:00:34. > :00:39.Good afternoon. The Williams sisters met in Melbourne earlier today. It
:00:40. > :00:44.was the latest chapter in their remarkable family story. Years ago
:00:45. > :00:48.on the courts in Compton, California, they were coached by
:00:49. > :00:52.their father Richard who suggested early on his daughters would go on
:00:53. > :01:00.to compete in Grand Slam finals. 30 years on, Venus and Serena stand
:01:01. > :01:05.with 29 majors between and $120 million in prize money. It's an
:01:06. > :01:06.achievement that must exceed even Richard's high expectations. It's
:01:07. > :01:22.been an incredible journey. COMMENTATOR: They may well be
:01:23. > :01:43.sisters but this has become one of tennis 's great rivalries.
:01:44. > :01:47.It's the Williams sisters day. A remarkable occasion once again for
:01:48. > :02:10.the Williams sisters. # Will never be defeated. Finally
:02:11. > :02:15.Venus getting the better of Serena here in the final. It will be an all
:02:16. > :02:21.Williams sister final once again. STUDIO: They have had their battles
:02:22. > :02:26.over the years. This is their 28th meeting. It is no great surprise
:02:27. > :02:31.Serena is competing for the title, but Venus's journey back to the top
:02:32. > :02:34.has been inspirational. Suffering an autoimmune disorder which saw her
:02:35. > :02:39.plummet outside the world top 104 years ago, she has never thought of
:02:40. > :02:48.giving up her dream of competing on the big stage. -- outside the world
:02:49. > :02:53.top 100, four years ago. Serena is focused on moving ahead of Steffi
:02:54. > :02:59.Graf on 23 Grand Slam titles. Just one behind Margaret Court. One thing
:03:00. > :03:07.if the sure, their passion for the sport is as strong as ever. Today
:03:08. > :03:20.Venus takes on younger sister 35-year-old Serena. Venus is ready
:03:21. > :03:22.for play. And of course, Serena, a win would see her return to the top
:03:23. > :03:34.of the world rankings. CHEERING
:03:35. > :03:38.A huge ovation, and this was the first of two fascinating finals we
:03:39. > :03:43.are looking forward to in Melbourne this weekend. We can join the final.
:03:44. > :03:46.There have been two breaks of serve. It is 1-1. Our commentators join us
:03:47. > :04:31.now. COMMENTATOR: That wasn't a bad
:04:32. > :05:10.second serve. Double fault. Because of the
:05:11. > :05:15.pressure put on to the point before. Serena hit that big winner. Went
:05:16. > :06:12.deep on that second. Fierce hitting! A couple of amazing
:06:13. > :06:21.lunges to get the ball back into play from Venus Williams. Please
:06:22. > :06:28.remain quiet during the point. Good luck with that! Alison Hughes from
:06:29. > :06:29.Great Britain in the umpire's check again for another Australian Open
:06:30. > :07:47.final. Hello! It's a bit early for that!
:07:48. > :07:54.She isn't going to finish the job like Wawrinka did the other day. He
:07:55. > :07:56.got it at 90 degrees like that, then decided to finish the job over his
:07:57. > :08:13.knee! Unusual to see that from Serena so
:08:14. > :08:38.early in a match. Very unusual. Talk about tension.
:08:39. > :08:48.You can see where Venus Williams, well, for both sisters, the first
:08:49. > :08:55.serve percentage looks like it's going to be very important. Every
:08:56. > :08:57.time a second serve comes in, both Serena and Venus are going for that
:08:58. > :09:06.first strike winner. Didn't get the feet moving on that
:09:07. > :09:32.one. We just saw that picture of the
:09:33. > :09:35.coach of Venus Williams. You imagine both coaches saying the night before
:09:36. > :09:38.the match, everything you normally do in the match, do the opposite
:09:39. > :09:43.when you play today. They played each other so many times, they know
:09:44. > :09:55.exactly where they are going to hit the ball. Imagine the amount of
:09:56. > :09:57.times they play, they know each other's games so easily.
