From fierce rivals on the court to lifelong friends off it—Rennae Stubbs has been fortunate to witness the Williams sisters’ journey up close. Over the years, her bond with Venus and Serena has transformed into something more like family, filled with respect, competition, and lasting friendship. Many fans may recall Stubbs even joining Serena’s coaching team during the 2022 US Open, where the 23-time Grand Slam champion played her final tournament.
On a recent episode of The Sit-Down podcast, Stubbs reflected on her decades-long connection with the Williams sisters. “We played doubles together with both Venus and Serena at World TeamTennis. Through that, I built an amazing friendship with them. I’ve known them for 30 years—since they were just 10 years old—so I really got to watch them grow and admired them tremendously,” she said.
Stubbs also recalled her matches against the sisters. “I played them many times but only managed one win when they were kids. I lost to them in my last Wimbledon final with Sam (Stosur),” she admitted. That match was the 2009 Wimbledon doubles final, where Venus and Serena, the defending champions, beat Stubbs and Stosur 7-6(4), 6-4 to secure the title without dropping a single set throughout the tournament.
Despite the losses, Stubbs treasures those experiences. “I had the privilege of playing them on the biggest stages, and even though they beat me, our relationship just grew stronger. Being in Serena’s coach’s box for her final US Open was incredibly special,” she added. Serena’s farewell run included wins over Danka Kovinic and Anett Kontaveit before her campaign ended against Ajla Tomljanovic.
Stubbs shared a behind-the-scenes moment from that tournament, revealing that Serena had a stressful warm-up before her second-round match against Kontaveit due to traffic delays and limited prep time. “She rushed in, skipped some stretches, and was just stressed. It was a big match—Kontaveit was world No. 2 at the time. Even her hitting partner was struggling, so I had to calm her down a bit,” Stubbs recalled.
Beyond the matches, Stubbs has often praised the resilience of the Williams sisters. Speaking in 2022, she highlighted how their perseverance against racism and rejection in the tennis establishment shaped them into champions. “They had to fight for everything—acceptance, respect, everything. That fight is what made them great. And in the end, they got the love they deserve because they’re truly quality people,” Stubbs said.
Today, Serena has retired, cementing her legacy as one of the greatest ever, while Venus, at 45, is still competing. At the 2025 US Open, Venus reached the doubles Round of 16 with partner Leylah Fernandez—her best Grand Slam doubles run since 2018. Serena, watching from afar, even shared a TikTok reacting to her sister’s performance. Fans can’t help but wonder if the iconic duo will reunite for one last doubles exhibition in the future.
