McIntyre Tennis

Serena Williams Is Your AP Female Athlete Of The Decade

Serena Williams has been named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Decade following several years of brilliance as a tennis superstar.

The 38-year-old snagged 12 Grand Slam titles in the last 10 years, with no other woman claiming more than three during the period, and reigned as No.1 in the WTA rankings for three-and-a-half years. Serena has been just as popular off the court, staying in the news whether her activities are tennis-related, to do with fashion, in relation to her getting on magazine covers or a Super Bowl ad voicing women’s power. There have also been highly-publicized disputes with officials, but the biggest bit of news had to do with her pregnancy and the health scare that came with it.

The younger Williams sister was voted in as the aforementioned by AP editors and beat writers. She came out ahead of 2019 AP Female Athlete of the Year Simone Biles (gymnast), swimmer Katie Ledecky, and ski racers Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin.

"When the history books are written, it could be that the great Serena Williams is the greatest athlete of all time. ... I like to call it the 'Serena Superpowers' — that champion's mindset. Irrespective of the adversity and the odds that are facing her, she always believes in herself," WTA CEO from 2009-15 and now chief executive for professional tennis at the U.S. Tennis Association, which runs the U.S. Open, Stacey Allaster told the AP (via CBS).

"Whether it was health issues; coming back; having a child; almost dying from that — she has endured it all and she is still in championship form. Her records speak for themselves."

“She’s been my idol,” Biles revealed. "She's remained humble. She's stayed true to herself and her character and I think that's really neat about an athlete. Once you start winning, some get cocky, but she's stayed true to herself, win or lose."

Serena has won 23 Grand Slam titles overall, more than anyone else in tennis’s professional era, which began in 1968. She’s reached at least one Slam final every year since 2007 and is the oldest woman to win one in the pro era.

The American is the favourite to win the Australia Open next month, with Bet365 offering 11/2 odds on her chances. And Aussie fans can find the best bet offers at australiabestbets.com.au. Ashleigh Barty is 8/1, Naomi Osaka is 9/1 while 2019 US Open winner Bianca Andreescu is 7/1 after usurping Williams in the final back in September.

Skybet are offering 10/1 odds on Simona Halep, while Karolina Piscova is 14/1 with Ladbrokes and Elina Svitolina is 16/1 with Betfair. You could get 20/1 odds on Aryna Sabalenka from Marathon Bet, who are offering 25/1 on Belinda Bencic.

Serena’s achievements over the last 10 years left her among the top choices for said award and she must be extremely proud of herself. But her role as a women’s activist off the court, as well as her speaking out against the inequality as it relates to the poor healthcare black women in America are afforded, has been just as important.

Serena Williams Beats Victoria Azarenka in Fitting International Women's Day Match

By Mike McIntyre

Photos: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

The WTA Tour couldn't have asked for two greater representatives of female strength to face one another on International Women's Day than Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka. What they've endured since becoming mothers on its own would qualify them as the two premiere examples of perseverance for continuing to play tennis at such a high level. Both are seeking their first post-maternity leave Grand Slam titles but in neither case would it be shocking if that ended up happening at some point down the road. But there's more to their story than simply their impressive return to the game after becoming parents. Serena and Vika (they both are recognizable with merely a first name mention) have pushed through so much adversity in order to return to playing highly competitive tennis and that to me is why they are the ultimate faces on the WTA Tour of female empowerment. Simply put, for young girls looking for role models in professional sport - or life in general - you don't need to look any further than the two competitors in Friday night's second round match-up in Indian Wells.

While their Grand Slam haul's differ greatly - Vika with two and Serena with an incomprehensible 23 - the two are both considered among the toughest competitors and champions on the WTA of this generation. With Serena, there is nobody from this generation of female tennis players that comes even close to touching what she has accomplished (not to mention how her triumphs outshine even the closest of male counterparts) and she towers above any current players. Only her sister Venus, among active players, is even remotely close to double digit Slams with seven to her name. Serena stands a mere one Grand Slam triumph away from tying Margaret Court for the all-time record, though she has clearly played in the more challenging of Era's.