:09:58. > :10:48.Particularly on the returns. One bracket smash at the start of
:10:49. > :10:51.this final. -- racket. One racket down but Serena won game in front.
:10:52. > :11:46.Two breaks to one. The second slice backhand she has
:11:47. > :11:52.missed. Got it a little bit late, taking that racket back. Court
:11:53. > :13:10.surface is very fast this year at the Australian Open.
:13:11. > :13:27.Well played! What a 1-2 punch that was, the return was fantastic. And
:13:28. > :13:28.the second shot, the depth. She just leaned into this, what pace,
:13:29. > :14:54.accuracy. Two doubles in a row, that's three
:14:55. > :15:00.already for Serena. Inside three service games. That's the pressure
:15:01. > :15:06.she is putting on that second serve. When you have served like that there
:15:07. > :15:10.is no whatsoever from Serena Williams of a three quarters serve
:15:11. > :15:14.in just to get it in after serving two double faults. She is so
:15:15. > :16:13.confident that she will go for the big serve.
:16:14. > :16:35.Three double faults and an ace. Extraordinary game, that was. Venus
:16:36. > :16:37.has made two of the greatest service in women's tennis history and we
:16:38. > :17:15.have had four breaks already. Definitely signs, though, that
:17:16. > :19:12.Serena is feeling the tension out there.
:19:13. > :21:47.The frustration of Venus because she knows how important the second serve
:21:48. > :22:04.points are. That was only the fourth out of 20
:22:05. > :22:09.second serve points played which has been won by the server. Serena
:22:10. > :23:09.finally getting her first service hold on the board.
:23:10. > :24:20.I was expecting a higher ballplayer and it came out pretty quickly. She
:24:21. > :24:30.did well there. Drop volley. Oh! LAUGHTER. That's the real Serena!
:24:31. > :25:13.That really was outstanding tennis, those last two points.
:25:14. > :25:28.Oh! Using all her wingspan there! Tremendous striking of the ball
:25:29. > :25:29.here. Both sisters having that forehand to forehand, then this
:25:30. > :26:11.angle. That was just brilliant. Although Serena tried to slow the
:26:12. > :26:13.pace up with one forehand there to give a different look to Venus, it
:26:14. > :27:02.didn't work. Well, it's hotting up now, isn't it?
:27:03. > :27:03.Take the last couple of points from the previous game, we are in the
:27:04. > :28:36.middle of something here. The first time, really, in this
:28:37. > :29:08.final. A little bit of daylight on the scoreboard.
:29:09. > :29:16.Just at the moment, Venus, the last couple of games, over hitting the
:29:17. > :29:18.Borno. Needs to pull the range back a little bit. Going a little too
:29:19. > :30:24.much -- overhitting the ball, now. There's not much wrong footing you
:30:25. > :30:29.can do against someone you know so well. They've played each other so
:30:30. > :30:30.many times. They know every twitch, every movement, every pattern of
:30:31. > :31:53.play. She knows this seems so well, her
:31:54. > :31:55.seventh Australian Open final. She's won six of them previously. Serving
:31:56. > :32:16.for the first set, Serena Williams. The longevity of both these players
:32:17. > :33:07.is something extraordinary. They played here in 1998, 19 years ago.
:33:08. > :33:30.Is set away, Serena, now. Moving on to 23 Grand Slam singles titles,
:33:31. > :33:36.what an achievement that would be. Is still work to be done. A couple
:33:37. > :33:41.of aces when it mattered, she holds to love and takes the opening set.
:33:42. > :35:07.We pick it up in the second, it is one game all.
:35:08. > :35:13.There's that pressure, Serena Williams moving inside the baseline.
:35:14. > :35:14.Venus knows that second serve is going to be attacked, and goes it
:35:15. > :35:43.too much. In big trouble here. As you say, Serena's record on
:35:44. > :35:52.second serve return suggests Venus needs more first deliveries, here.
