The Sister Act is the last hurrah for American tennis, at least at Wimbledon this summer. But maybe everywhere. Maybe all the time.
It's the Williams sisters, of course, and Venus pounded through the third round yesterday, joining Serena, who accomplished the same on Friday. Another US woman, Bethanie Mattek, also remains around but not for long since she faces Serena next.
What Venus faced was a match whose first five games, all won by Williams, nearly took less time to play - 17 minutes - than it takes to run through the full name of her opponent, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
Eventually, Martinez Sanchez made it a bit of a contest but, as expected, defending champion Venus was the winner, 6-1, 7-5.
"I was happy with that one," she said in terse retrospect. So was NBC-TV, which shows the tournament in the US. No Venus and/or no Serena and, well, no interest. Not after nine of the 10 American men in singles failed to make it even to the third round, and the 10th, Bobby Reynolds couldn't make it to the fourth.
The provincial US press corps, worried it might have to start looking for stories beyond the game, such as the England v New Zealand cricket controversy, none of which we understand, asked Venus if she had any idea what's wrong with the men. "No, I don't," was her rapid answer. And if she did, would it be worth a great deal of money?
"If I did know," she said, "I'm not sure it would be the right thing for me to call up somebody and say, Hey, I saw what you were doing.' I just pay attention what's happening in my own camp."
Venus is trying for a fifth Wimbledon women's singles title. She is the No 7 seed, as if that means anything. Already the No 1 (Ana Ivanovic) and No 3 (Maria Sharapova) seeds have been eliminated. And both Venus and Serena play Wimbledon far beyond their seedings.
They are far and away the best athletes on the women's tour, and no matter what they've done in the preceding weeks, each is able to respond capably at the end of June. Serena and Venus didn't enter the grass-court warm-ups, but so far neither has lost a set.
Nor, to her credit, did Venus lose her cool when she was informed about the remarks from her former mixed-doubles partner, the recently retired Justin Gimelstob, about various members of the women's tour.
Gimelstob knows how to make waves, even if in 10 years on the Tour he couldn't make it any higher in the rankings than the top 60.
He called Anna Kournikova, who he just happens to be facing next month in a mixed-doubles exhibition, "a bitch." and described French players Tatiana Golovin and Alize Cornet as "sexpots."
He referred to Czech Nicole Vaidisova as "a well-developed young lady," and said most female players, "lack the social skills, they don't go to high school, don't go to parties."
Gimelstob has apologised and pledged to donate money to the Women's Sports Foundation.
"Yeah," said Venus of the Gimelstob remarks, "I heard about them. I played mixed doubles with him and won some Slams Australian and Roland Garros, both in 1998. I don't know in great detail what the issue is. I think we should accept his apology and allow him to move on and contribute to tennis."
Venus was 28 on June 17, and is business-like on court and off. She realises her career doesn't have that long to go and that she has a responsibility to her clothing line, "Eleven."
"My challenge in my career has been my injuries," said Venus. "That has been my major problem. It hasn't been easy coming back. Sometimes it's not easy figuring out what's wrong."
This Wimbledon, nothing's been wrong. Venus appears mentally focused - the way she paced at the entrance to Court No 1 yesterday before coming into the sunlight, was proof enough. Her shots are as deadly as ever. She finished the win with back-to-back aces.
"What I enjoy most about singles," said Venus, who is playing doubles with her sister, "is all the room you have. Even if I hit not the best shot I'm pretty confident I'm going to run down the next one. On the run I feel like I'm just as good as standing still."
All America hopes that come next weekend she - and Serena - are still standing at Wimbledon.
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