Showing posts with label S. Williams/ V. Williams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label S. Williams/ V. Williams. Show all posts

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Golden Serena Crowned Olympic Champion

Ever since making her comeback last June, Serena Williams was expected to resume from where she left off, quickly regaining her reign at the top of the women's tennis. Things didn't go quite so smooth though, but it all seems to have clicked after the sensational triumph at Wimbledon where she claimed her 14th Grand Slam crown, in addition to winning the double title with her sister Venus.
Unbeaten since, the American wrapped up the Stanford title, before taking a devastating form into the Olympics. Easy wins over the likes of Jelena Jankovic, Urszula Radwanska, Vera Zvonareva and Caroline Wozniacki, propelled her in the battle for her first individual medal. Just like she has done so many times, when shove comes to push, the American upped her game and produced a sensational display, leaving her rivals thunderstruck and enable to fight back. It was the case of world number 1, Victoria Azarenka, who once again failed to find an answer to Serena's tremendous serve, losing 1-6,2-6 in a repeat of their Wimbledon semifinal. 
Attempting to join Steffi Graf as the only player in history to achieve a career Golden Slam, the American absolutely crushed Russian Maria Sharapova, the French Open champion, 6-0,6-1 showing why she is the best tennis player in world. "I've never played better," a jubilant Williams said. "Playing against Maria you have to be at your best. I knew that. She won the French Open, she never loses this year. She's playing the finals of everything so I knew it was going to be tough."
Not only did Serena will all Slams and the Olympic god medal, but she is also the only player to have achieved the same feat in doubles as well. Reflecting on her accomplishment, the American declared: "It's too much. I never expected gold in singles. I was so happy with my doubles golds. I thought if my career's over I have my gold medal, now I have everything, literally. I have everything there is to win in tennis. Where do I go from here? Now I can go to Disneyworld," she added.
A day after winning the singles gold, the American added the doubles gold too, teaming up with sister Venus to become the first duo tennis to win the same discipline at three Olympic editions. The Williamses have previously won gold in Sydney in 2000 and in Beijing in 2008.


Much like the rest of the field, Maria Sharapova was no match to Serena Williams. The American absolutely smashed her Russian opponent 6-0,6-1 to complete a career Golden Slam.

Golden girl, Serena Williams, shared the podium with Maria Sharapova, silver, and world number 1, Victoria Azarenka, who beat Maria Kirilenko for the bronze medal.
Serena became quadruple Olympic champion after she and sister Venus beat the Czechs Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka to secure their third gold in doubles.

photosGETTY IMAGES

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Serena Back Where She Belongs

She was threatening to return to her Grand Slam winning ways ever since she made her return in June last year, but it took Serena a few months to finally get there. However, the inevitable happened today when the American sealed another Wimbledon crown with a tense three sets victory over Agnieszka Radwanska in the final. 
This edition wasn't exactly a walk in the park for Serena. After some bumpy encounters early on, she brought her A-game when she needed it most, taking out defending champion, Petra Kvitova, the number 1 player of the world, Victoria Azarenka, and ultimately the tenacious Pole, to tie her sister Venus with 5 Wimbledon trophies. "I've always wanted what Venus has," the younger Williams said in the on-court interview. She and Venus now own a combined 10 out of the last 13 Wimbledon singles titles.
The triumph was very emotional for Serena, who had to battle a lengthy foot injury and survive a near-death experience before making her comeback last year. "Oh my God, I can't even describe it," she said in her on-court interview. "I want to thank Jehovah for letting me get this far. I almost didn't make it a few years ago, but now I'm here again and it's so worth it. I'm so happy. I've dreamed of being here again. It shows if you never give up, you can achieve anything."
While many were expecting the Williams sisters to be long gone by now, both Venus and Serena have stated their intensions of being around for many years to come. Serena, a 14th Grand Slam champion now, has said: "I'm so happy to be on the court. I feel like this is where I belong. I mean, maybe I don't belong in a relationship. Maybe I don't belong somewhere else. But I know for a fact I do belong on this tennis court." This kind of commitment from the American is worrisome for her opponents. Although she might not be ranked number 1 in the world anymore, Serena is undefeated against top5 rivals in the last year, so a return to the top of the rankings is expected anytime soon.
A few hours after contesting the singles final, the American was back on court for the doubles championship match. As expected, she and sister Venus, rooted Czech Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka to win their fifth Wimbledon crown.

Serena claimed her 14th Grand Slam title disposing of Agnieska Radwasnka 6-1,5-7,6-2. It was the American's 5th Wimbledon crown, and first since 2010.
Venus and Serena retained their doubles magic, addicting a fifth Wimbledon crown and taking their tally to an impressive thirteen Grand Slam titles. In the final they beat Czech Hlavackova and Hradecka 7-5,6-4.

photos: GETTY IMAGES