:35:53. > :35:57.She's got two of them. I was just thinking whether or not the coach
:35:58. > :36:01.would say to her, hit a three quarters serve like she just did and
:36:02. > :36:04.make sure you get high percentage. That's what she just did on that
:36:05. > :36:15.point, let's see if she carries on with that tactic. Right there. Yes,
:36:16. > :36:23.she took the pace off again on that first serve. I think she was
:36:24. > :36:26.reacting to that. She wouldn't know exactly the statistics that we know
:36:27. > :36:32.but she'll be knowing pretty close what's going on. They are both very
:36:33. > :36:39.good matchplay is. Venus has only 12 of the 13 points played on her
:36:40. > :36:48.second serve. -- has only won two of the 13 points. At least she's in the
:36:49. > :36:54.rally with that serve, at least she has a chance to get into the point.
:36:55. > :36:56.She keeps giving Serena second serves to have a go at, she's in big
:36:57. > :37:14.trouble every time. That's really impressive! What a
:37:15. > :37:21.recovery from 0-40! Five first serves in a row from that moment. No
:37:22. > :37:30.great coincidence that Venus should win all five points. Sometimes
:37:31. > :37:43.tactically, that little switch up does need to be made. Absolutely.
:37:44. > :37:48.That's where experience tells. An amazing lady, Venus Williams. She
:37:49. > :37:56.made her debut on the tour in 1994! LAUGHTER 23 years ago! Many, if not
:37:57. > :38:16.most of her opponents, weren't even born when she made her debut!
:38:17. > :38:25.Serena has been reading notes at every changeover. You don't often
:38:26. > :38:29.see them doing that. I'm sure it wouldn't be too complicated, there
:38:30. > :38:33.will be three or four bullet points they would have talked about the
:38:34. > :38:39.night before, just to keep reminding yourself. It's amazing in the heat
:38:40. > :38:41.of battle, even someone as experienced as Serena Williams,
:38:42. > :38:43.might lose her way for a second and then re-engage by checking out the
:38:44. > :39:11.notes. Very difficult to know, where do you
:39:12. > :39:16.lean towards on that side when she is serving? Do you nudge over one
:39:17. > :39:21.way or the other? She can hit any spot, that's the problem. The pace
:39:22. > :39:31.is so great. It's very difficult. It's the equivalent of playing
:39:32. > :39:40.Ivanesevic, when you almost have to guess. Now, I think she's annoyed
:39:41. > :39:42.herself because she had enough time to get round and hit a forehand
:39:43. > :40:13.there on the second serve. So desperate to get ahead in that
:40:14. > :41:20.first strike, Venus Williams. She set it up with the return, it
:41:21. > :41:24.was a strong second shot as well. What a pity, Venus Williams played
:41:25. > :41:55.such a good point there. It's that easy shot at the end.
:41:56. > :42:08.Went back to going for the big first serve on that point.
:42:09. > :42:33.Went for the bigger second serve as well! She has no choice.
:42:34. > :42:39.It's a victory of sorts for Venus Williams to be back in a Grand Slam
:42:40. > :42:44.final. Trying to win the Australian Open for the first time, 19 years
:42:45. > :42:59.after her debut in Melbourne. The last Grand Slam singles title
:43:00. > :43:29.was Wimbledon 2008. Last played a final in Wimbledon 2009.
:43:30. > :43:38.Game, Venus Williams. She serves out impressively for a 3-2 lead. Four of
:43:39. > :43:44.Venus Williams 's seven Grand Slam singles titles were more than 15
:43:45. > :44:01.years ago. Amazing achievement, to be back here playing for another
:44:02. > :44:13.one. There is the prize. These two ladies contested the trophy in 2003.
