born June 17, 1980, Lynwood, Cal., U.S.
born Sept. 26, 1981, Saginaw, Mich.
U.S. tennis players.
The sisters were introduced to the sport by their father, who early on recognized their talent. Venus turned professional in 1994, and Serena followed suit a year later. Possessing powerful groundstrokes and superb athleticism, the sisters were soon dominating women's professional tennis. Serena won the U.S. Open in 1999. Venus won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2000 and 2001. In 2002 Serena won the French and U.S. opens and Wimbledon, defeating Venus in the finals of each tournament.