Serena helps NIKE launch new shoe

Serena Williams helped Nike launch its Air Max Trainer One, a women-specific cross-training shoe with roots dating back to McEnroe’s heyday. Check out the full Vanity Fair feature (by Jessica Flint) Doing Downward-Facing Dog with Serena Williams.

Serena's 2010 Wimbledon attire

Venus and Serena complete the Williams Slam!

Venus and Serena are currently holding ALL four Grand Slam Doubles Titles:

2009 Wimbledon Doubles Champions


2009 U.S. Open Doubles Champions


2010 Australian Open Doubles Champions


2010 French Open Champions

Williams Sisters win French Open Doubles Title

PARIS -- Venus and Serena Williams won their fourth consecutive major doubles title Friday at the French Open. "It feels good - we have a Williams Slam," Serena said. "We've four in a row now so we were really excited about that." The sisters earned their 12th Grand Slam title by beating Katarina Srebotnik and Kveta Peschke 6-2, 6-3.

"It's really tough when you play one Williams," Venus said. "When you play two, it's really not an easy win." They will become the top-ranked doubles pairing on Monday for the first time in their career, making Serena Williams only the sixth woman to hold top spot in the singles and doubles at the same time.

"My dad told Venus to cross more, and so I think she got upset, and she crossed when the person was serving," Serena said. "I remember that," Venus said. "Our older sister was serving." "Oh my gosh, that was so funny," Serena said. "Dad told me I had to play the forehand, because I was young and I was smaller, and then he put Venus on the backhand. It has been like that ever since. That was 20 years ago?" "At least," Venus said.

The Williams Sisters are only the third women's doubles pair to win four major titles in a row. Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver did it in 1983-84, and Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva did it in 1992-93.

It's the siblings' second French Open doubles championship, with the other coming in 1999. For several years they played little doubles, but they plan to keep playing together at the major tournaments. "We just realize what it's like to have that major title next to your name, and it's pretty addictive," Venus said. "When you're out there and you're playing singles, it's a great feeling obviously," Serena said. "But also to play doubles with someone that's your sister, your flesh and blood, that's even better."

The sisters said they had no plans to play doubles more regularly on the women's tour, but will continue to play together at the grand slam events. Next stop for both of them will be Wimbledon, where they have won the doubles four times, their last victory coming in 2009.

French Open Doubles Championship (Friday)

FINAL

[1] Serena Williams (USA) / [1] Venus Williams (USA)
vs
[12] Kveta Peschke (CZE) / [12] Katarina Srebotnik (SLO)

4th Match of the Day / Court Suzanne Lenglen

Serena Rules: #1 in SINGLES and DOUBLES

PARIS (AP) -- Serena Williams will next week find herself top of the rankings in both singles and doubles, joining an elite group of players to have achieved such a feat. Serena and her sister Venus clinched the No. 1 ranking in doubles by winning their French Open semifinal against Liezel Huber and Anabel Medina Garrigues, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. That victory came hours after Serena was eliminated in the quarterfinal of singles by Australia's Samantha Stosur.

"To be No. 1 in singles and doubles simultaneously is such a great moment, something that I wouldn't have imagined," Williams said. "It took a lot of hard work and was not easy for us to get to the top, and I hope we can hold onto this accomplishment for a long time." Serena will become the sixth woman to hold the No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles simultaneously, and the first to do so since Kim Clijsters in 2003. The group also includes Martina Navratilova, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport.

The Williams sisters have never previously led the doubles rankings. "It's an achievement that I never thought would happen," Venus said. "To clinch No. 1 in singles and doubles is an honor, and to be able to achieve it in doubles with my sister is just wonderful." The sisters won their only French Open doubles title in 1999. They are seeking their 12th Grand Slam doubles title together and fourth in a row.

Williams Sisters advance to French Open Final

Serena and Venus Williams beat Liezel Huber of the United States and Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the French Open women's doubles final. Venus and Serena will now be ranked the #1 doubles team for the 1st time in their career.