For her part, Vika's accomplishments are not to be glossed-over. In addition to her two Australian Open titles she can also take pride in the eighteen other tournament victories earned as well as the fact she was World No. 1 back in 2012 and enjoyed 51 weeks in the role. Twice she made the finals of the US Open, and has also shown her multi surface capabilities with a semifinal showing once at Roland Garros and twice at Wimbledon as well. If Serena can still be top ten material at age 37, then Vika at 29 clearly has many solid years also left to add to her career accomplishments.

The pair met for the 22nd time Friday night in what could be seen as an unlikely Indian Wells encounter last night given all the two have been through. It would have been understandable if both had chosen to retire from the sport rather than fight so hard to return. While Serena won Friday's match 7-5, 6-4 it was clear as the two embraced at the net afterwards that it was a win for both of them on many levels. There are numerous reasons why their shared presence on a tennis court in 2019 is such an improbable occurrence when you think about it. Serena and Vika are warriors more so for that they have endured and conquered off the tennis court than on it.

Becoming a parent is a daunting task for anyone - female or male. Many Dad's (myself included) do our everything we possibly can to raise our children in the best possible manner and yet none of us can claim to have gone through the same or even similar circumstances to what the mothers of our kids have to do. The physical changes and hardships that women go through for 9 months and then the recovery they require after child birth is without a doubt one of the most incredible challenges in life that I can think of. I watched my wife carry three of our kids - twins the second time around in fact - and will forever be in awe of the way she got through it. Even under ideal conditions and with healthy babies, the entire process is a grueling one. For Serena and Vika, becoming mothers brought extra challenges that neither likely ever anticipated.

On September 1, 2017 (less than eight months after wining the Australian Open while pregnant) Serena Wiliams gave birth to her first child. Serena's post-delivery challenges are well documented. She literally faced a life and death scenario as she was forced to deal with a pulmonary embolism that left her with breathing complications that required immediate and emergency intervention. As if that wasn't enough, she also had to deal with a large hematoma that doctors found in her abdomen and would be forced to spend six weeks bedridden after giving birth. 

Remarkably less than three months later Serena was back on a tennis court playing an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi against Jelena Ostapenko. While her early return would tell the American legend that her body needed more time before returning to regular competition, it wasn't long before she was back contending for Major titles. While in many professions women are able to count on their job status being protected while on maternity leave, the WTA Tour offers no such guarantee. While Serena could expect a protected ranking that would allow her entry to the tournaments she wanted to play, her seeding in those events was another story. Serena - and any returning mother for that matter - would be unseeded and at the mercy of the draw. Despite having to deal with this new reality in her first few events back, Serena quickly found herself once again competing for the biggest titles in tennis. The flexibility afforded at Wimbledon found her seeded 25th - which truthfully seems somewhat insulting to a 7 time champion - and she worked her way into the finals where she eventually fell to Angelique Kerber. In September, Serena made it back-to-back Slam finals with a run to the title match in New York at the US Open against Naomi Osaka. Despite the way that match transpired, it was obvious how much it meant to Serena to be back competing at the highest level less than a year after her tumultuous childbirth experience.

Victoria Azarenka's post child delivery challenges differ from Serena Williams' but they also affected her ability to return to the WTA Tour in a very trying manner. Vika gave birth at the end of 2016 but would see her planned return to the WTA hampered due to child custody issues with the father of her child who she had an estranged relationship from. Though she was ready to return to her tennis career, neither parent was allowed to travel outside of the state of California until a solution had been reached. Unwilling to be apart from her infant son, Vika put her career on hold until something could be worked out. She only played two events in 2017 and then played Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back in 2018 (and remarkably made the semis in Miami) before being finally able to travel abroad to Madrid in the Spring of that year. Prioritizing her son's needs and her desire to be with him over her own understandable personal ambition to return to work while still in the prime of her career was as noble as they come and while the comeback has not been as immediately successful as Serena's, it is great to have Vika back in the mix and back into the top 50 on the WTA Tour.

