Tennis is one of the most popular sports worldwide, with countless fans and followers of its tournaments and players. Despite the passion for the sport, many may not know about a player named “Kraesten Braasch,” a German player who retired years ago with little impact on the game’s history, having achieved a career-high ranking of 36 in the world. However, he made history with a match he played in 1998 at the Australian Open against the rising sisters “Serena and Venus Williams,” defeating them easily despite being ranked 203rd in the world at the time.
The story began on June 25, 1998, when the legendary former tennis player John McEnroe made a statement that caused a stir among tennis fans. McEnroe claimed that if the Williams sisters decided to play against men, they would rank around 700th. This comment sparked criticism, as Serena was considered one of the best tennis players on the planet, if not the best in the history of the sport. How could there be 699 men capable of beating her?
The sisters had to respond to this statement, and the opportunity arose at the Australian Open later that year. They watched the male players during their practice sessions and became convinced that they could defeat any player ranked 200 or higher. They approached the German player Kraesten Braasch, ranked 203rd, who agreed to play and was excited about the match.
On the day of the match, Kraesten began his morning with a round of golf, followed by two beers, and then went to the match venue in the afternoon. He faced Serena first, defeating her 6-1, and then faced Venus, who arrived after a press conference, and won easily 6-2. The match ended with the sisters’ defeat, despite their best efforts to achieve a positive result, while Kraesten played with calm and composure.
This experience led the sisters to reconsider their assessment of their performance against male professionals. They told the press they could beat any male player ranked 350 or higher. Kraesten Braasch responded, noting that he was about to lose many ranking points and might drop to 350th. He suggested that if Venus and Serena waited just one week, they could challenge him again.
Years after the match, Kraesten Braasch commented that the sisters at that time lacked enough experience in the game. He believed that if they faced a player of that ranking now, the result might be better, but they still wouldn’t be able to defeat him, as male professionals have greater physical strength, are faster on the court, and can return more shots than women. Therefore, they wouldn’t be able to beat any man ranked even up to 500th.
Serena Williams responded by saying that she didn’t realize the match would be so difficult. She played shots that could have won any women’s match, but Kraesten reached them with remarkable ease.
