--- title: US Open 2018: How many times Serena + Venus Williams played description: Venus and Serena Williams face off again in the 2018 US Open. Here's a look back at the other times they've competed against one another. canonical: https://time.com/5382684/serena-williams-vs-venus-williams/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-08-30T18:12:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-13T07:52:40.578Z og:title: Venus vs. Serena: A Guide to the Grand Slam Sibling Rivalry og:description: Talk about a sister act og:url: https://time.com/5382684/serena-williams-vs-venus-williams/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd4f3eacc606c16ac/6989391cfb4eac132989784c/serena-venus-williams-2003-australia-open-final.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2405 og:image:height: 1353 og:image:alt: Venus and Serena Williams Face Off Match og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Venus vs. Serena: A Guide to the Grand Slam Sibling Rivalry twitter:description: Talk about a sister act twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd4f3eacc606c16ac/6989391cfb4eac132989784c/serena-venus-williams-2003-australia-open-final.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Venus and Serena Williams Are Facing Off in the US Open Again. Here’s Every Time the Dynamic Duo Has Competed > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. 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It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=fd3300f6-088b-4d41-9872-ae4bf9dccee4&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: FIRSTS Serena Williams [Watch (HLS stream): FIRSTS Serena Williams](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/qRrT89Xb.m3u8) (2:06)  _Published 2017-09-02. Serena Williams is the FIRST tennis player to win 23 Grand Slam singles titles in the Open era._  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Aug 30, 2018 6:12 PM UTC  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Aug 30, 2018 6:12 PM UTC At the [2018 U.S. Open](http://time.com/5380389/serena-williams-tutu/), [Venus](http://time.com/5318227/time-with-venus-williams/) and [Serena Williams](http://time.com/5368858/serena-williams-comeback/) will face off once again in what might be the greatest (and friendliest) sibling rivalry of our times when they compete at Flushing Meadows in the third round of the tournament on Friday. The tennis superstar sisters, who were born less than two years apart, grew up training, playing, and yes, competing against one another as two stars among the best of the best in the game. This, of course, begs the question: just how many times have Serena and Venus Williams played each other? Once they began playing professionally, the sisters have competed against one another a whopping 29 times, with this year’s US Open match clocking in as the 30th. This match marks the first time that the sisters have competed against one another since Serena’s victory over Venus in the 2017 Australian Open Final, which the former played while 8 weeks pregnant with her daughter, Alexis Olympia — and the earliest that the two have met up in a tournament in 20 years. Currently, Serena (a 23-time Grand Slam champion) holds a 17-12 advantage in their competition, 10-5 of which are Grand Slams. The sister act is taking their upcoming match against one another in stride; Venus humorously remembered their on-court meet-up, with a sweet joke about baby Olympia’s participation in the showdown. > [](https://twitter.com/usopen/status/1035040362979643397) When it came to little sister Serena, her only hope is that people will cheer on either one of the Williams sisters. > [](https://twitter.com/usopen/status/1034974374917357569) Ahead of their US Open match, here’s a look back at their Grand Slam matches over the years.  Venus Williams (L) raises the arm of her younger sister Serena Williams (R) after their second round encounter at the Australia Open in Melbourne Jan 21, 1998\. Venus defeated Serena in straight sets 7-6 (4), 6-1. GREG WOOD—AFP/Getty Images **Australian Open, 1998; Venus wins**: Venus took the W over Serena, who was playing her first Grand Slam tournament, in the second round of the Australian Open.  Serena Williams of the USA congratulates her sister Venus after losing to her in the womens semi final at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London on Jul 6, 2000. Gary M. Prior—Getty Images **Wimbledon, 2000; Venus wins**: Venus was victorious over little sister Serena yet again during the Wimbledon semi-finals before defeating Lindsay Davenport in the finals to win the tournament.  Venus Williams and Serena Williams share a laugh. Venus defeats her sister Serena, 6-2, 6-4 to win U.S. Open. Cynthia Lum—Getty Images **U.S. Open, 2001; Venus wins**: Venus won her fourth major title by defeating Serena in finals showdown.  US Serena Williams (L) and her sister and opponent Venus Williams hold Roland Garros trophies, Jun 8, 2002 in Paris, at the end of the Roland Garros French Open women's final match. Serena won 7-5, 6-3. ANDRE DURAND—AFP/Getty Images **French Open, 2002; Serena wins**: Serena nabbed her first French Open title in 2002 at the French Open — and her first Grand Slam win over Venus in the finals.  Serena Williams of the USA is congratulated by her sister Venus Williams after winning the Ladies Final at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London on July 6, 2002. Clive Brunskill—Getty Images **Wimbledon, 2002; Serena wins**: Serena is victorious in the finals over two-time defending Wimbledon champ Venus surpassing her sister to become no. 1 in the world rankings.  Venus Williams (L) of the USA and Serena Williams of the USA pose for photographers after the women's final of the US Open at the USTA National Tennis Center on September 7, 2002 in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, New York. Serena Williams defeated her sister and won the US Open. Al Bello—Getty Images **U.S. Open, 2002; Serena wins**: Serena beats Venus in the U.S. Open finals to win her third Grand Slam tournament of 2002.  