The significance of the match against Serena was not lost on Vika who said the following about her opponent and friend the day before the match, "She is one of the reasons why I still play. She inspires me. Gonna be a special match because it's the first since we both became moms."

Serena also acknowledged their common bond after the victory saying, "She's a very good friend. I would say we're pretty close. We're both moms, and we know how hard it is and how hard it's been for us to come back, you know, and starting literally from scratch and fighting our way back. It's been an arduous road, and I think we both really appreciate both of our efforts to do the best that we can do."

Their efforts are most certainly appreciated and deserving of our recognition. Both Serena and Vika are exceptional tennis players, women and mothers. The Tour is stronger for having them back on the court and young women starting out their professional careers will be able to draw much inspiration and knowledge learning from their example. You couldn't have scripted a better duo to play one another on International Women's Day and  - as has been the case at so many moments during their careers - they didn't disappoint.

Naomi Osaka Wins The US Open Amid Serena Williams Argument With Umpire

By Mike McIntyre

Naomi Osaka became the first tennis player from Japan to win a Grand Slam title on Sunday at the US Open with a decisive 6-2, 6-4 victory over Serena Williams. It was not the way the 20 year old Osaka envisioned defeating her idol however as a sideshow developed between the 23 time major champion and chair umpire Carlos Ramos.

After a clean first set of tennis from Osaka and an error-filled one from Williams, things took a turn for the worse in the early stages of the second set. Ramos gave Williams a warning for coaching due to hand signals that Patrick Mouratoglou was making from the stands. Williams seemed stung by the accusation as if it somehow implied that she was looking for an advantage to get back into the match. She explained to Ramos that she understood how he might have implied there was coaching going on but that, "I don't cheat to win, I'd rather lose."

Regardless of whether or not Williams even saw the hand signal from her coach, the umpire is within his or her right to impose such a warning. The onus in this case to remain impartial and detached is really on Mouratoglou, although as he mentioned after the match, "100% of the coaches, in 100% of the matches" employ similar tactics. For a player like Serena Williams however, who never uses on-court coaching even when it is permitted at regular WTA events, the insinuation from Ramos clearly struck a nerve.

The exchange seemed to in-fact fire the American up as she would break to take a 3-1 lead in the second frame. Quickly however, Osaka broke right back to put the match back on-serve and after the fifth game ended Williams threw her racquet to the court in frustration. That enacted an automatic point penalty which meant that Osaka would start her next service game ahead 15-0. This was unclear to Williams until she got-up after the change-over and made her way to receive serve. It all started to unravel from this point onwards as a visibly shaken Williams asked Ramos for an apology.

It seemed as though Williams was under the impression that the previous warning for coaching was reconciled between her and the umpire at an earlier juncture of the match and that perhaps she believed it did not actually count in the progressive discipline she was now receiving. Ramos stuck to his guns (as he was entitled to do) and the match continued.

Skip ahead to the next changeover where Williams was still understandably seething from a combination of unfortunate events and continued strong play from her opponent, and things got uncomfortable very quickly. As she was getting up to receive serve with Osaka leading 4-3, Williams said to Ramos "You're a thief" for taking the point deduction from her two games prior. Without hesitation or reflection, Ramos then (again as he was entitled to do) decided to call her for verbal abuse. Due to the existing warning/code violation combo she had already received, the third strike against her resulted in the automatic forfeit of an entire game. Williams would now have to serve to stay in the match, down 3-5.

This is the point of the match where in my estimation the chair umpire should have used better judgement. He did not have to call Williams for verbal abuse at such a critical juncture of a Grand Slam final. She did not use any obscenities in her comments to him and was understandably rattled with the way things were proceeding both between herself and the umpire as well as herself and her opponent. To make a parallel to another professional sport, in the NHL referees officiate playoff games differently than they would a (relatively) meaningless regular season game despite the fact that the rules are the same in either setting. They are known to "put their whistles away" in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The US Open final is the equivalent to game 7 overtime in hockey, and yet Ramos decided to enforce the rules exactly as they appear in the book. Instead of finding a way to diffuse the situation, Ramos essentially lit the match that would trigger an explosive reaction from Williams.

