Sisters Shifting Balance of Power From Russia

Revolution, interrupted.

So, what of the Russian Revolution in women’s tennis? Three of the four Grand Slam events are completed, meaning it’s time for an update after the Russians took three of the four majors in 2004.

The numbers: Williams Family 2, Russians 0.

The number of Grand Slam titles in the Williams household in 2005 doubled when Venus completed an astonishing career restoration project, defeating defending champion Maria Sharapova of Russia in the semifinals and Lindsay Davenport, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 9-7, in one of the best women’s finals at Wimbledon. Serena Williams defeated Davenport in the Australian Open final in January. Belguim’s Justine Henin-Hardenne took the French Open in May.

Here, Davenport served for the title in the second set and was broken at love, and Venus Williams saved a match point in the third set. No wonder Williams’ mother, Oracene Price, said she felt “emotionally drained” after watching the final.

Is this just a temporary resurfacing for Venus, or does this mean there is yet another player in the increasingly crowded mix for the year’s final major, the U.S. Open?

“Without a doubt. This is just the thing she needed,” said former No. 1 Tracy Austin, who is working here for the BBC. “Just beating Sharapova, she was back. She needed something to get over the hump, beating Maria and the way she did it.”

The Russians are well behind the pace of 2004. Sharapova has done the best this year, reaching two Grand Slam semifinals and a quarterfinal.

In 2004, Venus Williams did not come close to contending. Her era of dominance seemed over -- her last Grand Slam title coming at the U.S. Open in 2001 -- and the questioning grew pointed this year when she lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open and the third round of the French Open.

But doubts did not extend to Williams’ family members.

“No. She may have a little bit, but I didn’t,” Price said. “I knew what she’s got in her.”

Williams would never admit such a fact but gave hints of how difficult it was to deal with the hard times, the injuries and the shooting death of her older half sister, Yetunde Price, in 2003.

“Last year was a tough year because I had a lot of injuries, even before the Olympics, and I was always getting sick too and never could train,” Williams said. “When I went on the court, I had so much to think about: ‘Is your racket back? Are you on the baseline? Are you looking at the ball?’

“I had all this stuff, and I wasn’t really ready, so it was very tough to play.”

She was helped in that grass-court tennis is a game of instinct, which was on display for a riveting 2 hours 45 minutes against Davenport, the longest Wimbledon women’s final. In fact, they played 64 minutes longer than Roger Federer and Andy Roddick did in Sunday’s final.

Equal prize money, anyone? Williams was busy on that issue, speaking with her racket Saturday and speaking with members of the Grand Slam Committee on Friday about the matter. Wimbledon and the French Open are the Grand Slam events that don’t offer women equal money.

Williams joined WTA Tour Chief Executive Larry Scott at the meeting, even though it was the day before the final.

“A lot of times, they probably think that Larry is trying to put a point across that is maybe his agenda, but it isn’t,” Williams told a small group of U.S. reporters Saturday.

“The women players, we feel we’re very much deserving of this. I think the modern world, all constitutions say there shouldn’t be discrimination based on religion or sex or race or any of those things, and I think it’s time to put an end to it because we’re in the modern world.

“We shouldn’t be arguing whether or not someone played five sets or what. Let’s face it. If women played five sets, none of these tournaments would ever finish. In fact, playing three sets is tougher because you don’t have time to re-gather. You have to play good right away. In that way, it’s probably more stressful.”

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The winners

Wimbledon 2005 champions:

* Men’s singles: Roger Federer, Switzerland.

* Women’s singles: Venus Williams.

* Men’s doubles: Stephen Huss, Australia, and Wesley Moodie, South Africa.

* Women’s doubles: Cara Black, Zimbabwe, and Liezel Huber, South Africa.

* Mixed doubles: Mahesh Bhupathi, India, and Mary Pierce, France.

* Junior boys’ singles: Jeremy Chardy, France.

* Junior girls’ singles: Agnieszka Radwanska, Poland.

* Junior boys’ doubles: Jesse Levine and Michael Shabaz.

* Junior girls’ doubles: Viktoria Azarenka, Belarus, and Agnes Szavay, Hungary.