Serene Serena on top of the world

When a 14-year-old Serena Williams turned professional in 1995, the corridors of tennis echoed with mutterings.

She was too young, the child would burn out, her father Richard was overbearing.

Those early proclamations soon proved unfounded, but were nevertheless swiftly replaced by new criticisms.

She had lost interest, she would not last long, she was not giving it her all, she was distracted by acting.

Fourteen years on, the sparkly American is once again on top of the world, has won 10 grand slam singles titles and, most impressively, has confounded all critics by growing into arguably the most level-headed and happy sportswoman of all.
Tennis is at the centre of her life, but does not rule it.

“I’m always happy, you know, nowadays,” the 27-year-old smiled soon after winning the Australian Open on Saturday night.

Smiling her brilliant smile, freshly coiffeured and with a sparkling love-heart on a chain around her neck, Serena reflected on how a life-balance was key to everything for her.

“If I’m not excited about going to an event, I don’t pressure myself,” she smiled.

“Or if I’m injured, I don’t pressure myself to get in there. I focus on, you know, keeping God first and foremost in my life, and everything else will fall in place.”

RELAXED APPROACH

It is precisely that relaxed approach which fuels her on court.

Wearing a ruffled black blouse, she kicked off her shoes — her feet were still swollen after her tennis victory, she said — and explained that her approach was likely to allow her to hang around a lot longer than a number of her more intense rivals.

“I feel like I can go forever. I mean, I always talk to (sister) Venus, and we’re always like, ‘We’re going to play forever’.

“So I definitely feel like I have so many years to play.”

Her success at the Australian Open this year made her the top woman earner in sport.

By reaching the final of both the women’s singles and the women’s doubles—she went on to win both events—Serena eclipsed female golfer Annika Sorenstam, who had held the record for career earnings with a total of $22,573,192.

The Floridian now has prize money approaching $23.5 million but is grounded enough to know that she owes an enormous debt to those who fought so hard to turn tennis into a professional event in the 1960s.

“You really appreciate the people, the pioneers, the work they’ve done to get me in a position to have an opportunity to be called even the highest earning female tennis player,” she said.

“I just feel so honoured that I had so many wonderful pioneers doing things to open doors not only (for) me.

“But you think five years from now or 10 years from now, say, there will probably be people earning more money than I am, because the prize money on the WTA Tour has already gone completely out of the roof from this year and last year,” she mused before heading into the night.