Venus is sheduled to play in a warm-up exhibition in Hong Kong in January, which she has done for the past couple of years prior to the Australian Open, but this year there is some doubt about her participation. Sister Serena has already announced that we should not expect to see her on court until late spring. Does late spring mean the end of May? This will coincide with the clay court season, a surface she is not comfortable on, and it is possible that she will stay off the court until the end of June to make a dramatic comeback at the 2011 Wimbledon. After all drama-queen is her self imposed nickname.

Both sisters have issued statements regarding their desire to participate in the 2012 Olympics in London. Serena is supposed to play with Andy Roddick in the mixed doubles, and Venus might play with the aging US stalwart, James Blake. 2012 is a long way off, and the Olympics have some tough qualifying requirements that must be met.

It is my hope that both sisters take the time to reflect on the glory they have brought to the Women’s game over the past 10 years, and that if their health and performances are anything less than 100%, they both gracefully retire. Their status, and the records they have set, will remain for ever, and to have to witness them in sub-par performances because they are out of shape and rusty is not the way their fans will want to remember them.