Williams Sisters Win Olympic Doubles Final

S Y D N E Y, Australia, Sept. 28, 2000 -- The Williams Invitational, also knownas Olympic women’s tennis, ended with a fittingly ferociousflourish.

On championship point, Venus Williams socked a 115-mph serve.Kristie Boogert somehow managed to return it, so Serena Williamswhacked an overhead slam for a winner and the gold medal indoubles.

The sisters dominated in Sydney from start to finish, beatingthe Dutch team of Boogert and Miriam Oremans in the final today,6-1, 6-1.

The gold was the second for Venus, who won the singles titleWednesday.

“For me, this is almost bigger than singles,” she said. “Tohave a victory like this with Serena, my sister and best friend,doesn’t happen very often.”

In fact, they’re the first sisters to win a gold in doubles. AndVenus is only the second woman to win a gold in singles anddoubles, joining American Helen Wills, an Olympian in 1924.

“To be a part of history is really important,” Williams said.“To be able to cap an opportunity and succeed is really, reallyrewarding.”

Subhead

Williams played — and won — 11 matches in 10 days.

“It’s been a good 10 days,” she said. “I didn’t really have any doubts. The only thing I was hoping was that I wouldn’t pullany muscles along the way and have to pull out. It was just amatter of how my body was going to last.”

The sisters weren’t too taxed in the doubles final, which tookjust 50 minutes. The men’s singles final lasted 3 hours, 34minutes, with Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia outlasting Tommy Haas ofGermany 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

Venus and Serena lost only three points in the first threegames, and Oremans double-faulted three times in the seventh gameto lose the opening set. Then the Americans raced to a 4-0 lead inthe second set.

When Serena, who was born in Saginaw, Mich., lowered the boomwith her slam on championship point, the sisters shrieked, flungtheir rackets in the air and hugged. Holding hands, they waved tothe crowd, then skipped happily across the court carrying Americanflags.

Savoring the Moment

From the medal podium, the sisters beamed during “TheStar-Spangled Banner,” and Venus closed her eyes through much ofthe song, savoring the occasion.

“It only lasts one minute, but it’s a good time,” she said.

“It was a happy moment for me Wednesday, watching Venus win,”Serena said. “It was the same kind of feeling today.”

They extended their winning streak in doubles to 22 matches,complementing Venus’ 32-match streak in singles. They’ve won threeof the past four Grand Slam doubles tournaments they’ve played.

“This takes the cake,” said Serena, who turned 19 Tuesday.“Every year I can win a Slam. This is every four years, and younever know what’s going to happen.”

The U.S. men fared poorly at Sydney, winning just one match —their worst Olympic showing since 1912. But American women sweptthe gold in singles and doubles for the third time in as manyOlympics.

Kafelnikov Wins in Five Sets

On a mild, sunny day, Kafelnikov and Haas held up wellphysically despite many long points and long games. The match camedown to the only break point of the final set, and Haas hit an easybackhand into the net. That gave Kafelnikov a 5-3 lead, and heserved out the match at love.

The jubilant Russian heaved his racket 15 rows into the standsand threw a ball into the upper deck. He then waved a Russian flagto cheers from the crowd, which included International OlympicCommittee president Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Kafelnikov, seeded fifth, improved to 5-1 this year infive-setters, including three victories at the French Open and oneat the U.S. Open.

The tournament title was the first this year for the Russian, atwo-time Grand Slam champion. He had talked of skipping theOlympics because he was discouraged by the way he was playing.

Hustling Haas Keeps Match Close

There were four service breaks in the opening set beforeKafelnikov won the tiebreaker. He landed a crosscourt backhand onthe sideline to reach set point, and Haas then dumped a backhandinto the bottom of the net.

But the hustling Haas kept coming back and wowed the selloutcrowd with several scrambling saves, once blocking a Kafelnikovoverhead back for a winner.

Kafelnikov seemed to have the momentum after dominating thethird set, but Haas broke to start the fourth set and easily heldserve five consecutive times to force a fifth set.

Arnaud Di Pasquale of France won the bronze in men’s singlesWednesday, beating Roger Federer of Switzerland 7-6 (5), 6-7 (7),6-3.