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Friday, August 25
Williams sisters to go in doubles
Associated Press
The U.S. Olympic women's tennis team is looking for a sweep of
singles and a gold in doubles at Sydney.
The four-player squad includes defending gold
medalist Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles and Venus Williams in
singles, and Venus and her sister Serena in doubles.
Coach Billie Jean King raised the possibility of a sweep.
"We're going to go for it," she said. "Any one of our singles
players -- Lindsay, Venus or Monica -- can win the gold medal, and
we're looking for a gold medal in doubles."
The Williams sisters will bring their brash flair to the
Olympics for the first time.
"We're the best doubles team America has because it's
impossible to beat two of us, it really is," Venus said. "No
matter how bad we play, one of us is going to be playing pretty
good. It's going to be just really difficult."
The sisters won doubles at the past three Grand Slam events they
entered together -- the 1999 French Open, the 1999 U.S. Open and
Wimbledon in July.
Davenport and Venus Williams have won four of the past five
Grand Slam singles titles. Williams won her first major singles
title at Wimbledon this year.
"Being in the Olympics is great," Williams said. "I have the
opportunity to win two gold medals, which would be amazing."
Davenport, a second-generation Olympian, hopes to become the
first woman to repeat as gold medalist in singles.
"I've always said since 1996 that I can't wait to go back to
the Olympics," Davenport said. "We're sending an unbelievably
strong team and should probably win a lot of medals in Sydney."
U.S. women have won five of six gold medals since tennis
returned to full-medal Olympic status in 1988 after a 64-year
hiatus. The tennis event at Sydney will be held Sept. 19-28.
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