I think my dad was more nervous than Venus and me combined, but he was so proud of how far we’d come and what each of us had achieved. Venus beat me that day and went on to win the Miami Open in 1998, 1999 and 2001. I made sure we kept it in the family, following up with the first of my eight Miami Open wins in 2002.

The tournament’s attendance through the years has continued to increase, and I’ve been fortunate to have the fans’ loyal support. I hear “Come on, Serena!” cheers in many languages when I play in Miami. I love the diversity and the passion of the crowds. The mix of cultures and the incredible energy make it so fun to play.

The Miami Open has played an important role in my life and the lives of so many others. The event has always supported up-and-coming players, giving wild cards over the years to Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and James Blake before anyone had heard of them. In 1997, the tournament offered a wild card to Venus when she was just 16 years old.

Miami also helped lead the way for gender equality in the tennis world. Before 1985, the only combined men’s and women’s events were the four Grand Slams. In its inaugural year, the Miami Open broke that convention and featured both men and women.