Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Serena Williams aims to end 2013 on high in Istanbul

Serena Williams pictured during her China Open match against Jelena Jankovic in Beijing on October 6, 2013

Istanbul (AFP) - Serena Williams' verdict that she is "a bit disappointed" with her 2013 season indicates her urgency to overtake the 18 Grand Slam titles of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert and to get on with chasing Steffi Graf's Open era record of 22.
Whether the 32-year-old still has time to achieve that may be suggested by her performances at the season-ending climax, the WTA Championships which starts on Tuesday.
It was an extraordinarily critical self-judgement by Williams on a season in which she has won another two Grand Slam titles and taken her total to 17 -- perhaps caused by a fear that time is short.
More than that, Williams has lost only four matches, taken her career earnings past $50 million, and become the oldest woman to hold the world number one ranking.
She claims not to be mindful of such records, but nevertheless volunteered that: "I’m excited about the possibilities."
Retaining the title this week will be a great momentum builder for her off-season work -- increasingly important as Williams gets older -- just as it was, she says, when she regained the title at the 2012 WTA Championships.
Williams is probably a stronger favourite now than then, partly because of the absence of Maria Sharapova, who is rehabilitating her vulnerable shoulder.
 

No comments:

OO