Wednesday's match was played about an hour after Serena Williams lost to Samantha Stosur in the singles quarterfinals. The top-seeded Williams sisters are seeking their 12th Grand Slam doubles title together and fourth in a row. They won the French Open in 1999. In this year's final at Roland Garros, they will face the 12th-seeded pair of Kyeta Peschke of the Czech Republic and Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia.

Not really an upset..... (Article by Chris Chase)

Serena Williams hasn't made it to the semifinals at the French Open since 2003. Sam Stosur made it last year.

Serena Williams had played seven clay court matches this season prior to the French and sported a pedestrian (for her) 5-2 record. She won neither of the two tournaments she entered. Sam Stosur came into Roland Garros sporting a 14-2 record with one tournament win on the surface. She had beaten tournament favorite Justine Henin in the previous round.

Serena Williams losing on clay often feels like a self-fulfilling prophecy. She knows it's not her best surface, so she often plays down to it. Defeats aren't as much surprising as they are inevitable. Sam Stosur is what they call a "clay court specialist."

Serena Williams started off poorly Wednesday and appeared frustrated throughout most of the first two sets. She yelled toward her box about Stosur's slices and frequently gave the "what's going on?" motion with her hands. Sam Stosur was completely in control from the outset.

Serena Williams isn't the best women's tennis player in the world for nothing, though. With Stosur two points from victory, Serena flipped on like a light switch. Sam Stosur was two points away from beating the best women's tennis player in the world. And she began to play like she could think of nothing else.

Serena Williams almost won the match at 5-4 in the third set, except for a forehand that flew a few inches long. Sam Stosur looked done. The roles had reversed. Serena Williams couldn't hold her serve at 6-6 in the third, though. Sam Stosur did and advanced to her second straight French Open semifinal with the 6-2, 6-7 (2), 8-6 victory.

Numerically and nominally, this is a surprise. In reality, it's not. Don't call it an upset. Call it what it was: the match of the tournament and a career-making win for Sam Stosur.

Just out of reach....Sam stops Serena in Quarters

The French Open has always been the most difficult of the Grand Slam events for Serena; the cloying clay is not conducive to her power game. She knows it, and so do her opponents. Stosur, a 26-year-old from Brisbane, Australia, moving like a cat on the clay at Roland Garros, mixing artful backhand slices with deep, penetrating forehands and a feisty kick serve, was throttling the world No. 1 for a set and eight games Wednesday.

But then, serving for the match at 5-3, Stosur (almost predictably) shrank from the greatest moment of her tennis life when it first presented itself. She threw in her first double fault and made a truly egregious shot choice as Serena broke her for the first time. The tiebreaker was a foregone conclusion. And so, apparently, was the match. "After losing that game, yeah, things kind of stepped up a notch from her," Stosur said after the match. "Yeah, I didn't know if I was going to get another chance."

"That third set just kind of hung in there, and I was behind the whole time serving second. Just tried to hang in and wait for another opportunity. When I got that next chance at 7-6, I wasn't going to let the same thing happen again." Somehow, Stosur weathered Serena's (also predictable) charge, mastering her frayed nerves, saving a match point in the 10th game and saving her best tennis for the end. Stosur broke Serena with two ludicrous passing shots -- a fiery cross-court forehand and a lunging backhand -- and prevailed 6-2, 6-7 (2), 8-6.

Williams hit 13 aces but also nine double-faults and committed 46 unforced errors to 24 for Stosur. ''Had I played better for two minutes, maybe the result could have been different. But it didn't work out,'' said Williams, who missed a forehand by an inch or so when she held a match point at 5-4 in the final set. ''Just wasn't playing well today. Last year, I choked. I guess it's a redundant story with me.'' "It was my match and I lost it. That's basically what happened," she said. "I made so many errors and I definitely was nowhere near my best today. But she (Stosur) played really well. "I just couldn't believe that I played like that.''