:44:14. > :44:16.Five breaks of serve in the first set of this final, so far in the
:44:17. > :47:12.second, five games going with serve. There are a lot of errors coming
:47:13. > :47:17.from Venus Williams but she has to play this kind of game to win this
:47:18. > :47:22.match. She has to be aggressive and take chances. She certainly can't
:47:23. > :47:27.play a defensive game. She doesn't have that in her game anyway, but
:47:28. > :47:32.against Serena she just has to go for it, take chances, and I am sure
:47:33. > :47:34.she will create more winners than losers. At the moment she is
:47:35. > :48:46.definitely in this match. Again, Serena are all over the
:48:47. > :48:52.second serve. That rotation of their hips there on that backhand. Rotates
:48:53. > :48:56.round, extension all the way through the ball. Good recovery there from
:48:57. > :49:46.Venus. Oh, that's just... It's so brilliant
:49:47. > :49:51.there, Serena Williams most of the time defending in that rally, then
:49:52. > :49:55.she gets one chance, really, to open up the court, and she's got such
:49:56. > :50:02.power and accuracy, she takes over the rally. Such a good athlete.
:50:03. > :50:05.That's the forehand, that one there, that's the one that creates the
:50:06. > :51:12.error. So good. And does. Two break points saved in
:51:13. > :52:50.this game by Venus. Just lapping up the second service
:52:51. > :53:24.returns in that game. A break ahead, 4-3, two games away from the title.
:53:25. > :53:33.Well, what a career both these ladies have had. They have spanned
:53:34. > :53:38.three decades, four US presidents and five UK prime ministers. Still
:53:39. > :53:40.going, playing for another Grand Slam title. Serena two games away
:53:41. > :54:40.from it. Curved that ball out of the
:54:41. > :54:47.forehand, and then she can flatten it out when she wants to, as well.
:54:48. > :54:52.Four times to the forehand there in that game, four first serves stop
:54:53. > :55:06.Whitwell, that flew by in less than a minute. -- four first serves.
:55:07. > :55:18.Well, that flew back in less than a minute.
:55:19. > :58:03.Venus Williams serving to stay in the match at 3-5.
:58:04. > :58:12.Well played! Still in there, fighting, digging very deep in that
:58:13. > :58:25.game to stay in the championship. For now.
:58:26. > :58:33.We talk so much about her sister, don't wait, but Venus Williams, 36
:58:34. > :58:40.years of age. Considering six years ago she had to take time off the
:58:41. > :58:47.Tour with Vista below -- tour with this debilitating disease she
:58:48. > :58:53.contracted. To get back to this level says so much, doesn't it,
:58:54. > :58:57.about her desire and commitment to the sport. It shows once again that
:58:58. > :59:03.the Williams sisters got it right with their hold tennis career, the
:59:04. > :59:06.way they prepared, the way they took time off that periods in their
:59:07. > :59:10.career to do other things, everyone said that was a no- no, you had to
:59:11. > :59:15.be 100% focused on your tennis career or you would never make it,
:59:16. > :59:20.but what it has done, the longevity is here, they still love the game,
:59:21. > :59:25.they look like they are in their 20s, they don't look their age at
:59:26. > :59:31.all. They want to play all the time, they are hungry. It looks like they
:59:32. > :59:36.could play another five years as well. and they have had a varied
:59:37. > :59:44.life outside of sport, as well. Exactly. Almost part-timers at some
:59:45. > :59:49.points, but they are grateful today because they are playing for that
:59:50. > :59:55.trophy. It is on the line for the winner of the Australian Open. We
:59:56. > :59:58.may just have a champion in waiting here, because Serena Williams, six
:59:59. > :00:09.times a winner in the past, is serving for the match.
:00:10. > :00:15.There have certainly been flashes of brilliance from Venus Williams in
:00:16. > :00:17.this match. That was a tremendous start to this game. What a first
:00:18. > :01:40.return that was. On the line from Venus! How hard is
:01:41. > :01:46.she working here?! Saying to her little sister, you aren't going to
:01:47. > :02:50.get this title easily. Best rally in the match.
:02:51. > :02:59.This is really heavy hitting now from both these fierce competitors.
:03:00. > :03:04.It used to be said that they couldn't play against each other,
:03:05. > :03:07.certainly in the early days of their rivalry, there were some matches
:03:08. > :03:12.which were average at best. But believe me, there are more decent
:03:13. > :04:14.contests between them than not. Familiar feeling in her long career,
:04:15. > :04:57.but the nerves will still be in fading. It is championship point.
