Serena --Strengths And Struggles--USO
- Thread starter RJD11
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NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 08: Former President Bill Clinton congratulates Serena Williams of the United States after her women's singles final victory on Day Fourteen of the 2013 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2013 in New York City.
http://espn.go.com/espn/photos/wire/_/id/850/photo/3230833/tennis
http://espn.go.com/espn/photos/wire/_/id/850/photo/3230833/tennis
U.S. Open title makes 17 career major singles titles for her career, Roger Federer numbers. But when it comes to paying it forward, she is the Jackie Robinson for women of color in this sport (with a major assist to big sister Venus). Consider the crop of talent sprouting behind her: 18-year-old Madison Keys, a Williams sisters fan as a tyke, reached the second round of the U.S. Open last year and beat Serena on the World Team Tennis circuit as a 15-year-old. Victoria Duval, 17, drew immediate comparisons to Williams after her U.S. Open first-round upset of Australia's Sam Stosur — the last woman to turn back Serena in a final in Queens. Taylor Townsend, an explosive 17-year-old who last year became the first American girl to hold the number one ranking in 30 years, called her meeting with Serena in 2011 "a dream come true." Tornado Black, the unseeded 15-year-old who came within a whisker of winning the U.S. Open juniors title, is following the Williams blueprint and going a way apart from the USTA. And then there's Sloane Stephens, a frenemy 'til the bitter end. On and on it goes. For those wondering how American tennis will survive after Williams retires, that's easy. Serena's legacy will keep it strong.
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/20130908/serena-williams-wins-us-open-victoria-azarenka/#ixzz2eM6TumCg
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/20130908/serena-williams-wins-us-open-victoria-azarenka/#ixzz2eM6TumCg
Serena Williams only becomes more and more of a WTA legend as she adds title after title to her résumé. And in honor of Grand Slam title No.17, here are 17 facts, nuggets, accomplishments - whatever you want to call them - about the World No.1 after her latest triumph. - See more at: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3453148/title/seventeen-stats-for-seventeen-slams#sthash.Hwhr0C60.dpuf
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3453148/title/seventeen-stats-for-seventeen-slams
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3453148/title/seventeen-stats-for-seventeen-slams
Azarenka had played Williams at a major and lost. Now, Sunday evening, the tennis cosmos seemed to be shifting.
"When you're always trying to write history -- or join history, in my case -- maybe you just get a little more nervous than you should," Williams said. "I also think it's kind of cool because it means that it means a lot to you."
This Open meant plenty to both, which should come as a relief to a tour that, for years now, has seen too many of its top players undone by a worrying lack of fire. Williams has all but carried the women's game since completing her return from a near-fatal pulmonary embolism 14 months ago, while carrying herself with a maturity rarely seen during even her finest years on court. Too often, her tennis career was potholed by sluggish trods to practice, or forays into fashion, nail-care school or acting. But her 67-4 record this year, improved footwork, focus and fitness all point to a talent that, at 31, is finally and fully engaged. Without that commitment, Sunday's third-set rebound to dominant form would almost be unthinkable.
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/20130909/serena-williams-victoria-azarenka-us-open-final/#ixzz2ee3wVKUo
"When you're always trying to write history -- or join history, in my case -- maybe you just get a little more nervous than you should," Williams said. "I also think it's kind of cool because it means that it means a lot to you."
This Open meant plenty to both, which should come as a relief to a tour that, for years now, has seen too many of its top players undone by a worrying lack of fire. Williams has all but carried the women's game since completing her return from a near-fatal pulmonary embolism 14 months ago, while carrying herself with a maturity rarely seen during even her finest years on court. Too often, her tennis career was potholed by sluggish trods to practice, or forays into fashion, nail-care school or acting. But her 67-4 record this year, improved footwork, focus and fitness all point to a talent that, at 31, is finally and fully engaged. Without that commitment, Sunday's third-set rebound to dominant form would almost be unthinkable.
