‘My dream match would be playing Serena’
london — Nine-time Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova has said her “dream match” would have been on Centre Court against Serena Williams.
Williams will claim an eighth singles crown at the All England Club if she beats Germany’s Angelique Kerber on Saturday and, despite approaching the age of 37, looks capable of matching or even surpassing Navratilova’s record haul.
They accumulated their stash of titles in contrasting fashion. Czech-born American Navratilova did so playing mainly at the net while Williams has claimed 23 Grand Slam singles titles with a game based on a booming first serve and ferocious baseline power.
Separated in age by 25 years, their careers overlapped only briefly and Navratilova, who herself won 18 Grand Slam singles crowns, never faced Williams on a singles court.
Had it happened it would have been some match.
“If I could pick to play any one single player from another generation it would be Serena Williams at Wimbledon, no question,” Navratilova said in her
London Evening Standard newspaper column on Friday.
“It would have been the dream match for me to test my serve and volley against her power game, although it would never have been enough to just serve and volley as she loves a target.
“The only answer is to try to mix it up, but the power she possesses is something to contend with. For me, it would have been an interesting match-up and the competitor in me would have fancied my chances!”
Victory on Saturday will tie Williams with Australian Margaret Court on a record 24 Grand Slam titles but Navratilova believes the American can pull away. —