Tournament referee Brian Earley and WTA Supervisor Donna Kelso both came onto the court to try to better understand the situation but after speaking with Ramos and listening to Williams plead her case, they walked-away saying effectively that their hands were tied and it was the chair umpire's decision to make.

Osaka then somehow managed to block-out the distraction and focus on her tennis - which she has done so well over the past two weeks - and closed-out the second set 6-4 to claim her first major title. The young phenom was moved to tears as she hugged her mother, coach and other family and friends in her players box after the victory and was again seen crying while having to deal with a chorus of boos that reigned down during the post-match trophy ceremony. Serena Williams' fans felt their star was robbed of the opportunity to end the match on her own terms.

Regardless of how you feel Williams reacted during the match, she showed enormous class to quickly take control of that awkward moment and address the crowd pleading for them to allow Osaka to enjoy her well-earned triumph. Osaka is a rising star on the WTA Tour who earlier this year won her first professional tournament in Indian Wells, defeated Williams in the next event in Miami and has now proved that result to be no fluke.

For Williams, a $17,000 fine was levied against her the day after the final for her behavior on court. While there are still tournaments that remain before the end of the tennis season, the American tennis legend will now have to wait until January at the Australian Open to try to capture her 24th Grand Slam and try to tie the all-time record held my Margaret Court. That quest is the driving factor that keeps Serena Williams going as she approaches her 37th birthday later this month. Given the controversy and drama that we witnessed in her last match at Flushing Meadows I'm sure it will only serve to provide Williams even more motivation to make that a reality.

Serena Williams Victorious in Return to Roland Garros

By Mike McIntyre

Photos by Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

Playing in her first Grand Slam match since winning the Australian Open 16 months ago, Serena Williams defeated Krystyna Pliskova 7-6(4), 6-4. Clad in an impressive and attention-grabbing black jumpsuit, the 23-time Slam winner worked her way through her first clay court match since the French Open two years ago.

In the hour and forty-five minute match, Serena was hitting her first serve in at a 55% rate while winning 80% of those points. Pliskova for her part served at 60% effectiveness on her first serve yet only managed to win 70% of those points. Pliskova had twice as many break point opportunities on Serena's serve but only could convert on 2 of 8 of those chances while the American was a sharp 3 out of 4 to break her opponents serve.

Serena was actually out-aced by Pliskova by a 15-13 margin but as she continues to find her groove back on the tennis court I would expect that to be a rare occurrence. Credit to Pliskova who was ripping her serves in at only 3 kph less than Serena on her average serve speed during the match. Though it is the other Pliskova twin - Karolina - who is ranked in the top-ten, Krystyna has been playing well of late and came into the match with a 10-5 record on clay this spring.

Serena spoke about the impressive serving display that the two put on in her post match press conference.

"I knew that after her first game of serving that I said, ok I have to serve really well today, I have to be really on my game serving-wise because there's not going to be a tremendous amount of rallies..."

The victory almost seemed to be overshadowed by the reaction on social media to Serena's eye-catching outfit that she revealed was as much about practicality as anything else. The returning tennis legend referenced in on her Twitter account as well after the match and gave credit to Mom's everywhere who have gone through challenging pregnancies.

"It is definitely a little functionality to it. I have been wearing pants in general a lot when I play so I can keep the blood circulation going," Serena revealed. "I feel like a warrior in it, like a warrior princess kind of -- queen from Wakanda maybe."

The coolest piece to the entire ensemble might have been the shoes that seemed perhaps overshadowed by the overall stunning look that she pulled-off on Tuesday with the catsuit. 

Fashion aside, the victory puts Serena at a 3-2 record in her return to the WTA since her 14 month absence while pregnant and becoming a new mother. Things won't get any easier in the next round as she faces hard-hitting Ashleigh Barty of Australia, a player with a more similar style of game to Serena.

