The tennis pro faces off against big sis Venus at the U.S. Open on Tuesday, but ET first met the world's No. 1 player back in 2000.
It’s Serena vs. Venus once again!
Serena Williams will face off against her big sister, Venus, at the U.S. Open quarterfinals on Tuesday evening, but before she does, ET is taking a look back at the first time we spoke to the world’s No. 1 female tennis player almost 15 years ago.
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Back in 2000, the then-19 year old tennis pro was nominated for the rookie of the year honor at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards – and she had her sister by her side.
“This is a really special awards ceremony,” Serena told ET at the time. “It’s really exciting for the both of us to be here.”
“Hopefully she’ll win the award and we don’t do things like this very often, so it’s [a] really special occasion for us,” Venus added.
The Williams sisters explained that their summers are anything but a vacation.
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“There [are] tournaments – Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. We don’t have a summer vacation!” Venus said.
That dedication is what has taken Serena to the top of her game. This year, Serena is up for her 22nd Grand Slam title. Impressive!
In 2001, Serena shared the three keys to winning the U.S. Open.
“It takes a lot of focus, a lot of concentration. Maybe even a little bit of luck,” Serena, then 20 years old, told ET. “But I think most of all it takes a lot of focus and a lot of concentration to go out and win this tournament.”
Serena and Venus last played each other at Wimbledon in July, a tournament Serena later won.
ET: Before They Were Famous is available on newsstands and at OnNewsstandsNow.com
In other Serena-related news, the 33-year-old athlete was spotted cozying up with Drake on a dinner date in August. Press play to find out more.