In Olympic year, fire burns again for Williams sisters

In tennis. Not cookie-twisting and dunking.

"We had a great time," Venus said of the venture with the Mannings. "We were actually very competitive. We had a lot of fun."

They've had their troubles through the years, mostly with injuries and illness, although we never knew if the problems were actual or imagined.

Twelve months ago, each was dispatched by Justine Henin on her way to the U.S. Open title, Serena in the quarters, Venus in the semis, and each had an explanation -- or an excuse, depending on how you look at it. Serena said she was sore, Venus contended she was dizzy. They didn't respond the way champions should. They looked for ways out instead of crediting their opponent.

But now they speak well of the women they play. Now, Venus, at age 28, and Serena, a month from her 27th birthday, glance around and express appreciation and contentment. It's as if they understand what it's all about -- a game, a game in which they are wildly successful and wonderfully popular.

"The Olympics made me so proud," Venus said. "I had a hard time leaving. Playing for my country, winning gold, there was no comparison to a Grand Slam."

This can be said of the ladies: No matter their travails, the claims they didn't go all out when facing each other -- claims that, at Wimbledon, Venus said were obscene -- the Williams sisters always have been excellent representatives of their nation.

They travel well, taking in the sights and culture of other lands. While others who returned from Beijing complained about jet lag, Serena and Venus never said a thing. That's professionalism to the core.

Athletes often have been accused of tunnel vision. These two always have looked around. "I learned a lot," Serena said of her stay in China. "I thought the people were extremely hard workers and extremely nice. They seemed to go all out as a country and not just as individuals."

A while ago, maybe three or four years, Serena appeared bored with her own excellence. She sought diversion in other activities, and her game declined. Suddenly, there is a revitalization.

"A whole new love," is the way Serena said it. "I don't know where it came from. I guess I just woke up and decided that I can't get enough of playing."

It's reassuring to hear, reassuring to see Serena and Venus performing as expected. "I'm definitely a mortal," Serena said when asked if she sometimes loses confidence.

The great players work through that doubt. Serena seemingly has done it, although she hasn't won a major championship since the 2007 Australian Open. Venus definitely has done it, taking her fifth Wimbledon at the start of July.

"There's no secret to winning," Venus reminded. "You just got to play better than everybody else. So that's what I got to do."

In tennis or the Double Stuff Racing League.