In 2002, Serena Williams and Venus Williams battled against each other in three of the four Grand Slam finals.
It was an extraordinary year for the Williams sisters, but more so for the younger of the two, who emerged victorious in all three of their championship bouts.
After Venus won their first major final together at the 2001 US Open, Serena would best her the following season to win the French Open, Wimbledon and hoist the trophy for a second time at Flushing Meadows.
The treble of defeats left the future eight-time Grand Slam singles champion dejected, which was clear for the media to see during her post-match press conference after the third loss in New York.
Venus Williams’ reaction to losing the 2002 US Open final
A reporter asked Venus after the final: “Is the level of your game the same as compared to the same time last year, or has Serena’s game just improved so much compared to the same time last year?”
She responded: “I think my level’s about the same. I think mentally, I’m not there as much.
“I think Serena’s level is definitely more up than last year. I think what I could do is just – I have to just go home.
Venus revealed she wasn’t enjoying her tennis at the US Open in 2002, explaining: “Not at this tournament, not as much as the rest.
“Not as much. You know, I just had to tune out everything, people just wear you to death, and talk so much. This and that. I just wanted to get away from the hype, you know.”
Venus Williams’ honest thoughts about Serena Williams after the match
When asked if she and her sister would be as good as they were had they not grown up together, Venus said: “I think we would be, yeah.
“Because honestly, no matter what the next person does and no matter what the other result is, it’s all about what you can do and how hard you can push yourself and whatever you can get out of yourself.
“No matter if Serena played well, there have been other brothers and sisters who have been on the tour also, and they haven’t done what we’ve done.
“I think it’s all about that we were dedicated and we had great people to work with us, and that we really believed in what we were doing. I think that, sure.”
She went on to lose the final of both the Australian Open and Wimbledon again to Serena the next year.
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