SERENA’S IN THE FIGHT CLUB
Williams shows fire to see off Giorgi challenge
SERENA WilliAms clenched her fist and yelled herself on to overcome the italian who posed the first serious questions of ‘supermom, the Return’.
Just looking at the pair of them as they came out on Centre Court, you would not have put a punnet of strawberries on the petite, blonde opponent being any match for Williams’ sheer firepower.
Williams, flushed with success, rich beyond dreams, buoyed by giving birth to her first child 10 months ago, carried herself out to the scene of so many of her triumphs with an impassive, unsmiling professionalism.
in this Wimbledon of all Wimbledons, in which the Centre Court crowds had not yet had a deciding set to salivate over, we would surely be out of here with a Williams walkover and up to the bar for Pimm’s before tea.
But anyone who knew anything about Williams’ opponent, Camila Giorgi, would tell you that belying her 5ft 6in frame are power, aggression and pace.
As the official Championships programme notes put it, the 26yearold from Pisa, ‘plays as if she’s trying to blow down the leaning tower in one blast.’
And so it proved as Giorgi, the 52nd best player in the world, took the first set with a break in the sixth game. she was never going to stand on ceremony. she had no taste for long rallies. she would shoot on sight.
Williams had moved through her first four matches with an easy butchery and, with the top 10 seeds all gone, the road to a remarkable eight titles here was opening up wider than the mall. Giorgi was not going to wave her through, though. But then Williams roared those ‘Come on’ encouragements to herself and responded with gusto.
Williams lost only 14 points on her own serve and reached 122mph with her fastest. And in 1hr 43min, she had it won 36, 63, 64. she hit 20 winners and only 14 unforced errors in a highstandard contest.
Was she ever worried that she might lose? ‘ No, it’s weird,’ she said. ‘ sometimes, i feel, man, i’m in trouble. sometimes i feel i can fight. For whatever reason, today i was so calm. Even when i was down in the first set, i thought i was doing a lot of things right.
‘i knew i would have to serve well because she is so aggressive on her returns.’
Williams is a good talker and often the questions afterwards turned to motherhood and her responsibilities as a role model. it is a wonder she can play with all the burdens placed on her, but she welcomes the extra baggage.
‘i’ve always embraced being a role model,’ she said. ‘i just fell into that perfectly. Now that i’m a mom, i want even more to be that role model for my daughter, for kids out there who want to be inspired. that’s some good news where there is so much bad news in the world.
‘it’s so cool, with artists like Drake (the rapper) coming here. it feels like tennis is becoming part of pop culture. that’s what i love about it — just helping to create that popularity, getting more young girls to play and be part of such an exciting game.’ Pop culture? that might shake a few gin and tonics at the All England Club! Grand intentions apart, Williams seems to be finding her feet on court — moving up through the gears in this, only her fourth tournament since giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia.
Next up is 13th seed Julia Gorges of Germany, who beat Kiki Bertens of Holland 36, 75, 61 yesterday. Back in June, Williams outclassed her 63, 64 at the French Open.
‘Really professional, nice girl,’ said Williams, evergreen at 36. ‘i played Julia in France but that doesn’t matter now. this a new match, a new surface. We’re starting from zero.’
Yes and no. Williams carries the confidence of a 23Grand slam champion, one short of margaret Court’s tally. And her ranking is set to reach 51, after the hiatus caused by giving birth.
‘Eh, 51?’ she said. ‘it doesn’t have a good ring to it. the one part does but not the five. Keep going.’