‘NERVES COULD JINX SERENA’S BID’

MELBOURNE: Australian great Margaret Court has predicted nerves could undermine Serena Williams’ bid to match her record 24 singles Majors at Melbourne Park, clearing the way for an outsider to snatch the title. She disputed the bookies’ assessment that Serena is red-hot favourite to lift the Australian Open trophy for an eighth time, taking her overall Grand Slam tally to 24 and equalling Court’s mark. “I think it’s possible for Serena to equal me, if anybody’s gonna do it, it’s Serena, but I don’t think there’s a clearcut favourite,” Court told Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper Sunday. “I think it’s a pretty open tournament and I think an outsider can win it.” Williams, 37, has won 23 singles Grand Slams since 1999 — seven Australian Opens, three French Opens, seven Wimbledons and six US Opens. Court, now 76, won 24 singles Grand Slams from 1960-73 — 11 Australian Opens, five French Opens, three Wimbledons and five US Opens. .