article_snippet: Those were the words of tennis analyst Mary Joe Fernandez in 2001, early into Serena Williams decider with Kim Clijsters in the final of one of tennis' most prestigious tournaments.
article_snippet: The then 17-year-old Clijsters had just held to love amid vociferous cheers and -- in a breach of tennis etiquette -- a large portion of the fans on center court at the event now known as the BNP Paribas Open roared approvingly when Serena Williams struck a double fault to begin the next game.
article_snippet: Venus Williams, meanwhile, said in a press conference at Kim Clijsters next tournament Kim Clijsters "heard whatever Richard heard.
article_snippet: Venus Williams pulled out a mere minutes prior to the start, citing a knee injury.
article_snippet: Whispers of Richard Williams pre-determining the outcome grew, no doubt aided by the comments of Elena Dementieva.
article_snippet: After Venus Williams beat Dementieva in the quarterfinals, the Russian said the sisters' father would "decide" who won.
article_snippet: Serena Williams, who was 19 back then, ultimately passed the 'test' that day against Clijsters, judging by the result: A three-set win.
article_snippet: By that time I'd known enough to know that Venus had been significantly injured and that it was not a set-up of any kind.