Barty won her opening round against Natalia Vikhlyansetva 6-3, 6-1 but that match likely offered very little in terms of preparing to face the greatest female tennis player of all-time. The pair have played once before - at the 2014 Australian Open - with Serena prevailing 6-2, 6-1. Barty was only 17 at the time, so the result doesn't hold any weight to it. The Australian has come a long way since then and has had some strong moments in 2018 including being a finalist towards the start of the season in Sydney and more recently when she made the semi-finals of a clay court tournament in Strasbourg where she had to retire down a set due to a sore back.

The big hitting second round match is slated for Thursday in Paris. We'll see if Serena is once again sporting her catsuit and can channel her inner superhero as she progresses through her inspiring comeback to tennis. 

Start of the Clay Court Season Means the French Open is Fast Approaching

By Mike McIntyre

Photo: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

With the Miami Open just reaching its conclusion with John Isner and Sloane Stephens hoisting their respective winners trophies, the ATP and WTA Tour's now switch their focus from hard to clay courts. The surface transition is an exciting period of time as it means that we are fast approaching the next Grand Slam of the year at Roland Garros. With roughly a month and a half still to go this is the time for players to assert themselves as pre-tournament favorites for the French Open. With that in mind, let's take a look at who to watch out for in the men's and women's games.

Will defending champion Rafael Nadal be healthy enough to capture his 11th title in Paris? The Spaniard had a remarkable return to form in 2017 capturing both the French and US Open's but has been limited in his appearances this year due to knee issues. If at (or close to) 100% he is the heavy favorite to be the last man standing once again in June.

Photo: Bob McIntyre

The biggest challenge to Nadal might well have been the ageless Roger Federer but he has once again decided to skip the clay court season and prepare for his ultimate goal of capturing yet another Wimbledon crown. Federer raced-out to his best start to a season ever with 17 consecutive wins before he fell to Juan Martin Del Potro in the finals in Indian Wells.

Active winners at Roland Garros are few and far between due to Nadal's incredible dominance over the past decade. In fact, the only ones left on the ATP Tour aside from the previously mentioned Federer are Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka. Djokovic continues to struggle to regain his form and his confidence while Wawrinka has a very mediocre 3-4 record thus far in his limited appearances in 2018. In other words, the chances of a first-time French Open winner if Nadal falters are high.

Likely candidates who could take-down the King of Clay include Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and the previously mentioned Del Potro. Aside from Federer, it has been Del Potro who has had a stellar 2018 with a 21-4 record that has seen him rise to No. 6 in the ATP rankings. His game works well on clay too and he has previously made the semifinals of Roland Garros in 2009 and the quarterfinals in 2012, both times falling in five set thrillers to Federer.

Thiem and Zverev meanwhile represent the future of the ATP and at the ages of 24 and 20 respectively it is only a matter of time before they achieve Grand Slam success. Thiem has gone an impressive 8-1 already this year on clay with a tournament victory in Buenos Aires. Last year he went 24-5 on clay including a run to the semifinals at Roland Garros where he lost to eventual champion Nadal. Zverev is still looking for his Grand Slam breakthrough and he routinely gets knocked for failing to yet attain a major quarterfinal. The German has not yet played on clay in 2018 but had a respectable 16-4 record on the surface in 2017. The kid is going to have his turn at the majors sooner rather than later and there's no reason why that can't happen at the next Slam of 2018.

With the women, few would have given Jelena Ostapenko a realistic shot of winning her first major title last year at Roland Garros but the 20 year old certainly cannot be underestimated this time around. While her game lay dormant to start 2018, she made the finals in Indian Wells on hardcourt and that boost in confidence should propel her into the clay court season feeling pretty solid about her game.

