Despite their unceremonious losses at the Australian Open—at the racquet-wielding hands of Maria Sharapova and Sloane Stephens, respectively, plus a doubles defeat to Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci—Venus Williams and kid sister Serena Williams should both see silver linings in their lives.
For Venus, it remains that she's with her low-key but high-octane boyfriend, Cuban model Elio Pis, age 24 to her hardly-matronly 32 years. Having him around surely makes it more than a bit palatable to suffer a 6-1, 6-3 loss to Sharapova (and to witness the ensuing nowhere-near-muted celebration).
It's a bit trickier for Serena. She bowed out in three sets to Stephens, who then got a lesson in Tennis Tactics 101 from Victoria Azarenka a round later, but the Seinfeld-ian "Serenity now!" mantra should indeed be her motto moving forward. She has 15 Grand Slam singles titles. Even at age 31, it's not difficult to think that she will still meet or even eclipse Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova at 18 Slam singles crowns. Her health must not fail her, though. As we learned in her clash with Stephens, so much rides on her back, on her tremor-inducing serve. Take away that strength, and an integral part of her game is dismantled.
Now if Serena could just unload her $1.8-million property in Los Angeles ...
We will see the Williams sisters next in Miami, and then in Paris to conclude the clay-court season. Who knows what may come?
—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)