Karsten Braasch once recalled winning a set against Venus and Serena Williams during an exhibition match at the 1998 Australian Open. He mentioned that it didn’t garner much attention among his peers, as he believed men never lose to women in sports.

The Williams sisters pictured at the 2022 US Open | Image Source: Getty

Braasch was ranked 203rd in the world and 31 years old when he faced the Williams sisters.

He defeated Serena 6-1 and Venus 6-2, reportedly warming up with a round of golf and a few cigarettes. It followed the sisters’ claim that they could beat any male player ranked outside the ATP top 200.

During an interview with Spiegel Sport in 2004, Braasch said:

“Not so much with the players. Nobody ever said: ‘It’s nice that you showed them.’

Because everyone knows that we men don’t lose against the women. You don’t compare the men’s national football team with the women’s. It’s a different league.”