Defiant Williams accepts no limits
FOR Serena Williams, there are no limits.
Not even the lingering danger of pulmonary embolisms, an impending 37th birthday or the challenge of winning another major just 10 months after nearly dying are hurdles.
Combined, it’s what Williams faces – and stares down.
One victory away from equalling Margaret Court’s long- standing grand slam record of 24 majors, Williams says beating Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon final is a starting point, not the end.
“As I said in the past couple years, I don’t want to limit myself,” she said after downing German Julia Goerges to reach her 30th major final.
“I think that’s what I was doing in the past, I was limiting myself.”
Asked what a 24th title would mean, Williams said: “It’s just a number. I want to get as many as I can … I still have a match to win, so I’m not even there yet.
“I think that’s a good thing because I put so much pressure on myself when I was trying to get to 18 ( equalling Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert), then the rest, it was so much.”
Williams almost died after giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia, who was in centre court when her mother reached her 10th Wimbledon final.
“Because of all the blood issues I have, I was really touch and go for a minute,” she said.
“I didn’t actually know until after my agent, Jill ( Smoller), who is actually more of a friend, but she was saying how much stress it was.
“I’m glad no one told me at the time I was going through that. Yeah, it was tough. There was a time I could barely walk to my mailbox. A lot of people were saying ( pre- tournament), ‘ Oh, she should be in the final’.
“For me it’s such a pleasure and a joy because, you know, less than a year ago I was going through so much stuff.
“For me, having to deal with PEs, pulmonary embolisms, is more mentally challenging because I don’t know if I have a pain in my leg, I automatically go to the worst- case scenario.
“That is not very easy. I mean, even this week, I had a pain in my leg, and I went to the worst- case scenario ‘ Oh, my God, I have a PE in my leg’.
“It’s mentally very, very difficult. I didn’t know I would have such kind of traumatic thoughts, especially now that I have a daughter. I want to be around as long as I can to support her.”
If successful against Kerber, Williams will emulate Evonne Goolagong- Cawley’s feat to lift the world’s greatest title as a mother.
Williams will bid to add to titles lifted here in 2002- 03, 2009- 10, ’ 12 and 2015- 16, and become the oldest grand slam women’s champion in the 50- year Open era.