WTA: Curtain up for 29.

Curtain up for the 29. Part of the Sister Act: On Monday, Serena and Venus Williams will meet in the third round of Indian Wells. The new edition of the classic is under a special omen. Serena Williams defeated Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 in the second match after her comeback, Sister Venus knocked out Sorana Cirstea from Romania 6-3,6-4.

Of course it was right back. Serena Williams felt this discomfort, which will never lose intensity – even though the situation in the late autumn of her unique career may repeat itself many times over. This unpleasant feeling is always present with her when one of the fascinating sibling duels in world sport goes into the next round. One of us will be eliminated. Either Serena or her older sister Venus.”I would have preferred to play against someone else. Really against EVERY other,”said the 23-times Grand Slam winner – and despite the resistance of reality, she turned out:”This is the way things are now. It’s what it is!”

On Monday, the 29th Tennis Garden in paradise will be held for the 29th time. The Sister Act has been on the programme since 2001. In Indian Wells, of all places. In the Californian desert, 17 years ago, the first sporting chapter of the eternal Williams duel was to be written. This didn’t happen because Venus retired shortly before the semi-final against Serena due to a knee injury. Evil tongues at the time claimed that the damage had only been caused. Immediately before, a statement by Elena Dementieva caused a sensation: The Russian player had claimed that Williams’ father Richard himself would decide beforehand which of his daughters would be allowed to win in the direct duel. A family arrangement, so to speak.

Two days later, when Serena triumphed against Kim Clijsters (Belgium) in front of Venus and Richard, the Williams clan was booed by the spectators. According to father Williams, there was even allegedly racist abuse. What followed was a boycott of the sisters against the tournament of Indian Wells, which Serena ended in 2015. Venus even played at the BNP Paribas Open for the first time last year.

The match on Monday evening local time in stage 1 is therefore a special event. Also because the last match so far was the Australian Open Final of 2017. At that time Serena won 6-4,6-4 and was already pregnant. Just under 14 months later, the 36-year-old is the mother of the sugar-sweet Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. and wife of businessman Alexis Ohanian Sr. happy. The fact that her comeback on the tour with two victories began promisingly makes the whole thing complete:”Everything is a bonus for me. I’m just happy to be back out there again,”said Serena Williams, who has won 17 of the 28 tournament matches against Venus (37) so far.

She could not watch the games of the sister last year. I just get too nervous and die a thousand deaths if Venus makes a mistake,”said Serena Williams, explaining why she had to withdraw from tennis during her baby break. Former number one could be the first woman to triumph in Indian Wells for the third time. One can be curious…!