Serena Williams Lives Up to Favourite Tag in Overpowering Roberta Vinci

Serena Williams produced a focused and fluent performance in beating Roberta Vinci 6-3, 6-4
It seems a long time ago that Serena ­Williams's preparation for a tournament included being strapped into a racing car with William Shatner, hurtling around a speedway track for a reality show. Her mind has been honed to such improved focus since that scary time two years ago that even though she enjoyed the most ­comfortable of third-round wins against the world No53, Roberta Vinci, ­today, she pegged down her mind like an ­Arctic tent, grimaced fiercely when she did ­anything not quite right, and exhaled a mighty "Yes" when she finished the match with an ace.

Most of the fascination of watching her 6–3, 6–4 win came from contrasting the intensity of Williams's unorthodox body-battering game with the old-fashioned virtues of the Italian's. Vinci sliced a lot, moved well on the grass, volleyed well, and looked potentially dangerous when she serve-volleyed, which she did not nearly enough.

Much of the time Williams hit too hard for her, and must have terrified the life out of her with one drive-pass delivered venomously from about eight feet away. Despite all this Williams tried to explain why "I don't think I played all that great today". This was not entirely true, but she was not even allowed to continue.

Instead, it became evident how easily distractions from tennis could emerge. Had she met Michael Jackson? Yes, she had met him a few times and was honored to meet him. "He had such a great heart and wonderful kids," she said. Were there parallels between him and her? "I wouldn't even ­mention my name in the same sentence at all." Can she moonwalk? "No, not at all."

It was two years ago that ­Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert agreed that Williams was the best in the world but questioned her ­commitment and warned that she might waste her ­talent if she became side-tracked from ­tennis. Now ­Williams is answering all that the right way. It was all a bit of a ­surprise to her, she said, that ­people should sleep out all night just to see her for a few minutes.

"It's amazing there's even one person out there who feels that way," she said. "I still feel kind of weird, like, wow, people really feel that way. Because I'm pretty much down to earth. I don't consider myself, you know, Serena ­Williams. I'm just Serena."

"Just Serena" or not, she had nevertheless expected an escort to take her out of the locker room towards the new sunken, stant Court No2. When no one came, it was a short while before she twigged that no one was going to. She was six minutes late for the match. "I thought someone was going to come and get me," she said. "Then I ­figured, well, maybe I just have to report. I didn't know what to do. So I was waiting and warming up.

"I was waiting and ­waiting." Eventually she decided to go on her own, which might have caused some attention, but when she started to do so she found a security guard was waiting for her outside. But Serena, even "Just Serena", had expected an escort first.

Just as important as her apparent ­rejection of celebrity distractions is that her body appears in its best shape for a long time. Williams moved freely and, despite the double fault that cost her a service game at 4–2 in the second set, served with a relaxed fluency.

So perhaps the bookies are right to make her the favorite to win the title, despite the fact that her sister Venus has won it five times. Even when not quite at her best, Serena is once more looking like the best tennis player of her era.

© Guardian News & Media 2008
Published: 6/26/2009
 
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Your Comments:
Your Name:
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
Recipient Email Address:
 Separate multiple email addresses by ;
Your Name:
Your Email Address: