Given that the world somehow managed to survive the Andy Williams and Family Christmas Show for a couple of decades, there seems every hope that women's tennis will eventually come to terms with the Venus and Serena Williams double act.
But there are bound to be casualties. And currently, chief among these is Irina Spirlea. The Romanian, seeded number six at this year's Australian Open, had lost acrimoniously to Venus in the semi-finals of the US Open last year, and yesterday suffered a double sibling whammy when Serena, 16 years old, but not in the least tender, beat her 6-7, 6-3, 6-1 in the first round here.
Spirlea, you will remember, hardly endeared herself to the Williams clan when she barged into Venus during a change-over at Flushing Meadow, and then followed this up with some non-too-complimentary comments about the American's star status.
Venus's father, Richard, who was not in New York at the time, was moved from afar to call Spirlea a "tall, white turkey". Great friendships do not tend to blossom in such an environment and Spirlea, who reached the last eight here last year, had to fight back the tears after this ignominious defeat.
She had been due to play Venus in the next round tomorrow, and clearly saw the coincidence of the draw as a chance to start the new year off by ridding herself of the troublesome Williams with a quick one-two, up yours.
Now, after Venus won her opening match, also on centre court, against France's Alexia Dechaume-Balleret, the two devoted sisters will slug it out against each other for a place in the third round.
Their father has no doubts that this meeting, their first at a senior level, is but a precursor of numerous Grand Slam finals to come, for he firmly believes, and has been shouting it from any roof top made available to him, that his "Cinderellas of the Ghetto" will rule the women's tennis world well into the next millennium.
Physically, they are not peas in a pod. Venus, who will be 18 this June, is tall and gangly - the more poetic frequently likening her to an African queen. Serena is thick set and muscular - those same poets referring to her as a warrior princess. All romantic rubbish, of course.
What they do have in common is a hard-hitting power game, built on a foundation of supreme self-confidence. Such concentrated clout was always likely to scorch horrible holes in the women's game, at least initially.
Venus, after a relatively quiet beginning last year, suddenly and spectacularly blazed into the US Open final at the first time of asking where she lost to Switzerland's Martina Hingis, the world number one. Serena, in this only her fourth senior tournament and first Grand Slam, has arguably made an initially greater impact with victories over top 10 players Mary Pierce, Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, and now Spirlea.
The Romanian admitted that her altercation with Venus was at the forefront of her mind before she played Serena. The American was asked if her approach to the game had been affected by that incident. "Nope", she replied, gainsaying any further discussion.
The American sisters last met in tournament play some eight years ago, when Venus prevailed. "We've talked a lot about playing each other at this level, and we are going to have to get used to it," said Serena.