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/20130909/serena-williams-victoria-azarenka-us-open-final/#ixzz2ee3wVKUo
RJD11 said:
It happens to everyone. After years spent trying on different styles, clothes, speech patterns, even professions, eventually you understand what fits. You accept what you're best at. You come to yourself. Williams will be 32 this month.
"She wanted to do other things; she was curious also," Mouratoglou said. "Maybe now she realizes how good she is at tennis, how exceptional she is."
Yes, now Serena realizes. She keeps insisting that her life today -- the wins, the warmer crowds, this stage of her career -- is all a bonus, but she's also greedy. She won't be leaving anytime soon.
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/20130909/serena-williams-victoria-azarenka-us-open-final/#ixzz2eeCSxgkv
irst, at 40-30, Victoria Azarenka challenged Serena’s second-serve let. She was proved wrong on the scoreboard replay, but then Serena double-faulted due to the delay. On the next point, Williams whacked a 121 mph ace, only to be called for, gulp... a foot fault. When it seemed she finally had won the game on Azarenka’s forehand error, Azarenka challenged the out call. The replay proved her correct, this time by millimeters. On top of all that, the wind was gusting from behind Williams, causing her tosses to drift too far in front.
Everything that could go wrong and crazy, went awry and loopy. Yet whatever fury percolated inside, Serena kept her cool.
With remarkable restraint, she held serve on a backhand volley winner and an ace, demonstrating the sort of behavioral restraint that at times has eluded her in the past. And right then, with that sort of discipline, you knew she would win this final somehow
She played and played on Sunday. She was remarkable and resilient. “She calmed herself, started over when she needed,†said her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. In the fifth game of the final set, when she should have been flagging badly, she struck three aces, two at 124 and 126 mph. All those extra doubles matches with Venus had not sapped a bit of strength or nerve.
“I think it was raising, you know, from the first point the tension, the battle, the determination, kind of like boiling the water or something,†Azarenka said. “It was a great match. I lost to a great champion, but I’m still gonna have my head up.â€
Remarkable stuff. Nearly as remarkable as how she held both her temper and her tongue on Sunday at the U.S. Open, when all around the world was conspiring against her.
Everything that could go wrong and crazy, went awry and loopy. Yet whatever fury percolated inside, Serena kept her cool.
With remarkable restraint, she held serve on a backhand volley winner and an ace, demonstrating the sort of behavioral restraint that at times has eluded her in the past. And right then, with that sort of discipline, you knew she would win this final somehow
She played and played on Sunday. She was remarkable and resilient. “She calmed herself, started over when she needed,†said her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. In the fifth game of the final set, when she should have been flagging badly, she struck three aces, two at 124 and 126 mph. All those extra doubles matches with Venus had not sapped a bit of strength or nerve.
“I think it was raising, you know, from the first point the tension, the battle, the determination, kind of like boiling the water or something,†Azarenka said. “It was a great match. I lost to a great champion, but I’m still gonna have my head up.â€
Remarkable stuff. Nearly as remarkable as how she held both her temper and her tongue on Sunday at the U.S. Open, when all around the world was conspiring against her.
Wimb 2007
Reporter: "Daniela is obviously hurting for different reasons at the moment. How would you feel if you would have gone out and lost to a woman who was playing on one leg?"
Serena: "If she was Serena Williams, I wouldn't feel that bad (smiling)."
– after gutting out a 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-2 win in R16 at Wimbledon over Daniela Hantuchova.
Reporter: "Daniela is obviously hurting for different reasons at the moment. How would you feel if you would have gone out and lost to a woman who was playing on one leg?"
Serena: "If she was Serena Williams, I wouldn't feel that bad (smiling)."
– after gutting out a 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-2 win in R16 at Wimbledon over Daniela Hantuchova.
32 yrs old today and 32 Slams
Happy Birthday Serena! Serena Williams turns 32 today, and she has 32 Grand Slams. She's the second woman to win as many as her age in the Open Era - who's the other?
