Serena Williams recently responded with an outpouring of affection to a heartfelt tribute by her elder sister, Venus Williams.

Venus delighted fans by sharing a throwback photo from their childhood, capturing the sisters on a tennis court in Compton, California 1991.

Serena Williams and Venus Williams [Image source: Getty]

The nostalgic photo shows 11-year-old Venus and 10-year-old Serena shaking hands after a game.

Raised in Compton, California, the sisters faced numerous challenges but were guided by their father, Richard Williams, who created a detailed 78-page plan to mold them into tennis champions.

Their mother, Oracene Price, played an equally vital role, fostering discipline and a love for the sport.

Despite practicing on cracked public courts and facing societal barriers, Venus and Serena turned adversity into fuel for their historic careers.

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On December 17, 2024, Venus posted a touching tribute on Instagram, sharing the throwback photo with the caption:

“Sister love @serenawilliams 🤍.”

A day later, Serena responded by resharing the image on her Instagram story, adding two heart emojis to her caption.

“💗💗”

Serena Williams’ Instagram story/@serenawilliams

Venus has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, while Serena’s 23 Grand Slam singles titles make her the most successful female player in the Open Era.

Their partnership has been equally formidable in doubles, with 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals. The sisters have faced each other 31 times professionally, with Serena leading their head-to-head 19–12.

Serena Williams reflects on the challenges tennis brought to her relationship with Venus

Serena Williams and Venus Williams at the Viva Technology show in Paris (Image source: Getty)

Serena Williams once revealed that she and her sister Venus never let their tennis rivalry affect their bond.

In the final of the 1999 Lipton Championships (now known as the Miami Open), Serena faced Venus but fell short in a hard-fought three-set match.

During the post-match press conference, the then-18-year-old reassured everyone that their relationship would remain strong despite competing against each other.

“I can’t necessarily say that our relationship is going to be affected by tennis. We have a strong background, we’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, we really believe that family comes first, not a game that’s going to last ten years at the most. I don’t know if I’m going to be playing ten years. It can last,” Serena said.

Serena Williams also expressed that she could never envision tennis creating a divide between them and was confident that her sister Venus shared the same sentiment.