Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Christopher clarey
A professional since 1995 and a Grand Slam champion since 1998,Serena Williams has still managed to break new ground in 2013. For the first time in her career,she has won 10 singles titles and will be the heavy favourite to capture an 11th in the season-ending WTA Tour Championships that begin on Tuesday in Istanbul.
This has also been her most lucrative campaign: She will become the first womens player to crack the 10 million single-season barrier in prize money.
That all of this comes at the age of 32 only makes it more remarkable.
Its funny because when you get older you try to play less,but shes looking to play more, says Martina Navratilova. But I think Serenas finding that it makes her sharper as well.
Williams has long been capable of peaking for major moments,like winning her first Grand Slam singles title in 1999 at age 17. But she has seldom been capable of dominating week in and week out on the workaday circuit.
Navratilova won 167 career singles titles,which ranks her first in the Open era. Evert won 154. Williams has won only 56. But she has closed the Grand Slam gap voraciously,winning the French Open and US Open this year to bring her career total of major singles titles to 17. That is just one short of Navratilova and Evert,who are tied for fourth on the all-time list with 18,behind Margaret Court with 24,Steffi Graf with 22 and Helen Wills Moody with 19.
Williamss equipment switch last season from natural gut string to a blend of gut and synthetic appears to have played a significant role. With the same stroke you get more spin on the ball and therefore more control, Navratilova says. To me that made the biggest difference of all. Her technique didnt really change. She cleaned it up a little bit but not that much. I think the biggest difference has been the string and then that again gives her confidence.
Ten titles in a season is now a rarity. The only other woman to do it in the last 15 years was Justine Henin,who won her 10 in 2007. But it was routine for Navratilova and Evert. Navratilova won 10 or more titles in nine different seasons,with 16 in 1983. Evert won 10 or more six times,with 16 in both 1974 and 1975.
It was better yet for the tour when they played the same tournament,and their long-running rivalry 43 victories for Navratilova,37 for Evert 8211; was one of the best in any sport. The Williams era has been woefully short on compelling rivalries at the top. Williams versus the now-retired Henin had its edgy moments,but lacked staying power. As for the rivals who remain,Williams leads Maria Sharapova 14-2 and Azarenka 13-3.
Right now,you just wish there was more of a rivalry between the top three or top four, Navratilova says. But imagine without Serena. What would we be talking about? Youd have rivalries but you wouldnt have Serena. Whats better?
