Nadal, not nerves, was my undoing: Anderson
Serena Williams is targeting a return to competitive tennis next January to defend her Australian Open title, but two former stars who became parents question her ability to regain top form so soon after childbirth.
Williams gave birth to a baby daughter on September 1 and would be trying to be ready for play when next year’s first Grand Slam event gets under way on January 15 on the Melbourne hardcourts.
Asked if that was a realistic timetable for a comeback, three-time US Open champion Kim Clijsters was dubious. And she retired for two years and had a baby before returning and winning her 2009 crown in New York.
“To me, it wasn’t when I had Jada,” said Belgian Clijsters. “It all depends. If you set your mind to it, maybe.”
One unknown factor about Williams is how taxing the delivery was upon her.
“Depends how the labor and birth went,” Clijsters said. “How your body reacts -- everybody reacts different in those situations.”
American Mary Joe Fernandez, a runner-up at the 1990 and 1992 Australian Opens and 1993 French Open, noted that Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, has been defying the odds for years.
“Maybe see her there,” she said. “I couldn’t have done it. Serena is an exception to a lot of rules.” Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson said he felt relaxed going into Sunday’s US Open decider but was overwhelmed by the “conundrum” of Rafa Nadal’s ruthless all-court game.
Although the same age as the 31-year-old Spaniard, the lateblooming South African faced an opponent contesting his 23rd Grand Slam final and fourth at Flushing Meadows. “I think the nerves that I was maybe going to feel, you know, I felt pretty good out there,” Anderson told reporters after his defeat. “I thought I was hitting the ball very well.
“It was more the conundrum of playing Rafa as opposed to being in my first final.” World number one Nadal played nearperfect tennis on Sunday, committing just 11 unforced errors, never facing a break point and winning all 16 points at the net, including a beautifully timed volley to clinch the title.
That level of performance was too much for Anderson, who relies heavily on a huge serve that typically wins bunches of free points off lesser opponents.
Not so against Nadal, a human backboard who pressured the South African’s serve from the outset and broke him four times from his nine opportunities.
“Rafa made it very difficult for me tonight,” he said of the Mallorcan, who celebrated his third title at Flushing Meadows.
“I felt he got a lot of returns back. He varied his return position quite a lot. You know, one of the best defenders in our sport.”
Federer and Nadal each won two of the four grand slam titles this year, with the 36-year-old Swiss taking the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Anderson said that if 16-times grand slam champion Nadal could stay healthy, he would have a shot of catching Roger Federer’s record of 19.
“It’s very close right now,” he said. “Staying healthy would be the biggest obstacle to that. Roger is obviously a few years older than him, but he’s had an amazing year. I guess time will tell on that.”