Engagement? It doesn’t have that ring to it yet...
IT WOULD be fair to say that Serena Williams did not appear overwhelmed with excitement when asked yesterday about her recent engagement.
But then the superstar of women’s tennis was quick to explain that it is a fear of letting herself become comfortable that is holding her back from gushing about her forthcoming nuptials.
‘I don’t want to get too happy because I want to stay focused,’ said the world No2 ahead of the Australian Open, which will see her try to move ahead of Steffi Graf’s total of 22 Grand Slam wins.
So perhaps her fiance, founder of the Reddit social media website, Alexis Ohanian, should not get too concerned that he does not appear to be her top priority over the next fortnight. The pair became engaged in Rome before Christmas but Williams said: ‘I don’t think I’ve had an opportunity to let everything sink in. I won’t allow it to sink in because I’m so focused. It [the engagement] was right in the middle of pre-season. I’m really focused; training, cardio, all kinds of stuff.
‘Now I’m on the road, I’m already back at work. I don’t want to get too happy. It has been great but I just didn’t want to think about it until after Australia because Grand Slams mean a lot to me. I’m being selfish and focused on my career.’
Like many competitive people in sport, Williams is best served by having something to push back against and she accepted that point. ‘I wouldn’t call it anger, but I would definitely say it’s drive and focus. What’s the word? Sacrifice? Yeah, sacrifices that you definitely have to make.’ A sacrifice that Williams has been unwilling to commit to is playing a full schedule in recent seasons. She featured in only eight tournaments last year and, although injuries got in the way, she says she has no plans to increase her workload.
Last year brought only one Grand Slam title and, at 35, time is surely running out for her to equal Margaret Court’s 24 major titles. ‘It wasn’t a great season,’ she said.
‘For others it would have been wonderful. For me, it wasn’t. I was injured a lot, especially after Wimbledon. And my year basically ended after that.’
There is far more uncertainty these days about what version of Williams is going to turn up, added to now by a horrendous showing in the Auckland Open in the first week of the season.
The suspense is only bolstered by her first-round opponent being Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic, who already has a win over her. ‘I didn’t come here to lose in the first round, or the second round, or at all,’ said Williams. ‘If I can play the way I’ve been practising, it will be fine.’