Welcome back Serena Williams! We’ve missed you. We’ve missed your intensity and will to win. We’ve missed your brute force. We’ve missed your fierce competitive nature. We’ve missed being in awe of the sheer power you generate as you smack winners across the net when you are playing your game. We’ve missed how easily you can transform from being the “baddest” on the court to the “sweetest'” off the court, within minutes. It is good to have you back…and deep down inside, we knew you could do it. We just did not know if you wanted to do it.
Much to the dismay of her critics, whose remarks both pained and motivated her, Serena captured the 8th Grand Slam title of her career. As if exhaling venom toward the skeptics with each overpowering forehand, Serena beat-up top seed Maria Sharapova in the finals of the Australian Open, 6-1, 6-2, in 63 minutes. Serena’s ferocious serve and groundstrokes shook her opponent like thunder, as she won one of the most lop-sided women’s final ever, down-under!
Round-by-round at the Australian Open, the 25-year-old found herself recapturing the form and confidence that seemed second nature to her in 2002-2003, when she ranked at the top of the women’s game for 57 straight weeks. By the time she met the feisty Russian across the net in her seventh and final round, Serena was on a personal mission and not willing to take any nonsense from anyone, even the 2006 US Open champion currently ranked number one in the world.
Climbing back from the depths of tennis purgatory, Serena was ranked #81 in the world prior to the start of the Australian Open, and she came up with the goods to beat six seeded players in that event. But just one week prior to the Australian Open, Serena was humiliated in a tier four event she played in Africa. Tier four is the lowest level of a professional tournament. Serena thought that playing in that event would help her ranking and provide a confidence boost since she hardly played in 2006 due to injuries. But she was ousted in the quarterfinals by a player ranked 56th in the world. That loss caused her such disappointment and disgust, she later said she locked herself in her hotel room. But by following that humiliating experience up with winning the Australian Open Championship, Serena overcame her biggest battle of the past two years and the most arduous opponent she’s ever faced – herself!
And what a fight it has been, mostly off the court and in her head. Serena got sidetracked because of a combination of injuries, depression and distractions. In 2003, she underwent knee surgery and then pursued other interests, the “Hollywood thing,” is how she described it, taking acting lessons, going to parties and making various appearances. Later that year, her half-sister, Yetunde Price, was murdered. She was shot to death in Compton, California, where the Williams sisters grew up. Understandably, the loss deeply affected Serena, who often referred to Yetunde as her best friend. “I just love her so much,” Serena said after dedicating her Australian Open victory to her late half-sister. “I’ll try not to get teary-eyed, but I said a couple of days ago, if I win this it’s going to be for her. So thanks, Tunde.”
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