Photo: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

Other active female winners in Paris include Svetlana Kuznetsova (2009), Francesca Schiavone (2010), Garbine Muguruza (2016), Maria Sharapova (2012, 2014) and, of course, Serena Williams (2002, 2013, 2015). Of that group I'd give only Muguruza - the current World No. 3 - a valid shot at taking home the trophy. Sharapova is on-again, off-again dealing with nagging injury issues, just recently parted ways with her long time coach and just doesn't seem to have it since returning to the WTA Tour following her 15 month suspension that ended last Spring. As for Serena Williams, let's give the 23 time Slam champion a little more time to shake-off the rust after her nearly 14 month layoff from competition while she was pregnant and became a first-time mother.

Legitimate female contenders in 2018 aside from Muguruza, include World No. 1 Simona Halep who was oh-so-close a year ago. The Romanian was heavily favored heading into the final vs Ostapenko last year but could not capitalize despite being up a break in the third set. Another Slam disappointment happened for Halep to start this year as she lost the Aussie Open final to Caroline Wozniacki. Halep however has maintained a positive attitude thanks in part to her own internal sense of competition but also due to the wonderful influence that her coach Darren Cahill has on her. Halep is widely considered to be the leading contender to win the French Open and finally break through the barrier to her first career major.

Photo: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

Other noteworthy competitors who will also be in good standing to triumph in Paris among the women are rising star Elina Svitolina, former World No. 1 and 2017 semifinalist Karolina Pliskova and two time semifinalist Timea Bacsinszky if she's healthy and has some matches under her belt, as she only recently returned to the tour following a few months off due to injury. 

Aside from Rafael Nadal, the men's and women's fields are really wide open with a list of younger and more experienced contenders at this year's edition of Roland Garros. Tune-in again later in May to see how the above mentioned players have navigated the lead-up tournaments on the red dirt and who is poised to achieve Grand Slam Glory in Paris.

Naomi Osaka Continues Impressive Run, Defeats Idol Serena Williams in Miami

By Mike McIntyre

Photos Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

Twenty year old Japanese phenom Naomi Osaka continued her impressive form of late as she defeated her idol Serena Williams 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday at the Miami Open. In a blockbuster first round encounter, the two were pitted against one another for a match that every tennis fan had circled on their calendar when the draw was announced a few days ago.

Due to Serena's nearly fourteen month layoff from the WTA Tour, it was the much younger Osaka who was actually favored to advance due to her incredible play over the past week. At the BNP Paribas Open just prior to this event, Osaka ran-over three players who had been Grand Slam finalists in Aga Radwanska, Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep along with multiple Slam winner Maria Sharapova. Three of those players had been World No. 1 at some point in their careers including Halep who holds the position again at the moment. In the finals of Indian Wells, Osaka soundly defeated fellow-youngster Daria Kasatkina by a score of 6-3, 6-2 - the same count as her match in Miami against Serena today.

For her part, Serena is still obviously trying to find a consistent form that she understandably is lacking after her second tournament back on tour. It is rare that she is out-aced, but today it was her opponent who led 7-3 in that category. A 53% first serve percentage is below where Serena is needing to find her big weapon as well. The groundstrokes were being all too often sprayed wide or long and this is something that the American will have to reduce over time as she attempts to get back to her dominating ways.

After the match Osaka giggled in her own awkwardly innocent way about how much the match against her self-professed idol had meant. "I don't know if anybody knows this," she revealed to the crowd, "but Serena's my favorite player." She continued to divulge with a slight amount of humor (that may or may not have been intended), "I kinda wanted to impress her. I just wanted to make her say 'Come On' one time and I think she did, so I'm really happy about that."

With a winning streak that now stands at eight consecutive matches, Osaka must be considered at least an even threat to take her next match in Miami against fourth seeded Elina Svitolina. The pair have split their career head-to-head encounters 2-2, with Svitolina winning most recently in Dubai by a score of 6-2, 6-4. Despite that tournament being but a month ago, it is safe to say that the Osaka that the Ukrainian will face Friday will present a tougher challenge this time around.

