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Few believe in Serena Williams, except Serena herself

2022-06-28T10:40:21.354Z


After a year absent, the American reappears as the option to match Court fades and the withdrawal gains strength: "I'm here, ready for the challenge"


Serena Williams does not have the best memories of her last visit to Wimbledon.

The great British was, in fact, the stage in which the 40-year-old American played her last official match.

And the cost was tremendous: a broken hamstring –back area of ​​the knee– and a whole year in the infirmary, since then weighing up what to do, plucking the daisy and deciding whether or not it pays to continue punishing an already battered body or bet for burning the final cartridge.

And she is in it, in the middle of a scenario of speculation and, by the way, of little general faith.

Right now, there is no one who trusts Serena more than herself.

Despite the immensity of his legend, there are not many who are betting on obtaining the 24th grand, with which he would satisfy the obsession he has been dragging for five years, when he raised his 23rd in Australia.

Since then, two lives: the happy mother of Olympia, on the one hand, and the heroine forced again and again to a frustrating challenge and every day that passes more unlikely.

She knows the North American that her clock eats away every second in the hope that she can catch the old dream of catching up with the Australian Margaret Court and thus settle on the pinnacle of pinnacles in her sport.

But despite everything, she resists.

Williams does not give up.

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There are eighteen years between the first and the last great success.

From 1999 to 2017. In other words, the tennis player defies almost all logic with her reappearance, but there is no lack of mirrors to be inspired by.

Without going any further, that of Rafael Nadal himself, master of self-improvement.

"I've always been a fan of his," she says.

“I named my dog ​​after him, so… He has been really inspiring in everything he has done this year and I am sure he still has a lot to offer to this sport”, he continues, aware that his career is coming to an end. and that their chances are reduced.

“Last year's tournament was very tough.

I had been dragging discomfort for a long time and finally I broke.

It was very hard.

I tried to come back for the US Open and I gave it my all, but finally I couldn't get it.

In the end I decided to put the racket aside for a while until I felt physically fit again.

It has been a very hard injury, I have had to be away from the courts for a year”, remembers Williams, who since she suffered the mishap against Aliaksandra Sasnovich – a slip that forced her to leave in the first round, between tears and when they had only after six games – has been caught up in a whirlwind of speculation and rumours.

From the top to position 1,204

From there, fashion, jewelry, the Oscars carpet parade or the Formula 1 circuit in Miami and social networks.

Above all, the shadow of an increasingly closer and irremediable goodbye.

“Retiring from the professional circuit never crossed my mind.

I didn't know when I would return, but having chosen Wimbledon is great”, says the champion of 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016. “If I ever doubted my return?

Of course yes.

I would be dishonest if I said otherwise”, she admitted just a week ago, when she reappeared on the courts playing doubles at Eastbourne alongside Tunisian Ons Jabeur.

Serena returns in position 1,204 and without Patrick Mouratoglou, the shaper who has been behind many of her successes, ten years together, today allied with the Romanian Simona Halep.

"I hadn't even thought about it, I don't know.

I'm having a wonderful time here”, she replies evasively when asked about French, and mysteriously when she refers to what is to come: “I have very high goals.

My future?

I only know that I am here.

I am ready for the challenge.”

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Source: elparis

All sports articles on 2022-06-28

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