Serena Williams is undoubted- one of the best female and male tennis players of all time. She has been a dominant force for the last 20 years. Thus after defeating her sister Venus Williams to win her 23rd Grand Slam title at this year’s Australian Open. She holds the record for most Grand Slam Tournament Wins in the open era.
She may recover the top place in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings if she wins (WTA). She has now held the number three spot on the all-time women’s list for 309 weeks during her career. She also has 14 Grand Slam victories in doubles and two in mixed doubles, making her the most decorated Grand Slam player in the open era.
The Fashion Freak
Selena Williams, the great tennis player, is a sport and aesthetic icon. Williams’ on-court fashion designs always stand out. Whether it’s her print tunic, the neon-green cut-out back dresses from the 2015 Australian Open, or donning a blue denim mini skirt with a tank top and black boots, which was possibly her most daring fashion invention ever. Williams has never shied away from flaunting her fiercely trendy dress sense on the court, and we have applauded her for it.
Playing style, strengths, and shortcomings
Williams is an excellent example of the current aggressive baseliner, with huge groundstrokes from both wings. For the most part, she loves to stand at or just below the baseline, and she hits the ball flat and powerfully. Her backhand is her more reliable wing, but she can produce more speed with her forehand, which she utilises to influence play in longer rallies.
Williams gets regarded as the best server in the game’s history. She frequently achieves double digits in her ace count during a match on the women’s circuit, which is remarkable. Williams routinely fires powerful serves to rescue breakpoints or get out with a traditional grip and fluid serving technique.
Williams isn’t a frequent visitor to the goal, but she’s a capable volleyer. She’s become more frequent at the net over the years, putting away winning volleys set up by her devastating groundstrokes.
Her old-school forehand:
We live in an era where aggressive forehands are the norm. Many players on the ATP and WTA tournaments want to smash it large, spinning, and inside-out, which pushes them to adopt what coach Robert Landsdorp refers to as the buggy-whip follow-through, in which the stroke ends on the same side of the body as it started.
Many players, including Serena’s opponent Victoria Azarenka, now finish their forehands with an overhead flourish that resembles the spinning rotors of a helicopter, thanks to Rafael Nadal’s brutal cuts and their success. It’s known as the Copter ending.
Her new-school backhand:
In the open stance- the ball gets approached with the shoulders parallel to the net rather than perpendicular. The forehand variant has been around for a while, albeit it has had more success on the men’s circuit (something about the way men generate power through trunk rotation). On the other side, the open-stance backhand is a relatively new development, and few women have the strength or training to use it well.
Tactics
Serena’s strategy is well-suited to her athletic ability.
Her strategies revolve around applying early pressure to opponents and keeping points short in general!
Her firepower is her greatest asset. She attempts to take control of the point right away, starting with the serve and return of serve. Her forehand and backhand down the line are also highly deadly.
She, like other champions, prefers to control play with her style and does not make any adjustments to her opponent’s game. Her ability to come in and finish points at the net gives her a massive advantage over many opponents! The one tactical shortcoming in her game that has got highlighted is her lack of defensive abilities.
Fight for Victory
Serena’s first three strengths have all been technical, but her final and most significant strength focuses on the mental side of her game, and it’s the reason she’s been able to stay at the top of women’s tennis for the past two decades. Serena is a formidable opponent.
She never gives up, and even when players believe they have her beat, she is ready to pounce if they let their guard down for a second. And for any opponent, watching Serena gain confidence on the opposite side of the net is a terrifying sight.
While some players are born with this innate aggression and competitive spirit, it is still a talent that can get mastered by any player with dedication and willingness to better their game. We have been fortunate to witness such a brilliant player in her prime, and we can only hope that the best female tennis player of all time has more to offer.
She never gives up on a game:
With Williams’ tools, you never lose a game until the scoreboard indicates you’ve lost it. You can see how Williams is always lurking, ready to attack, in all of her matches. Few players can maintain this level of attentiveness, which isn’t the same as confidence. It’s a skill, not an attitude, that has to get perfected over time and the perks it has received.
Controversies and the legacy
Serena and Venus Williams, sometimes known as the “Williams sisters,” were a ground-breaking tennis combination around the beginning of the century. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, they competed in and won Grand Slam finals, setting several records for sisters and African-American players.
Despite facing bigotry and discrimination at various periods in their lives, the Williams sisters achieved enormous success, serving as inspirational role models for numerous young people of the world.
Furthermore, their style of play was innovative; they elevated the women’s game to previously unknown heights of strength and athleticism and established the blueprint for modern-day success.
Serena has carved out their niche in the sport from her sister during the previous decade. She has also spoken out against racism, sexism, and other major societal concerns, enhancing her role model reputation even more.
