On the verge of their 27th career meeting, Venus Williams said she does not want to act as "spoiler" of Serena Williams' Grand Slam bid.
Venus wants to see Serena win the Grand Slam, despite the fact that she'll be tasked to end her sister's historic bid in the US Open quarterfinals.
The Williams sisters will meet for the 27th time in their professional careers this week after they advanced to the final eight at Flushing Meadows with respective two-set wins at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.
The ledger sits 15-11 in Serena's favor, while in their three meetings since 2009, Serena is up 2-1.
Venus said she will be battling against her own desire to see her younger sister complete a historic feat. "I don't think anyone wants to be a spoiler. I think people love to see history being made."
"No one is out to be a spoiler, but at the same time, you're focused on winning your match even though the circumstances are really much different than you (would normally expect)."
The sisters, with 28 singles majors between them, have played against one another in 12 different seasons since their first meeting in 1998.
Their four US Open clashes have seen the winner alternate — Venus won the 2001 final; Serena responded in the 2002 decider; Venus won in the 2006 quarterfinal; and Serena emerged victorious in the 2008 quarters.
Respectful of her older sister, Serena labeled seven-time major winner Venus as the "best player" at the US Open. "Well, I mean, I'm playing, for me, the best player in the tournament, and that's never easy," Serena said. "She's beaten me so many times. I've taken a lot of losses off of her, more than anybody. Yeah, she's a player that knows how to win, knows how to beat me, and knows my weaknesses better than anyone. So it's not an easy match at all. If anyone were to end her bid to become the first player since Steffi Graf in 1988 to win the Grand Slam, Serena said Venus would be ideal.
"I would rather lose to Venus as opposed to anyone else," she said. "I, in general, don't like to lose. So hopefully we'll just go out and do the best that we can, and whatever happens hopefully have a good attitude about it." Playing off the sister-sister narrative, Venus said the dream has always been for the Williams siblings to play one another on the professional stage — it guarantees family success, she says.
"What's it meant to me? I don't know," Venus replied, when asked about the sisters' rivalry. "I feel like that's what we always wanted growing up, just to be out there on the big stage duking it out when someone named Williams will win. "That's a given on that one."
