Serena Williams Swagger Back After US Open - Mark Hodgkinson
World no. 1 Serena Williams will have her swagger back after winning her 18th Grand Slam title at the US Open, Mark Hodgkinson, a London-based tennis writer said.
The recent victory of Serena Williams was the break she has been waiting for this season after never reaching a quarter-final during the early majors this year and her disappointing exit at the Wimbledon doubles due to illness.
This single victory of the 33-year-old is pretty important as it placed her level with Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert on 18 Grand Slam singles titles and within reach to Steffi Graf's record of 22 majors.
John McEnroe believes that Serena Williams is possibly the greatest woman tennis player in history given how intimidating she is with her power. Williams who won her first Grand Slam title 15 years ago, when she was 17 years old needs to at least pass Graff's Grand Slam tally to be universally regarded as the world's greatest.
Her coach and rumoured boyfriend Patrick Mouratoglou also appears to agree with McEnroe's assessment saying that it is just up to her to beat all the records and named the greatest.
Needless to say, winning her 6th US Open title restored the confidence of Williams according to Sports BT.
"I definitely overdid it and put way too much pressure on myself for 18, but at least I'll learn. Going into the next slam there will be no pressure," the American said earlier this year when trying to win the eighteenth title had been getting to her.
"It's crazy - everyone's like, 'Well, Serena hasn't won a grand slam'. I could name 200 people who haven't won a grand slam as well," the New York Times quoted Williams. "But for me, it's like I have to win a grand slam because everyone expects so much out of me. And I do, too. I definitely do, too. It's just really good to have won one this year; I was getting nervous."
Williams won $4 million prize money and $1 million bonus, which is the biggest in the history of tennis. Her earnings will keep the construction of her new house with trophy room, purse room and karaoke room.
