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Serena Williams, American tennis superstar and indisputable legend of the game claims to be ready to play “real tennis” again, sharing her yearning to get back on the court on several occasions, ever since lockdown measures began to ease across the world.
The WTA Tour came to a halt in March along with the rest of the sporting world due to government-mandated lockdowns and in an abundance of caution. Tournament play is scheduled to get back on track by August, with a slew of US Open Series events. Warmup tournaments in the leadup to the pièce de résistance of the American hardcourt swing: the 2020 US Open. Which is going ahead after getting the green light from New York governor Andrew Cuomo.
“I really look forward to getting back on the court,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion revealed while chatting to her elder sister Venus during a live workout back in May, which was streamed on the sisters’ Instagram Live feeds and aimed at helping people stay fit during lockdown.
“It’s what I do best. I absolutely love playing.”
Admittedly, the unexpected break from tennis due to the coronavirus pandemic did Serena a world of good, as she herself acknowledged.
“But this break is … a necessary evil. … I felt like my body needed it, even though I didn’t want it. And now I’m feeling better than ever. I’m feeling more relaxed, more fit. Now I’m just like: Now I can go out and play real tennis.”
Separately, her long-time coach Patrick Mouratogolou, while speaking to Reuters in a telephone interview in June, echoed the very same sentiment. “It was good for Serena because she had time to rest and her body needed rest.”
The daily grind of the WTA Tour isn’t for the feeble hearted and Serena certainly isn’t that. Not for nothing is she a dominant force in the game, sat lotus atop the field with 23 Grand Slam titles to her credit. A feat that is unlikely to be rivalled in the women’s game for a very long time. But at nearly 39 years of age, her body simply needs to rest and recharge.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion is motivated as ever to return to the game, to potentially add to her haul of major titles in an attempt to equal – or, even, surpass Australian Margaret Court’s record of 24 titles.
ShutterstockSerena, who turns 39 years of age in September, just after the US Open concludes, for which she is the runaway favourite to clinch the title. already reached four major finals since giving birth to her daughter Olympia in 2017. However, she came failed to win any of them.
At first crack, Serena lost to Germany’s Anqelique Kerber at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships. She then lost to Japan’s Naomi Osaka at the 2018 US Open; to Romania’s Simona Halep at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships; and to up-and-coming Canadian star Bianco Andreescu at the 2019 US Open.
Four whiffs at Margaret Court’s record, have come and gone begging. So close, yet so far away. The 2020 US Open at the end of August represents her fifth – and best chance according to the punditocracy – to accomplish the historic feat.
Before the US Open gets underway, Serena Williams will get a chance to have a look at her competition while sharpening her game at the Cincinnati Masters, for which she’s confirmed her intention to attend.
Serena Williams, who is a two-time champion of the event (2014-15), will be joined by a stellar cast of WTA big-hitters that includes last year’s Cincy champion Madison Keys, 2016 champion Karolina Pliskova, 2017 champion Garbine Muguruza and 2018 champion Kiki Bertens. Reigning Australian Open champion, America’s Sofia Kenin, World No.8 Belinda Bencic and World No.12 Petra Kvitova will also be in attendance at Cincy, setting up a blockbuster line-up at the premier event.
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