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3471493/title/40-love-flashback-serenas-32-slams
Happy Birthday Serena! Serena Williams turns 32 today, and she has 32 Grand Slams. She's the second woman to win as many as her age in the Open Era - who's the other?
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3471493/title/40-love-flashback-serenas-32-slams
my sherona said:
Maria would gladly exchange her one 2004 Wimbledon title for 17 of Serena's slams :laydownlaughing
Williams was asked afterwards about how she stays so consistent against lower-ranked opponents.
"I definitely feel like I have a target, but I always have a target," Williams commented. "Whether I'm No.1 or No.10, I feel like people lift their game against me, for whatever reason. But I think it's good. I think that's really one of the reasons I've been able to develop my game throughout the years.
"I also don't look in advance. I take every match one at a time. So whoever my next match is, I look at that as my next danger, because I could win or I could lose. For me, that's just how I look at it."
- See more at: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3475421/title/serena-beats-vesnina-praises-venus#sthash.CNxRxakO.dpuf
"I definitely feel like I have a target, but I always have a target," Williams commented. "Whether I'm No.1 or No.10, I feel like people lift their game against me, for whatever reason. But I think it's good. I think that's really one of the reasons I've been able to develop my game throughout the years.
"I also don't look in advance. I take every match one at a time. So whoever my next match is, I look at that as my next danger, because I could win or I could lose. For me, that's just how I look at it."
- See more at: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3475421/title/serena-beats-vesnina-praises-venus#sthash.CNxRxakO.dpuf
On her Sister:
"Venus is so inspiring in terms of her fight - she never gives up, even after what she's been through. I've never seen her down - maybe once, but that's it. It's encouraging, not only for me, but for anyone who's going through something. You see her and realize that if you keep trying, you can get through it.
"I think Venus is the greatest player I've ever played, and to me she's capable of anything. So I would never say that she isn't capable of becoming a top player again, no more than I'd say I wouldn't be."
"Venus is so inspiring in terms of her fight - she never gives up, even after what she's been through. I've never seen her down - maybe once, but that's it. It's encouraging, not only for me, but for anyone who's going through something. You see her and realize that if you keep trying, you can get through it.
"I think Venus is the greatest player I've ever played, and to me she's capable of anything. So I would never say that she isn't capable of becoming a top player again, no more than I'd say I wouldn't be."
"Once my career started I never thought I would even be in the conversation of being the greatest," Williams said. "Obviously I would like to get to a certain number, but I don't think about it too much because I just want to enjoy every moment that I have. Every time I win Grand Slams, I just want to have fun with it. I think what enables me to win more is that I don't put that pressure on myself.
"But I will try my best to win more. I can only do my best - believe me, I will try."
"But I will try my best to win more. I can only do my best - believe me, I will try."
CeeLo Green, a judge on the NBC talent show, revealed on Conan on Wednesday that Williams insisted on singing for him when the two saw each other at an NFL game between the Falcons and Dolphins two weeks ago in Miami. (Williams owns a small stake in the Dolphins.)
Music, tennis don’t always mix, but they keep trying
Williams asked to sing for him, according to Green, but not before he turned his back to her, like he does on the show, where hopefuls are judged solely on their voice and not how they look. After a few nervous false starts, she finally gave him a rendition of Oleta Adams’ Get Here.
So how did Serena fare?
“You know what, it really wasn’t bad,†Green said. “She’s got a very decent voice. She’s cool.â€
http://tennis.si.com/2013/10/03/serena-williams-ceelo-green-the-voice/?sct=tn_t2_a6
Music, tennis don’t always mix, but they keep trying
Williams asked to sing for him, according to Green, but not before he turned his back to her, like he does on the show, where hopefuls are judged solely on their voice and not how they look. After a few nervous false starts, she finally gave him a rendition of Oleta Adams’ Get Here.
So how did Serena fare?
“You know what, it really wasn’t bad,†Green said. “She’s got a very decent voice. She’s cool.â€
http://tennis.si.com/2013/10/03/serena-williams-ceelo-green-the-voice/?sct=tn_t2_a6
