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By the Numbers – How Serena & Venus match up for the Australian Open Final

Ros Satar
Tennis

 

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By Ros Satar, in Melbourne

  • Serena Williams [2] v Venus Williams [13]
  • We break down the numbers as the sisters clash in a Slam final for the first time since 2009
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Who would have predicted this line-up? We break down the stats for Serena Williams & Venus Williams ahead of the Australian Open 2017 final.

 

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By the Numbers – How Serena & Venus match up for the Australian Open Final

Head to Head

Head to Head Serena Venus
Overall 16 11
Slams 9 5

 

After Venus started off with the wins, it has been Serena all the way, with the most recent Slam victory going to Serena the year after her big sister beat her in the 2008 Wimbledon final. This will be their ninth meeting in a Grand Slam final, and Serena has won seven of the last eight meetings.

Advantage: Serena

 

Slam History

Tournament History Serena Venus
W/L 80-10 51-16
Titles/Finals 6 Titles 2 Finals

 

This has been one of the best Slams for Serena – she is chasing a seventh title (of course not to mention a 23rd Slam to move ahead of Steffi Graf, as she chases Margaret Court’s record of 24 Slams. That being said, Venus is no slouch in the Slam title department – she has seven already, and the prospect of getting number eight after all the injury and illness woes that set her career back while her sister’s soared – will be a popular choice for many fans out there.

Advantage: Serena

 

Year to Date/Career W/L Record

Year to Date/Career Serena Venus
All surfaces W/L 7-1/773-126 7-0/727-207
Hard-court 7-1/480-75 7-0/431-118

Source: WTA Match Notes

Auckland has often been a solid starting point for Venus, but she handed over a walkover to Naomi Osaka, withdrawing from their second round match (thus not registering a loss), but this year there is little to separate them, having just one dropped set here in Melbourne.

Overall though there is little to distinguish between them on the hard courts.

Deuce

 

Match Stats 2017

Stats Serena Venus
Tie-Breaks 1-0 3-1
Deciding sets 0-1 1-0

 

Tie-breaks

The season is of course young but Venus has been pushed harder in matches, dropping the opening tie-break in her semi-final to Coco Vandeweghe, but Serena has been pushed just once in her loss to Madison Brengle in Auckland. She won that match in a scrappy performance in blustery conditions.

Deciding Sets

Venus made her one deciding set victory count this year – and that was in the semi-final against Vandeweghe. Serena’s loss came in Auckland.

Advantage: Venus

 

Tournament Stats

Serve/Return

Again there is not much to split them but Venus edges Serena on return games won, and service points won, with higher percentages than her sister on percentage of first and second serves won. Fans of the older sister often lament her higher double-fault count but actually she has just one more double-fault to her name than Serena.

But when it comes to aces, Serena rules the roost, 44-28.

Serena had admitted working hard on her second serve, and Venus knew she had been going for it in the semi-final on hers. This match could well be won and lost on who starts their service games more effectively.

Advantage: Serena

The Australian Open final between Serena & Venus Williams takes place on Rod Laver Arena at 7:30pm (8:30am GMT)