When Serena Williams takes to Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens this September, it will look—and sound—markedly different.
Fans won't be on hand to cheer her on, or root against her, as that "fourth wall" of a live theater audience will not be on hand. That may play to the 23-time major singles champion's favor, and as she has managed to summon the personal gusto to dispatch two opponents in a quarterfinal finish at the Top Seed Open in Kentucky. She would lose a third-set tiebreaker to Shelby Rogers on Thursday.
One of those departed foes was sister Venus Williams, now 40. Serena will turn 39 this September between the US and French Open events, and she recalled, as reported by the *New York Times*'Christopher Clarey, the days when she would know by the cheers or the quietness in a stadium whether her elder sister was winning.
Winning of itself is a Williams hallmark, of course. With 30 Grand Slam singles titles between them, as well as 14 major doubles crowns and a smattering of mixed doubles titles, any match—yea, any championship—has so often been on their racquets.