With Serena Williams' defeat of Jennifer Capriati, Richard Williams' daughters are where he predicted -- on top of the tennis world.

PARIS -- The Williams sisters apart and together say it's just another match, that everybody else takes it "more seriously" than they do, that their strategy will be just "to show up" (Serena said that) and "to be running down a lot of balls" (Venus). But if you think they're nonchalanting the latest of these history-making meetings -- this one will be on Saturday for the championship of France -- not to mention this first sibs Nos. 1 and 2 thing, you should hear how Oracene (Brandy) Williams, the mom, feels.

"It don't happen 'till next week," Brandy announced, chuckling through those fabulous braids and just past her nose ring. "So what's the big deal?"

Well, it was none other than Daddy Damndest, King Richard The First (just ask him) -- you might recall the fellow; he was in all the newspapers, the guy wearing the T-shirt with a picture of himself plastered all over it -- who predicted back when they were still in swaddling clothes that these sublime siblings would complete this astounding achievement.

"He always knew our ability, knew what we're capable of," Serena said.

"When you're young, you always believe what your dad says," Venus said. "(To get there) it's not really relief, stress. We live a great life, have great opportunities that most people don't have. When I get out there and play my matches, most times I just try to enjoy it."

Venus vs. Serena

Venus leads 5-3 2002 Paris, clay-outdoor, F, Serena, 7-5, 6-3 Key Biscayne, hard-outdoor, SF, Serena, 6-2, 6-2. 2001 U.S. Open, hard-outdoor, F, Venus, 6-2, 6-4. 2000 Wimbledon, grass-outdoor, SF, Venus, 6-2, 7-6 (3). 1999 Key Biscayne, hard-outdoor, F, Venus, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Grand Slam Cup, hard-indoor, F, Serena, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. 1998 Australian Open, hard-outdoor, R64, Venus, 7-6 (4), 6-1. Rome, clay-outdoor, QF, Venus, 6-4, 6-2.

Venus must have enjoyed finishing off her easy 6-1, 6-4 semifinal victory over the ingénue, Clarisa Fernandez -- coming as it did in the early evening Paris chill just after Serena fought off the defending French champion, Jennifer Capriati, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2. The victories meant that no matter what happens between the sisters in the championship round -- and Tennis, capitol T, prays the contest will be more compelling than their usual emotions-plagued, mistakes-filled, heavily questioned, possibly fixed confrontations -- they will emerge as the Numbers Won and Won A players in the universe. And what does that mean?

"More than anything, that we've reached the best of our profession, which is what we always have achieved to do," Venus said. "We take pride in what we do."

Williams S. wasn't exactly proud of her performance against Capriati after the two players -- Jennifer had lost to Serena three times previously this year although she had beaten her at the French and Wimbledon in 2001 -- combined for 136 errors of all kinds (to just 46 winners). "I had 76 unforced errors. That's not the best. That's scary," she said.

But the Will-Cap matches are always like this -- frightening power hitting from the backcourt, oppressive service deliveries and go-for-the-jugular returns -- "fantastic scurrying," said the man from Eurosport TV -- all of which make for a rhythym-less concerto, noisy, off-balance and unpredictable at every turn.

Serena made 31 of her UE's in the first set and it not only looked like she was out of here, so did the sisters' second dream meeting in a Grand Slam final -- the first was at last year's U.S. Open. Remember, Diana Ross did the anthem honors and what appeared to be a month's worth of Letterman and Leno guests sang along just prior to Serena folding like a plastic accordion.

Early in the second set on Thursday, however, not only did Jennifer do the folding, falling on her derrierre, but Serena's tiara bit the dust, as well. Uh oh -- shades of the early days when the sisters' hair beads went flying all over the surfaces of the globe? Baby W was rushing, too impatient, frustrated that her monster drives were being diffused by the soft surface. Meanwhile, The Capster couldn't get any consistency going.

	Jennifer Capriati couldn't get any consistency going on Thursday.

"You can't play relaxed because every point is important," Capriati said. "Playing against other people, you get into a groove so it's not like so erratic ... but with Serena you never know what's going to happen." What happened in the second set tiebreak was Capriati slugged still another unforced forehand practically to the Tulleries for 2-all, screeched at herself "You're (Expletive) Choking!" and didn't win another point.

In the tiebreak, not the match. But it seemed to be a turning point.

Came the third set and Serena finally took charge, slugging to superior length and imposing her will on the rallies to such an extent that Capriati grew tentative and then just panicked, losing several key points trying to drop shot her adversary. Even Matthew Perry and all his Friends couldn't help Capriati, and when Serena strung the last four games and closed it out, she whirled around the court, her golden ponytail flipping in dance step along with those matching golden slippers.

Capriati may have been finished, but she wasn't finished screeching or, rather, sniping -- in effect pouring some sour milk upon the heady champagne moment the Williams family was sharing.

"You've got to give them credit (for reaching Nos. 1 and 2)," Jennifer said. "But inevitable? There's a lot of things that happened that got them to this position. If everyone's playing ... (Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis have missed chunks of the season) ... (The sisters) are pretty good with planning things. You know, one plays, one doesn't. You would think (there's) planning behind that. I mean, if you really want your daughters to be 1 and 2, I guess everyone would do that. But mostly it's just because not everyone is in the game ... (Would it have) taken longer? I don't know if it would ever happen at all."

Hey, Jen: You lost (your title). You're out. You and Matt go have a nice time sightseeing.

Inevitability will rear its wondrous head again on Saturday.

Curry Kirkpatrick is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at curry.kirkpatrick@espnmag.com.