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[av_heading heading=’World No. 2 Serena eyes 23rd major title’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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MELBOURNE – Serena Williams definitely doesn’t want to talk about the No. 23. She doesn’t really want to think about planning a wedding, either, while she’s pursuing a Grand Slam record.
Newly engaged Williams brushed off concerns about the 88 unforced errors she had in a loss in New Zealand last week in her only warm-up tournament ahead of the Australian Open, which starts Monday and where she’s aiming for Open-era record 23rd major title.
”I’ve moved on,” she said. ”I’m feeling relaxed, calm, ready and poised.”
Williams responded to questions about milestone achievements last year when she had 21 Grand Slam titles, and it didn’t help – she lost the final to Angelique Kerber and to Garbine Muguruza at the French Open before winning Wimbledon to equal Steffi Graf’s Open era mark of 22. She’s being more superstitious this time.
”I’m not talking about that,” Williams, a six-time Australian Open winner, said as she shut down questions during a promotional activity this week. ”I said I’m not talking about that. Move on.”
Williams took time off after the US Open, where she lost in the semifinals for the second year running and lost the top ranking to Kerber.
Kerber won the Australian and US Open titles last year, so will be attempting to defend a major for the first time in Melbourne. She may be feeling pressure as the No. 1 seed, having won only one match in two warm-up tournaments in Brisbane and Sydney.
That doesn’t take any pressure off Williams.
”I am No. 2, I guess. I definitely don’t feel like anyone’s saying that, ‘Oh, there’s no pressure on Serena,”’ she said. ”It’s always there, I’m used to it.
”I feel like I’ve been No. 1 for so long, so many times. I’ve done things that are amazing. Sometimes that ranking really means a lot, but also I feel like sometimes just winning events … means just as much.” (AP)
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