Where is Williams off to next?
Apparently Serena Williams would have been disappointed in her achievements for 2013 if she hadn’t managed to secure victory in the US Open recently.
It’s her fifth US Open title win and proves she’s still the world’s number one. She beat Victoria Azarenka, who was seeded second, in four sets to win her second big Grand Slam title of 2013. She had already won the French Open earlier this year.
In fact, Williams has now won a hugely impressive 17 Grand Slam singles tournaments. This means she is only seven wins short of the all time best record set by Margaret Court, at 24 titles. She is also almost catching Stefi Graf who managed 22 in her heyday.
Williams went into the US Open having won eight titles has also won 34 matches in 2013, meaning she was, of course, odds on favourite. In fact, it would be difficult to imagine a moment when she won’t be odds on favourite to win every competition she enters. She could almost be considered a sure bet for tennis fans who are looking to bet on the tournament. Check prices for William Hill to work out the best odds before you decide who to back in the next tournament.
Despite all of this success, Williams was knocked by being defeated in the quarter final of the Australian Open by Sloane Stephens and losing in the fourth round at Wimbledon to Sabine Lisicki. She was quoted as saying: “I felt almost disappointed in my year, to be honest. I won the French Open but I wasn’t happy with my performances in the other two Slams.”
She does, however, feel she’s saved 2013 from the jaws of (relative) defeat by securing her second Grand Slam title of the year.
She also talked about how she slipped up during the US Open by letting her lead slip and failing to serve out the match twice. She admitted to become ‘a little uptight’, which is one of her challenges when she’s in a big match. She managed to relax enough to play her best tennis at the right time.
Azarenka put up a really good fight, forcing a third set but Williams held her nerve and managed to push through and win, although she felt the game went on longer than it should have done, as she had had several chances to serve for the win.
At 32, Williams claims she’s never felt fitter and enjoys playing tough schedules. She is excited about her future in the sport and feels that she is a long way from being finished yet. Her determination to prove herself means we could most certainly see Williams surpassing Graf’s record over the next few years. She remains a player to keep your eye on.
Category: Entertainment
