Gritty Serena confounds critics
Tue Nov 03 11:34AM
Serena Williams has shown everyone that she lacks no desire or character in playing through immense humidity and pain to win the WTA Championships in Doha. I think Serena has always tried her best, but sometimes in tournaments outside the Grand Slams she cannot find the adrenaline she needs. This can lead to some people harshly questioning her temperament or hunger, which is utterly ridiculous.
In many ways this was her most commendable performance of the year because she played through a lot of pain and showed tremendous desire to win.
It was a super display from Serena to beat her sister Venus in the final and round off a very challenging and gruelling tournament.
The Williams sisters' match on Wednesday was extremely poor, and sometimes they simply have too much respect for each other. There is occasionally a macho element between the pair and their games suffer.
But in Doha, it was a splendid final and not like the shoot-outs their encounters can often be: both played sensibly and provided a fine spectacle.
I think it is of huge significance for the players who ends the year as world number one, and Serena is no different.
Being on top of the world at the end of the year is something which goes down in history and Serena has, quite astonishingly, only achieved that once before.
Clearly the American was utterly determined to secure the number one spot and, even after she had achieved it midway through the tournament, she kept the fire burning within her.
Serena was clearly in a great deal of pain with her leg very heavily strapped, but her focus and resilience - in spite of the injury - made her victory all the more impressive.
She was wincing at her sister Venus on many occasions and Doha looked like a casualty ward by the end of the tournament: everyone will be relieved to end the year now.
It is good for the game to have both Williams sisters busting a gut out there and, although sometimes they cannot give of their best, they found the motivation required to keep a high intensity.
In the context of Serena's career as a whole, 2002-03 has to be seen as her golden period when she won four consecutive Grand Slams.
Back then she was the best player in the world by a country mile and if she had kept that focus she could have utterly dominated women's tennis for a good three or four years.
I do not think Serena is capable of finding that level again because with Kim Clijsters and Justin Henin returning, and Maria Sharapova finding a resurgence, she has some stiff opposition.
We are not embarking on a period of dominance which we saw in 2002 from Serena, and there is no way that she will be able to sustain such a high level and stay injury free all the time.
That said, she has impressed everyone with her grit and determination in Doha and women's tennis is lucky to have her showing such commitment and desire.
The American thoroughly deserves to end the year as the world number one and her effort or dedication should never be brought into question again.
the doping made the difference between the sisters and the other players...
From fernandorenda78 on Tue Nov 03 11:42AMthe world number one doped up gorilla
From fernandorenda78 on Tue Nov 03 11:46AMSour grapes no.1 & 2 perchance? She has confirmed her status as world number 1 in 2009 so build a bridge and get over it! She was too good for the other players and won 3 of the 5 big ones. Have some respect for her, her level of play at times this year has been out of this world.
From jetyrrell1 on Tue Nov 03 11:55AMYes, she has elevated women's tennis to a high level, such that any story with Williams on it makes an interesting read, from critics, fans and the rest of the caboodle. But perhaps if Williams sustained that high level of 2002-3 she would not be playing by now. She has a typology of steadiness rather than total triumph - a key to her king the title at will.
From mimca50 on Tue Nov 03 12:04PMfernandorenda78, I was still doping with your mum until she started gasping for hoor.
From srimeus on Tue Nov 03 12:08PMIt is true. she was the best one, even though she'll have to tackle in the near future a very grim opposition by the likes of the two Belgians, Sharapova and the new tennis flame Caroline Wozniacki-
From traan2002 on Tue Nov 03 12:16PMTaking the safe bet again, Reed, like your genius predictions ahead of men's matches that are based on little else than the current ATP rankings, now you predict that Serena will not win 4 grand slams in a row. Wonderful analysis.
From egy_allat on Tue Nov 03 12:29PMfernandorenda78 I can tell that you from somewhere in Europe mate.but leave it there THIS IS ENGLAND no place for any form of discrimination.
how do you like comments no *8? is n't true that what goes arond comes around?
Please mate grow up and make your country proud.From sihle.dlamini on Tue Nov 03 01:08PMwhen his testosterone is at the highest level, not even the tennis gods can wins against this tennis beast.
From rvv17 on Tue Nov 03 01:08PMi'm sorry but a professional athlete will not put their career in danger to 'play through the pain' if she was so bad she wouldnt have played.
From ajpbolton on Tue Nov 03 01:17PMFully agree: the match in the round robin was poor, the final was simply awesome tennis. I think both player found their range as the tournament progressed, especially Venus, who had started very poorly. Also Serena's win against a good Kuznetsova was 1st quality tennis. I am not sure what 2010 will be like, but 2009 was not much worse than 2002, with 2 slams won, a shock defeat in the US semi while still on course for the win, Doha Championship... I also think her thigh was not so injured, I think Serena admitted in openly during the tournament. Congratulations to the #1 and most successful (in terms of prize money) player of the year!
From giovannitardini on Tue Nov 03 01:34PMI see the racists (especially from Spain) are out again whenever the Williams sisters win. But why the Hate? Is it because Blacks gave the world civilisation? Certainly, the Black Moors pacified Spain when Hannibal crossed the Alps with 1000 elephants. Again the University of Sankore was in existence (in the largest Metropolis anywhere in the world at the time) for hundreds of years before the University of Salamanca in Spain. It is also written in the Hyrogliphs in the Temple of Luxor that "we" the founders of Egypt, "We came from the beginning of the Nile where God Hapi dwells, at the foothills of The Mountains of the moon".
