Serena Williams - A career in pictures
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| It starts with "The Serve" |
US Open Major
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Flushing Meadows
New York, NY, USA
August 29 - September 11, 2022
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| Book ends: The year is 1999 and she is just 17 years old winning her first grand slam.... |
Surface: Hard
Draw: Singles 128, Doubles 64
There is always excitement building up to a grand slam. Each slam carries a certain energy, a vibe. Of all the slams the US Open generates those vibes in unrelenting fashion and as a friend says “It’s New York good or bad but never indifferent."
Will we see a repeat of last year’s tourney when the world embraced two teenagers who at the start of the competition gave us no clue that they would face each other in the championship match. Emma Raducanu, the 2021 USO Champion and Leylah Fernandez, runner up or just Emma and Leylah, captured our imaginations. They galvanized their countries, Britain and Canada, and for a brief moment they were generously embraced by everyone.
The USO Series leading to the grand slam have been in the past somewhat of an indicator as to who might lift that trophy after two hard fought weeks of competition. Not so this year. Apart from the consistent and persistent Simona Halep, the winners of Montreal (ATP), Cincinnati (ATP and WTA) were pleasant surprises. Two unseeded players won in the warm up to the USO - Borna Coric and Caroline Garcia. There is a sense that the baton is truly being passed to a younger and hungry group of players and it is very conceivable that we could see a brand new first time USO grand slam champion. That being said I am holding my breath that Rafa will join Serena with No. 23!!! Go Rafa!! Bring it on!
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| Serena: "Without Venus there would be no Serena.." Their record is 14-0 in grand slam doubles titles. Insane! |
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| Just look at James - he has hair!!! |
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| Oh yes mixed doubles with Mardy Fish 2008 Hopman Cup champs. Their opponents? - Novak Jokovic and Jelena Jankovic |
ATP
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| 5 Olympic Gold Medals - 3 Doubles and 1 each singles |
Defending champion: Emma Raducanu (defeated Leylah Annie Fernandez)
Most titles (Open Era): Chris Evert and Serena Williams with 6 each.
The big news is that this tournament likely is Serena’s final one before retirement,
24 years after her USO debut in 1998, having started her pro career in 1995 in Quebec City. A trailblazer both on and off the court, Serena has a long list of accomplishments, including 73 singles titles and 23 in doubles. She has won the most Majors in the Open Era, an incredible 23. It goes without saying that she will be missed in professional tennis.
Also worth noting is Alize Cornet making her 63rd consecutive appearance at a major, setting the record for a woman player.
Top 16 seeds (in order of seeding): Iga Swiatek, Anett Kontaveit, Maria Sakkari, Paula Badosa, Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka, Simona Halep, Jessica Pegula, Garbine Muguruza, Daria Kasatkina, Emma Raducanu, Coco Gauff, Belinda Bencic, Leylah Fernandez, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Jelena Ostapenko
Wildcards: American players Sonia Kenin, Elizabeth Mandlik, Peyton Stearns,
Coco Vandeweghe, Venus Williams, Eleana Yu, plus Jaimee Fourlis, Harmony Tan
Protected ranking: Karolina Muchova, Nadia Podoroska, Laura Siegemund, Evgeniya Rodina, Taylor Townsend, Serena Williams
Withdrawals: Kerber, Kucova, Pavlyuchenkova, Vondrousova
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| Just look at the expressions on their faces. Hehe they probably won a once in a lifetime shot!! |
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| Book ends: It's 2017, she is two months pregnant and won her 23rd grand slam |
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Hope your "evolving" is as succesful as your tennis was Serena. Good luck...
Always grateful for your research input Missy Hartt. The blog is so much easier to complete with your input.
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