The Venus and Serena Williams show finally opened Monday night at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. It had been 17 years since they were supposed play each other in the semifinals of this tournament, but Venus withdrew, claiming injury. Knowing how close the sisters are, a lot of people wondered if she was really hurt, and said so. The sisters believed that the reaction had racial overtones.
Tonight, Venus beat Serena 6-3, 6-4, and all appeared to be forgiven -- she was charming in the brief post-match interview on court. But in the news conference an hour later, she was asked several times about the emotional weight of playing her sister after the blowback in 2001. She said only, "That never crossed my mind."
The Williams sisters are so impenetrable they should get Trump's border wall contract. Nobody gets through.
Photo: Ellen Alperstein