:04:58. > :05:07.There it is! CHEERING She moves onto 23 Grand Slam singles
:05:08. > :05:24.titles. Venus Williams beaten on the day,
:05:25. > :05:36.but she knows what an accomplishment that is by her little sister. She
:05:37. > :05:46.moves ahead of Steffi Graf. And to within one of the all-time record,
:05:47. > :05:50.held by Margarette Court. A lovely scene as the sisters embrace. They
:05:51. > :05:56.have competed against each other for so long, since the late 90s. So many
:05:57. > :06:05.great battles over the years. And yet, always sisters. Seven time
:06:06. > :06:07.Grand Slam champion and one half of the greatest sibling act in world
:06:08. > :06:29.sport, Venus Williams! CHEERING For the seven time champion here at
:06:30. > :06:35.Melbourne Park, and with it all back to number one in the world, ladies
:06:36. > :06:42.and gentlemen, our champion, the legendary Serena Williams! SUE
:06:43. > :06:57.BARKER: she will be presented with her check by the child who won a
:06:58. > :07:08.competition. The trophy will be presented by Hannah Manlicova..
:07:09. > :07:13.First, let's hear from Serena. I would like to take this moment to
:07:14. > :07:23.congratulate Venus. She's an amazing person. CHEERING
:07:24. > :07:28.There's no way I would be at 23 without her, there's no way I would
:07:29. > :07:32.be at one without her, she's the any reason I'm standing here today and
:07:33. > :07:38.the only reason the Williams sisters exist. Thank you, Venus, for
:07:39. > :07:43.inspiring me to be the best player that I could be and inspired me to
:07:44. > :07:49.work hard. Every time you won this week I felt like I'd got to win to
:07:50. > :07:52.say thank you so much. She deserves an incredible round of applause.
:07:53. > :08:01.She's made an amazing comeback. APPLAUSE
:08:02. > :08:06.I have to thank my team. I couldn't have done this week without you
:08:07. > :08:10.guys, Patrick you are the best. Life wouldn't be possible without them.
:08:11. > :08:19.Thank you to the crowd, you guys are stunning, amazing, beautiful. I love
:08:20. > :08:24.you, thank you. CHEERING SUE BARKER: some lovely words from
:08:25. > :08:28.Serena. The Williams sisters are an inspirational story with everything
:08:29. > :08:33.they've been through. Serena, 35 years old, still the dominant force
:08:34. > :08:37.in tennis. When Serena is informed not even her older sister can get
:08:38. > :08:41.close. John has joined me in the studio. When you think about where
:08:42. > :08:46.they came from, Richard the father throwing up the coaching manual,
:08:47. > :08:49.doing it his way and producing these incredible players. When Richard
:08:50. > :08:56.came on the scene, people thought that he was out of his mind, some of
:08:57. > :09:00.the things he said about, it saying he didn't want his daughters to play
:09:01. > :09:05.junior tennis. He said he wanted them to have other hobbies
:09:06. > :09:09.throughout their time, to take time off, do not play as much as other
:09:10. > :09:12.women. He did all the things that were against the manual, but he
:09:13. > :09:16.predicted they would both be number one and they were. From where they
:09:17. > :09:22.came from, it's the most staggering sports story in history. And the
:09:23. > :09:26.autoimmune disorder that Venus has, the blood clot Serena had to come
:09:27. > :09:30.back from and still have to take medication for, it shows their love
:09:31. > :09:34.and passion that the game that in their mid-30s they are still out
:09:35. > :09:38.there competing. You look at them on court and they don't look their age.
