The word ‘court’ has been playing on the mind of Serena Williams for some time now. It is, of course, her professional platform of choice and one on which she has enjoyed record-setting success during a quite stunning career.
As part of the most famous family in tennis, an all-time great has shown what is achievable when a natural ability is blended with an insatiable desire to be the best. For over 20 years now, one of the finest talents to ever pick up a racket has been in the business of collecting major honors.
There are still more to be chased down, with tennis odds unlikely to turn their back on Williams any time soon. As it stands, she is currently priced at odds of +2500 to prevail in Wimbledon. If she forms part of any given draw, then it is safe to assume that she will be there or thereabouts when ultimate prizes are handed out.
Grand Slam triumphs have, however, started to dry up of late as a new generation of contenders comes to the fore. Serena remains competitive, but she no longer boasts an air of invincibility that once saw her win matches before a ball was struck.
Finding a way, though, is very much the mindset of performers in her talent bracket and she should never be written off. That is particularly true when it comes to a trophy itch that is yet to be scratched. For all that has been achieved to this point, one entry in the history books is yet to be written.
The greatest
For many, regardless of what she achieves from here, Williams will go down as the best player to have ever graced the women’s game. She revolutionized the sport alongside sister Venus and boasts a level of celebrity that transcends her chosen profession.
There is no need for her to keep digging so deep when it comes to the pursuit of more silverware, with her achievements set to stand the test of time, but there is something ingrained in performers of her ilk that keeps them coming back for more.
In Williams’ case, it is Grand Slam title number 24 that delivers a carrot at the end of a proverbial stick. Hitting that mark has been the challenge since winning the last of her seven Australian Open titles in 2017. There have been near misses since then – two final appearances at Wimbledon and a couple more at the US Open – but another history-making line has proved difficult to cross.
She remains the most successful player in women’s tennis during the Open Era, with 23 crowns to her name, but any debate regarding the greatest ever could be laid to rest if one more prize were to fall within reach.
For now, Margaret Court stands alone on 24 major victories – with those successes spread between the amateur and professional eras. The Australian legend has occupied the top spot on that particular chart since winning the US Open in 1973.
Nearly 50 years have passed without anybody being able to join her on the loftiest of perches, but Williams remains very much in the hunt and will continue to have all things ‘court’ on the brain for some time yet.
