Venus Williams drops 2-word reaction as she fondly looks back at sister Serena Williams’ US Open 1999 triumph

Venus Williams, on International Women's Day, remembered one defining moment in her sister Serena Williams' career—her first Grand Slam title at the 1999 US Open. Serena made a statement at age 17 on tennis' grandest stage by overpowering top seed Martina Hingis in the final. Twenty-six years later, Venus remembered the record in awe and referred to her sister's feat as "completely unmatched."

Seeded seventh in New York, Serena built a string of upsets over Kimberly Po, qualifier Jelena Kostanić, Kim Clijsters, 16th-seed Conchita Martínez, fourth-seed Monica Seles, and defending champion Lindsay Davenport en route to facing Hingis in the final. Overwhelming the challenge, she won her first Grand Slam singles title, solidifying her place as one of the sport's next young stars.

Serena's victory wasn't only for the singles championship, for she and Venus captured the women's doubles title together. The Williams sisters easily had it their way in the draw, disposing of Miho Saeki/Yuka Yoshida in the first round before going on to dispatch some of the biggest pairings in the event, Amanda Coetzer/Inés Gorrochategui and 10th seeds Mary Joe Fernández/Monica Seles. They ended their phenomenal run by defeating Chanda Rubin and Sandrine Testud in the final, providing the sisters with a lifetime memory in the event.

ESPNW highlighted Serena's achievement on March 8, 2025, on an Instagram post that emphasized the value of her triumph.

"At 17 years old, Serena Williams won her first Grand Slam title, taking the competition to school at the 1999 US Open," the post was captioned.

"Hailing from Compton, and triumphing in a predominantly white sport, Williams shattered racial barriers and inspired a generation of young athletes. Her relentless playing style redefined what it meant to be a woman athlete, making her a trailblazer both on and off the court. Williams’ success highlights the importance of representation, as she helped pave the way for a new era of Black athletes who followed in her footsteps."

Venus posted it on her Instagram Stories with a concise caption that read:

"Completely unmatched 🌟."

Screengrab of Venus Williams' Instagram story (@venuswilliams)

Serena's first US Open Grand Slam title was only the start of dominating the championship for her. She continued to win five additional singles titles, winning the championship in 2002, 2008, and consecutively from 2012 to 2014. She was also a runner-up four times, with an astonishing 108-15 singles record. In doubles play, she and Venus won the title again in 2009, and in mixed doubles, Serena won it in 1998 with Max Mirnyi.

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Serena Williams reflected on her "codependent" bond with sister Venus Williams

In Picture: Serena Williams and Venus Williams (Source: Getty)

In a September 2024 Glamour interview, Serena Williams reflected on her deep bond with Venus Williams and the birth of her second daughter, Adira River. After a challenging delivery with Olympia, she embraced Adira’s birth, inspired by Venus and the strong women in her life.

“I mean, I grew up with girls. I’d honestly never been around boys unless I was dating one. And sisters are so special. Some things never change. I don’t even want to not be codependent with her [Venus Williams]. I love her. I don’t want our lives to ever be separate,” Williams said.

Serena Williams also shared that having Venus on tour was a privilege in the often "lonely" world of tennis.