Serena Williams had become a question mark heading into the United States Open. In part, it was because a cacophony of injuries — including back issues that compelled her to pull out of two tuneup events — further reduced her already-sparse schedule. In larger measure, it was due to her disappointing performances in tournaments where she did manage to show up. To be sure, “disappointing” is applied relative to expectations, which have remained outsized despite her advancing age, physical challenges, and, in the face of motherhood, redefined priorities. Needless to say, any other player would have been feted for making the final in three of five Grand Slam appearances.
And so it was that Williams found herself the subject of speculation as she prepped for her campaign at Flushing Meadows. For those from the outside looking in, it certainly didn’t help that longtime foil Maria Sharapova wound up not just being on her bracket, but her opponent right off the bat. Social media went on overdrive, with the first-round set-to dubbed the one can’t-miss affair of Day One of the tournament. As things turned out, though, the challenge was precisely what she needed to hit the ground running. By her own admission, she became motivated by the prospect of winning against a player not a few quarters deemed worthy of her attention.
Well, Williams made sure to remind critics that she, in fact, continues to have no equal. She didn’t need to, really, not with yesterday’s 6-1, 6-1 shellacking representing her 19th straight win over Sharapova, and 20th against just two setbacks — the last dating back to 2004 — on aggregate. Even when the latter was primed and in prime, she stamped her class; more so now with her supposed rival no longer in peak form. As she noted in her post-mortem, “whenever I come up against her, I play my best tennis.” Indeed, so dominant was she that the match lasted a mere 59 minutes, during which she won twice as many points as she lost and broke serve five times, as many as she saved hers.
Whether Williams can build momentum to navigate the next fortnight in style remains to be seen. For now, however, she appears to be in perfect position. “My body’s good. I feel good,” she disclosed. “This is going to be fun.” No doubt, her cause is helped by the decision of the US Tennis Association to steer chair umpire Carlos Ramos — who oversaw last year’s controversial final that had her on the wrong end of three code violations en route to a loss — clear of her schedule. Never mind her deadpan “I don’t know who that is” response to queries on her reaction to the development. In any case, she looks ready — and, not without irony, made so by Sharapova. Enough said.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
