The 2002 French Open final is etched into tennis history as the only meeting between Serena and Venus Williams at Roland Garros and the start of their run of four consecutive Grand Slam finals against each other which ended with Serena winning her first Serena Slam.

How did the sisters take the sport to new heights during this period? What did Venus’ reaction to defeat reveal about her character and her relationship with Serena? And how have their careers shined a light on race issues in tennis?

We also hear from Mary Carillo and Christopher Clarey who talk more about how their sibling rivalry played out on court, the way in which Serena embraced clay more than Venus, and whether or not they enjoyed watching the Williams sisters face off.

The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.

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* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *

We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. Tomorrow’s focus will be Justin Henin’s dominance and her rivalry with Kim Clijsters. Highlights of their 2003 final are on YouTube. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.

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