Williams sisters to play exhibition in South Africa
By Gerald ImrayAssociated Press
Serena Williams holds the championship trophy after beating Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, in the championship match at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
JOHANNESBURG — Newly crowned U.S. Open champion Serena Williams and sister Venus will play each other in an exhibition match on a visit to South Africa in early November, organizers said Wednesday.
The Americans will also attend a coaching clinic in the famous Soweto township when they travel to the country in support of a women’s charity. They will face each other on court for the first time in Africa at the Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg.
As well as her Flushing Meadows triumph, Serena won her fifth Wimbledon title and first Olympic singles gold in London this season in a remarkable turnaround after losing in the first round of the French Open. The younger Williams now has 15 career slams.
She said the sisters were “proud and humbled” to be invited to travel to South Africa, while seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus — the Olympic champion in 2000 — added they were “extremely excited.”
“After Serena’s gold medal at the Olympics, her win at Wimbledon and now the U.S. Open too, I look forward to taking my younger sister on in this exhibition tennis match in South Africa,” Venus said.
The sisters also have combined for 13 Grand Slam doubles titles and won Olympic gold in the doubles in 2000, 2008 and this year.
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