Serena and Venus Williams with their trophys after Serena beat her sister in the Womens Singles Final Phil Walter - EMPICS—EMPICS Sport **Australian Open, 2003; Serena wins**: Serena beats Venus in the Australian Open finals, rounding out victories over her sister in the four major tournaments.  Serena Williams (L) of the USA holding the trophy after her match against sister Venus Williams of the USA in the Womens Singles Final during day twelve of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships held on July 5, 2003 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, in Wimbledon, London. Alex Livesey—Getty Images **Wimbledon, 2003; Serena wins**: Serena is victorious for the second year in a row at Wimbledon, beating Venus for the fifth consecutive time in a major tournament.  Serena Williams hugs her sister, Venus, after play in a 7-6 6-2 women's quarter final match at the 2005 U. S. Open in Flushing, New York. Al Messerschmidt—WireImage **U.S. Open, 2005; Venus wins**: Venus gains a victory over Serena with a fourth round win over her sister at the 2005 U.S. Open.  USA's Venus Williams and USA's Serena Williams with their trophies following their Women's Final match during the Wimbledon Championships 2008 at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon. Fiona Hanson—PA Images/Getty Images **Wimbledon, 2008; Venus wins**: Venus beats Serena in the finals to take the 2008 Wimbledon title, which marks two consecutive Wimbledon titles for her.  Serena Williams (R) of the United States (4) after winning during her quarterfinal match against Venus Williams of the United States (7) at the US Open tennis tournament on September 3, 2008 at the USTA National Tennis Center in New York City. TIMOTHY A. CLARY—AFP/Getty Images **U.S. Open, 2008; Serena wins**: Serena defeats Venus in the quarterfinals before going on to claim the women’s title.  July 4, 2009 Serena Williams her sister Venus meet at the net after Serena defeated Venus 7-6, 6-2 in the final of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, England on Jul, 4 2009. Cynthia Lum—Icon Sport Media/Corbis/Getty Images **Wimbledon, 2009; Serena wins**: Serena wins the title at Wimbledon in 2009, preventing Venus for winning the tournament for three years in a row. With this win, a Williams sister has won Wimbledon every year with the exception of two (the exceptions being Maria Sharapova in 2004 and Amélie Mauresmo in 2006) since 2000.  Venus Williams of USA embraces her sister after her fourth round match against Serena Williams of USA on Day Seven of the 2015 Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, UK. Visionhaus—Corbis/Getty Images **Wimbledon, 2015; Serena wins**: Serena won against Venus in a fourth round Wimbledon matchup in 2015; this was the sister’s first on-court competition in a major tournament in six years.  Serena Williams, USA and sister Venus Williams, USA, embrace after in their Women's Singles Quarterfinals match won by Serena during the US Open Tennis Tournament, Flushing, New York, USA on Sept 8, 2015. Tim Clayton—Corbis/Getty Images **U.S. Open, 2015; Serena wins**: Serena beats Venus in the quarterfinals of the 2015 U.S. Open.  Serena Williams of the US (R) celebrates with the championship trophy during the awards ceremony after her victory against Venus Williams of the US in the women's singles final on day 13 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 28, 2017. PETER PARKS—AFP/Getty Images **Australian Open, 2017; Serena wins**: Serena beat Venus in the finals of the Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant with daughter Alexis Olympia. ## Transcript People will look at you and they'll try and define you. Whether you're a woman, whether you're young, they'll try and cabin off what you're able to do. But people can only do that if you let them and so I always viewed my job as defining myself >> If we are in a meeting we're there for a reason, not to just sit there and absorb. If you are only there not speaking you kind of create the impression that you're not prepared to be there. You need to participate and you need to know what you're talking about. You can ask a man to do a job that he's never been qualified to do and he will raise his hand and say, absolutely, I will do that job. Women always say, I'm not sure if I'm ready yet, More experience. I don't necessarily know if there's anything wrong with being more cautious and careful. I mean why have we come to decide that being brash and overly aggressive should be the way we are. But we should also know that we're not going to feel any wiser or any more ready in ten years than we did ten years ago. So we might as well just leave. There is a lot of perception of, My gosh, it's really hard because of the gender. What are you gonna do about that, just not do it? If you want to do something, you just do it, and then hope that people catch up to you. For girls that are going to be playing little league, anything could happen. You could be up by 10 runs, and you can loose the game. So stay focused, make sure you play as a team, and hopefully you hit a home run, because no girl has ever hit a home run, and I'll be cheering for you. You'll never make everyone happy, so you just have to be exactly who it is that you are, and at least know that you've been true to yourself. It's about attitude, aptitude, and opportunity. Who knew I would be here? But it all started with folks that thought I had a good attitude. That put me in places that challenged me and then provided me opportunities because I met and exceeded the standard. You often don't realize, people want you to succeed, and they often have very good solutions, both practical and in terms of thinking of opportunities for you. And the other thing is, I think it's not too bad Periods of great intensity doing one thing or the other. Meryl Streep once said, " Every successful woman's life has its ebbs and flows ." Know your power, know the power of your intellect, of your values and commitment, the courage that you have, and don't let anybody trivialize How you have spent your years. All of them have contributed to making a very unique and special person. Just take joy, don't let anyone discourage you from that thing that you love the most. It's more about making life. 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