:09:39. > :09:42.They look like they could place the years. If they continue this love,
:09:43. > :09:49.and they keep wanting to train as hard as they do, I mean, Serena is
:09:50. > :09:54.unbeatable when she still wants to play. The Venus to come back and be
:09:55. > :09:58.in the final now, it's a remarkable story. When Serena is informed, no
:09:59. > :10:04.one can come close. She's got the power, the ability, the serve, the
:10:05. > :10:08.greatest of all time for me, her serve is. When she is informed she
:10:09. > :10:12.is unstoppable. No one can get through to her. They can't make her
:10:13. > :10:18.defend, she's always on the front foot. The service over big. The
:10:19. > :10:22.greatest love of all time. Her one to punch behind the serve, it's
:10:23. > :10:26.almost impossible to compete against that. Her return of serve is
:10:27. > :10:30.brilliant. The rest of the women in the draw, they know when she is on
:10:31. > :10:35.her best, the winner. There was a lovely moment as they walked off
:10:36. > :10:39.court, Serena went off with her bag and her trophy, walking up through
:10:40. > :10:43.this corridor of former champions. There's only six, they are going to
:10:44. > :10:49.put a 7-Up. That was a wonderful moment it shows what, Margaret
:10:50. > :10:57.Court, 24, you feel that Serena will overtake that. There's no reason she
:10:58. > :11:02.couldn't, she's so good. I could see how winning the Grand Slam this
:11:03. > :11:07.year. That is one of the amazing finals we've got in Melbourne this
:11:08. > :11:12.weekend. We've got Roger against Rafa tomorrow, that is something to
:11:13. > :11:16.look forward to. We didn't expect to see these two great champions. That
:11:17. > :11:23.is tomorrow. We'll have the highlights at 1pm on BBC Two. Hear
:11:24. > :11:26.it live at 8:30am. That's not all the tennis we've got coming up on
:11:27. > :11:31.the BBC. Starting next Friday it's the first round of the Davis Cup in
:11:32. > :11:35.which Britain are taking on Canada in Ottawa. Britain's chances are
:11:36. > :11:41.being boosted by the withdrawal of Milos Raonic with injury. That will
:11:42. > :11:44.start on Friday. They don't have another player in the top 100 so
:11:45. > :11:50.that puts Britain in the driving seat even without Andy. The tie is
:11:51. > :11:54.flipped. When Andy said he wasn't going to play, all of a sudden
:11:55. > :11:59.Canada becomes the favourite. Now Milos Raonic is out, Britain is the
:12:00. > :12:07.favourite with Dan Evans playing the way playing. The doubles is almost a
:12:08. > :12:11.lock with Jamie Murray and I do think the Canadians can get a rubber
:12:12. > :12:15.at it. I think we could clean sweep that match. Britain has some great
:12:16. > :12:19.players, singles and doubles. Tomorrow it's the match everyone has
:12:20. > :12:24.been dreaming about. Roger against Rafa. We thought it would be
:12:25. > :12:27.Djokovic against Murray but we have these two great champions who looked
:12:28. > :12:31.to be back to their best. Is staggering and another great story.
:12:32. > :12:35.If you talk to people around the world, they never dream these two
:12:36. > :12:39.would be in the final again. I don't know who's going to be the crowd
:12:40. > :12:44.favourite tomorrow, I suspect Roger Federer but not by a lot. Rafa has
:12:45. > :12:49.got an amazing story. Roger Federer Alpha six months, comes in and gets
:12:50. > :12:55.to the finals. Rafa, injuries all over the place. I thought that
:12:56. > :12:59.against Dimitrov he played some tennis we last saw three or four
:13:00. > :13:04.years ago. The only thing is, will that match have taken a lot out of
:13:05. > :13:08.him? Back then maybe not but getting to the finals for the first time in
:13:09. > :13:13.a long while and playing these matches back-to-back, maybe he'll be
:13:14. > :13:17.tired. That's 1pm on BBC Two tomorrow. Today saw Serena Williams
:13:18. > :13:22.collect another Grand Slam title and hate her place at the top of the
:13:23. > :13:25.world rankings. 23 titles and counting the Serena -- take her
:13:26. > :13:36.place at the top of the world rankings. 23 titles and counting for
:13:37. > :13:37.Serena. COMMENTATOR: She moves on to 23 Grand Slam singles titles.