, ”What, the US Open is this week?”
While the punch lines were likely the product of comedy writers, some had the sting of truth when uttered by the women who have played in six of the past eight Slam finals and overwhelmed their opponents at nearly every opportunity.
Venus also touched on US troops in Iraq and their search for deposed leader Saddam Hussein when she joked that, ”We can’t give you any details, but we’re very close to catching Saddam.”
Six-time Slam champion Serena also poked fun at the inability of rivals to challenge her or Venus, saying, ”We’re spending our time in the lab developing a third, even more powerful, Williams sister.”
Serena also said that ”you can only hit a little ball over the net so many times without getting bored silly” and that she ”can’t concentrate on her game with Mars so close to Earth”.
The absence of the Williams sisters has been anything but a laughing matter for players at the US Open, who admit life is easier without the Williamses in the draw but add that their absence will be forgotten in years to come.
Serena underwent knee surgery earlier this month while Venus pulled out of the event a week ago, citing an torn abdominal muscle that had idled her since she lost the Wimbledon final to Serena.
”It became more apparent as the US Open became closer and closer,” Venus said. ”I held on to my dream to play in the Open but the closer it came I realised my dream was going to be shattered.”
Venus is expected to return to the WTA Tour next month while Serena, who has filmed movies and made appearances following morning rehabilitation workouts, has a more open-ended timetable.
”You will see me before 2004, somewhere,” Serena said.
”Maybe on TV smiling back at you.” — Sapa-AFP