French Open Doubles: Semifinal (Wednesday)

Semifinal

[1] Serena Williams (USA) / [1] Venus Williams (USA)
vs
[3] Liezel Huber (USA) / [3] Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP)

4th Match of the Day / Court 1

French Open: Quarterfinal (Wednesday)

Quarterfinal

[1] Serena Williams (USA) vs. [7] Samantha Stosur (AUS)

Serena leads Head-To-Head (3-1)
1st Match of the Day
Court Philippe Chatrier

Williams Sisters advance to Doubles Semis

Serena and Venus Williams have advanced to the semifinals of the doubles tournament at the French Open. The siblings defeated Maria Kirilenko and Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-3. The Williamses won the doubles title in Paris in 1999.

Serena slams Shahar; Advances to Quarterfinal

Serena Williams looked shaky Monday at the French Open only after her match, when she tried to speak French to the crowd. "I get so nervous," she told the interviewer with a giggle in English when she was done. Otherwise, the top-ranked Williams advanced smoothly to the quarterfinals, beating Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-2.

Williams complained of dizziness from a cold following a seesaw three-set win in her previous match, but the only wobble against the No. 18-seeded Peer came at the start. Williams lost the first seven points, then swept nine in a row. From 2-all, Williams won five consecutive games to take charge of the match. Williams hit six aces, broke six times and won in just over an hour.

"This year my game is better, I hope I am going to win. I live here, I love Paris, it's a wonderful city," the 2002 champion told a stunned crowd as she responded to a courtside interview in French. She returned to her native language: "I'm very happy (Henin) is playing again. I would love to play her here, she's a great champion, I hope to do good." Serena is bidding for her 13th Grand Slam championship, and her second this year. Her lone French Open title came in 2002.

French Open Doubles: Quarterfinal (Monday)

Quarterfinal

[1] Serena Williams (USA) / [1] Venus Williams (USA)
vs
[11] Maria Kirilenko (RUS) / [11] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)

5th Match of the Day / Court 1

French Open: 4th Round (Monday)

4th Round

[1] Serena Williams (USA) vs. [18] Shahar Peer (ISR)

Serena leads Head-To-Head (4-0)
2nd Match of the Day
Court Philippe Chatrier

Williams Sisters advance to doubles quarterfinals

PARIS (AP)—Serena and Venus Williams have advanced to the quarterfinal round of the doubles tournament at the French Open. Less than three hours after Venus lost to Nadia Petrova in the fourth round of the singles tournament, the siblings had an easy ride and won 6-1, 6-2 against Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic on Sunday. The top-ranked Serena remains in the singles draw and is set to play her fourth-round match on Monday against Shahar Peer of Israel.

Serena and Anastasia comment on 3rd Round

Serena: "It was definitely a weird match. She's obviously a good player," Williams said after the match. "I just ran out of energy there. I'm fighting a cold and sickness - but I'm feeling better now. I definitely wasn't at my best today but I'm happy to win, especially against a player that's on the up and up."

Anastasia: "I'm disappointed, because I had a few chances early in the third set. It doesn't mean I still wouldn't lose," Pavlyuchenkova said. "I should take positives from this match though. She's No.1 in the world and I played three sets with her. It was a good experience. She's Serena - she's a fighter, she's really confident. After she beat me, she has to win. I really hope she wins the tournament."

French Open Doubles: 3rd Round (Sunday)

3rd Round

[1] Serena Williams (USA) / Venus Williams (USA)
vs
[16] Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) / Lucie Hradecka (CZE)

4th Match of the Day / Court 1

Williams Sisters advance to 3rd round doubles

Team Williams advanced to the 3rd Round of the French Open via walkover from Daniela Hantuchova and Caroline Wozniacki. Venus and Serena will next face 16th seeded Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) and Lucie Hradecka (CZE).