AO Flashback: Seles vanquishes Venus in last great run

Williams was the reigning Wimbledon and US Open champion and had won her past four tournaments, including the Gold Coast title to open the 2002 season. By reaching the quarters at Melbourne Park, she’d built a 24-match winning streak, winning 48 of her past 50 sets.

Despite being the tour’s dominant player she was ranked No.3 and seeded second, her position impacted by her decision to shut her 2001 season down post-US Open to focus on study.

"Venus was definitely the it-girl,” recalled Suzi Petkovski, tennis writer and historian who covered Australian Open 2002 for Tennis Week.

“She was the uber-athlete versus the king-hitter in Seles. You see the greatness in both of them, in this match.”

Australian Open 2002 was a compelling event, especially on the women’s side, where seven of the top eight seeds reached the quarterfinals. In the top half of the draw, defending champion Jennifer Capriati took on Amelie Mauresmo while Belgians Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters clashed. All four of those players are now Australian Open champions.

Yet Williams-Seles was the biggest blockbuster of all, and the only one of the four quarterfinals to extend three sets.

Seles was already a four-time AO winner and a fan favourite, especially considering the horrific circumstances she’d been forced to overcome when she was stabbed on court in 1993 and missed more than two years of competition.

She had also rediscovered form, scooping three consecutive titles in late 2001 and taking to the court against Williams unbeaten in 17 matches.

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