Serena Ready to Reclaim Title - (I hope So)
Thursday, 12 May, 2005
On the July afternoon last summer when the only word on so many lips was – to
quote Stephen Sondheim - “Maria, Maria, Maria”, it was Sharapova’s opponent
who earned new respect among those who remembered to spare a glance towards
the runner-up.
Not for Serena Williams a cursory handshake at the net in defeat. Instead she
walked around to the other side of the court where Sharapova was still rising
from her knees, and generously hugged the young Russian who had taken her
Wimbledon crown and ended her 20-match winning streak in SW19. The ceremony
that followed must have seemed interminable to Williams, but not once did she
allow her smile to falter, nor a single one of the tears that filled her eyes
to run down her cheeks. It was a stand-up performance of grace at a horrible
time, and those who witnessed it took their collective hat off to her.
“I try not to be a bad loser,” she acknowledged afterwards. “Maria was so
excited. I know that moment and that feeling. There’s no better feeling than
that. I was happy for her, and it’s definitely good to see someone new
winning.”
But it was to be Williams’ only Slam final of 2004. Australia fell within
her eight-month lay-off for left knee surgery following her win at Wimbledon
2003, and quarter-final defeat at Roland Garros saw her drop out of the top
ten for the first time in five years. After another quarter-final defeat at
Flushing Meadow, 2004 yielded Williams’ lowest year-end finish at seven
since 1998. Just past her 23rd birthday, the doomsayers were gathering.
Happily for Serena and tennis in general, the doomsayers had a thin time of it
in Australia this January. Despite needing treatment in the final she overcame
Lindsay Davenport to grab her seventh Slam title. She was well and truly back,
looking dangerously as if a return to her best form was a genuine possibility.
Progress since has been intriguing rather than straightforward, not least for
her semi-final defeat to sister Venus at the Nasdaq-100. The straight sets
scoreline belied the exciting quality of the match, and for the first time it
seemed the siblings played one another unburdened of any career agenda. Now
with Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne returning to top form after
injury lay-offs, the stage is set for some class encounters on the stage
Serena adores more than any other.
“I love winning Wimbledon,” she grins, having raised the Rosewater Dish in
2003 and 2002. “Of course a Williams is going to be Wimbledon champion again,
yes. It’s just a matter of time. I can’t wait for Kim and Justine and
myself to be back at a hundred per cent. It’s going to be great. It’s been
a long way coming back for me but I’ve always considered myself the best and
the top. I never considered that I was out of it – ever.”
Meanwhile, there is no question of Serena sacrificing her famously varied
extra-curricular activities to devote herself exclusively to tennis. She and
Venus have signed on the dotted line to star in their own six-part reality
television show, focussing as much on their off-court lives as the tennis tour.
Serena also took a guest role in the US sitcom ‘All Of Us’, in which she
took twin roles as herself and her fictional assistant. And of course she has
strong design input into her on-court gear, which always brings a certain
fascination. She likens her fame to any of the planet’s biggest pop icons.
“I’m not a tennis superstar, I’m just a superstar,” she said after
Sharapova’s victory last July, then added: “Just kidding. But I can’t go
anywhere without being recognised. I’ve tried lots of different looks and
hair colours. It’s a Britney Spears type thing but I take it as a plus
because it means I’m doing well.”
Besides, for all the talk of acting and fashion, Serena's competitive spirit
is exercised best by tennis. She especially remembers one part of Sharapova’s
victory speech last year, when the new champion told Serena she was sorry to
take the trophy away from her for one year.
“For one year,” repeated Serena, with a nod of affirmation. “I like that
part. I don’t enjoy losing.”
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