PARIS — Venus and Serena Williams won their fourth consecutive major doubles title Friday at the French Open.
"A Williams slam," Serena called it.
The sisters earned their 12th Grand Slam title by beating Katarina Srebotnik and Kveta Peschke 6-2, 6-3.
"It's really tough when you play one Williams," Venus said. "When you play two, it's really not an easy win."
The sisters will be ranked No. 1 in doubles for the first time next week in a partnership that began in the 1980s. They laughed as they reminisced about learning to play doubles.
"My dad told Venus to cross more, and so I think she got upset, and she crossed when the person was serving," Serena said.
"I remember that," Venus said. "Our older sister was serving."
"Oh my gosh, that was so funny," Serena said. "Dad told me I had to play the forehand, because I was young and I was smaller, and then he put Venus on the backhand. It has been like that ever since. That was 20 years ago?"
"At least," Venus said.
They're only the third women's doubles pair to win four major titles in a row. Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver did it in 1983-84, and Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva did it in 1992-93.
Soderling stands in way of Nadal's fifth French Open crown
PARIS (AP) — All that stands between Rafael Nadal and a fifth French Open title is the only player ever to beat him at Roland Garros.
Nadal and Robin Soderling won semifinals Friday to set up a tantalizing rematch. Soderling pulled off a stunner when they met in the fourth round last year, and the upset remains Nadal's lone loss in 38 French Open matches.
Soderling, runner-up to Roger Federer in 2009, returned to the final by sweeping the last four games to overtake No. 15-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-3, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. Nadal then beat No. 22 Jurgen Melzer 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (6).
Soderling has a knack for upsets in Paris — he beat Federer in the quarterfinals this week — and he'll be an underdog again Sunday.
The No. 2-seeded Nadal has won all 18 sets in this year's tournament, and he's 21-0 on clay in 2010. He seeks to become the second man to win at least five French Open titles. Bjorn Borg won six.Heady
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