From gambit_move on Tue Nov 03 01:50PMyeah, fernandorenda78 comment #2 may i say please learn to grow. serena may be "world number one doped up gorilla". glory to GOD she's a gorilla and eats banana and doesnt @#$% like (you)a pig.
From king_karikari on Tue Nov 03 02:05PMFor those waiting for the return of fallen stars like Henin, I don't think Serena has anymore record to break. She triumphed all her contemporaries, and even herself. Give it up for Serena!
From asefras on Tue Nov 03 02:12PMRE "grim opposition from the two Belgians, Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki", don't make me laugh. Let's talk again in 12 months' time, and we shall see where all these comeback queens + the overrated Darling from Denmark have got to...
From kralik2002sg on Tue Nov 03 02:19PMfelixfred15, I read your comment and I have to say, Serena was NOT the victim at the US Open. She verbally attacked a poor lineswoman who made the call the way she saw it. Serena is lucky the tennis world (fans, associations, media etc etc) is over it, so stop bringing it up as if we are supposed to applaud her for getting over something that happened to her, as she was the one that made it happen. By the way, that is when I lost total respect for a great player. Cause to be a great player, you must be a great sportsman as well. And I am sick and tired of hearing the word "racist" in every article about the Williams sisters. The biggest racists are those who bring up the issue as a means to defend themselves from an "attack".
From biljanovska78 on Tue Nov 03 02:25PMGorilla... lol DO U LOOK PERFECT? i guess no.. cuz thats obviously nobody... maybe not with the blind eye but inside... it could.
From aus11123 on Tue Nov 03 02:38PMRacist people being racist is just they are unsure about themselves... scared that folk would hurt him, and just a bit jealous. He may disagree with me but thats just a fact he wants to defend himself, his face, his everyting.
From aus11123 on Tue Nov 03 02:58PMShe is SIMPLY THE BEST....
From ceca170882 on Tue Nov 03 03:28PMbiljanovska78, you think Serena cares about your opinion?
From pkfosu on Tue Nov 03 03:49PMSimon Reed is very clever. The first couple of paragraphs had me wondering who wrote this because this is not the Simon Reed I have read in the past. But he may have changed since he looked like a child who never watched tennis when he proclaimed Murray the true number 1. That alone is his writing claim to fame since it is one of the funniest lines of all time.But alas when I continued to read the article it sounded like Reed but overall Reed seems to be trying to write better than before. Because after those ridiculous Murray articles I thought he should be fired or at least forced into retirement.
From matchtuff on Tue Nov 03 05:23PMI think Serena has definitely confirmed her valuable game and deserves to be number 1.The only think
From apiduta on Tue Nov 03 05:53PMI think Serena deserves to be number one.What people seem to forget and the ATP is that terrible reaction that she had at US Open.Indeed she was fined but I do not think that's enough, simply because it was very unprofessional.Everybody got over this too easily, just because she's Serena.if it had any other player, she would have been suspended for a couple of months or even years.But she only got fined.
let's face it: she can afford any fine.The ATP should definitely not forget this unpleasant event and i do expect a trial and some drastic decisions as far as concerns SW, so that will be a lesson for the other players.From apiduta on Tue Nov 03 05:58PMI wonder why WTA have never tested her ... anti-doping testing would be too much for her. The answer is obvious, because she'd never pass a test
From ginzander78 on Tue Nov 03 06:39PM*yawn* another utterly pointless article, I dread to think what they will come up with next in order to fill up the space between the secondary YEC and the Australian hardcourt (new) season :X
From opera.aria on Tue Nov 03 06:48PMcomment #2 may God forgive you!!!
From kunlearowolo on Tue Nov 03 07:48PMwhy bothering on #1 & 2, they are the english council estate yobs who can't see beyond their confinement..
From attaha on Tue Nov 03 10:22PMI can not add more than what esp. no 30 have written. No. 1 and 2 should be banned from making any comments. These loosers should no that they will die poor and miserable. Go Serena Gooooo!
From albinaedwards on Tue Nov 03 10:47PMI can't udnerstand it first it Serena doesn't put much effort now she proves you wrong and they say oh she puts in effort you know go take a hike. Lets not forget Serena has been in the game far too long to answer to anyone and done far too much for this game to even other toplay lights out like these new little wannabe's. Second this notion that Serena won't have its easy while Kim and JH are back tell me how many slasm Kim has 2 tell me how many JH has 7 tell me how Many Serena has 11 and while they were here she still was on her game. Ppl shouldn't act like Serena invited Kim and JH to leave the game they left cause they played like they needed air of the game and led to a short career and then leaving the game to go "find themselve" now are back with a new found love, naff off i have not time for the rubbish let come back and see if Serena will stop it will only make her play harder bring her game that much more, she may have lost to Kim at the US Open but 100% Serena ins gunning for pay back and its coming.
From jpyt06 on Tue Nov 03 10:48PMWith all that happened, got to admit that she did finish the year as a true champion. Well done Serena. Hope next year will be a better year for her and learn from the mistakes she made this year.
From fazlimakali on Tue Nov 03 11:59PM
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