Serena Williams hails Tiger Woods’ influence as she continues her US Open run
Posted by Inside Hoops
Apr 05
Serena Williams has joined one of the most illustrious dynasties in tennis history – the Williams sisters, who won 14 Grand Slam Tour singles titles between them. But Serena says she does not have that “glamour” factor – nor does she want it. On Monday morning, Williams was asked about the idea that she was “too boring” to be relevant in tennis. The American legend was being interviewed by NBC’s Serena.
Serena was asked about her legacy, the legacy that includes the Williams sisters, and if there is “an aura” around her that would make her a household name.
“I don’t think about that,” she told The Daily Dish’s Steve Davis. “I wouldn’t put myself in that category. I hope I don’t put myself in that category, and I wouldn’t. I want people to enjoy my game, my talent, what I can do.”
The conversation then turned to the way Williams has built her legacy against the backdrop of her struggles with mental illness, and being a “career tennis legend”.
“If you look at my career in context, I think I’ve been a career tennis legend,” said Williams, who is ranked number five in the world and is in her first year back in US Open action since 2003. “I’ve won a lot in my career, from the Olympics to playing in the final at Wimbledon, to the Olympics. I’ve probably been the best player on a given day over a long stretch of time. Because I’ve been a career tennis legend, in the grand scheme, I’ve probably been a career tennis legend for a long time.”
The best player on a given day? At this point, Williams would have said “probably”. The best player on a given day is hard to imagine in the Williams sisters’ era, Williams’ era,