Serena Williams' Return to Tennis Earns Respect and Praise From Peers

By Mike McIntyre

As Serena Williams prepares to return to the WTA Tour Thursday in Indian Wells, I'm reminded of a conversation with Caroline Wozniacki from last summer at the Rogers Cup in Toronto where the current World No. 2 remarked in jest, "Serena, you know, let us win sometimes that would be nice."

Williams did her best to oblige during her roughly 13 months away from the sport and in the process fulfilled her friend Wozniacki's request at least long enough to allow the Dane her first career Grand Slam title this year in Australia. Hopefully others on the Tour were able to similarly benefit, if even on a smaller scale, while the American legend was pregnant with her first child that she gave birth to this past September. If Williams comeback goes according to plan, she will be back to her dominating ways soon enough and adding to her current mind-boggling total of 23 Grand Slam titles.

One thing is clear - Serena's peers are not going to be surprised one bit if she captures No. 24 this year. Speaking with current No. 4 Elina Svitolina earlier this week in New York, the rising 23 year old star admitted that, "I think she can come back at the same level she was at before. Also there will be something new from her, that’s what I’m expecting. Even for her"

Whether or not we see anything new from Williams remains to be seen. On Monday night at Madison Square Garden in the fast-paced Tie Break Tens event she thrilled the adoring crowd with two tiebreaks that reminded us all of her lethal serve and blazing groundstrokes. Her fitness will understandably still need some time to come into focus and there were more errors against Marion Bartoli and Shuai Zhang than she would have liked, but Serena has over two months to shake-off the rust before she enters the first Grand Slam of her return to the sport at Roland Garros in Paris.

I asked retired pro Daniela Hantuchova, who faced Williams ten times over the course of her steady career, about what she expected in her former opponent's return. "It’s hard to say how she’s going to play within the next few weeks. But knowing her and knowing what a champion she is – it might be a little harder because she has different priorities right now - but she’s been the greatest champion of our game." When I pressed on about whether or not we could expect a Slam from Serena in 2018, Hantuchova replied quickly, "If she wants to...it’s on her terms."

Fed Cup teammate CoCo Vandeweghe echoed similar sentiments when I asked her about her compatriots return to the court. "She's a great competitor. She's a champion for a reason. I expect that if she wants to come back and compete to her full ability, she'll be ready to go." As for whether or not she would expect another Slam from Serena, Vandeweghe said matter-of-factly, "That's up to her - I don't have a crystal ball."

Canada's rising phenom meanwhile, Bianca Andreescu, feels that Serena's potential for Grand Slam success is limitless. The 17 year old - who is less than half of Williams' age - told me that, "I think she can (win a Slam). I think every tournament she goes into she wants to win it and her desire on the court - I don’t think she’ll ever lose it. So I think she’s going to win – maybe even all of them!"

Serena's return to professional tennis begins against Zarina Diyas in her first real match back on the WTA Tour. The American holds a 2-0 career advantage in their head-to-head including a 6-2, 6-0 victory back in 2015 at this very tournament. While a result of that type of lopsided score this time around is unlikely, it wouldn't surprise anyone if it did indeed repeat itself. Just like Serena hoisting another Grand Slam trophy wouldn't either. 

Ten Thoughts on Tie Break Tens

By Mike McIntyre

Monday night marked an entertaining evening of tennis action at the historic Madison Square Garden in New York City. In a unique and fast-paced format, Tie Break Tens took over the multi-sport venue and offered-up the Williams sisters to an adoring crowd. It was Ukrainian Elina Svitolina however, the No. 4 player in the world, who stole the show as she dismantled her three opponents en route to the championship title. Here's a look at my ten thoughts from Tie Break Tens as we wrap-up from the Big Apple.

1) Elina Svitolina will win a Grand Slam

Sure it was only an exhibition event, but you wouldn't have known that from watching Svitolina both on and off the court Monday night. The hard hitting 23 year old showed no mercy to opponents Venus Williams, CoCo Vandeweghe and Shuai Zhang and took them out by a collective score of 30-6. Even when Svitolina tried to be nice - on an underhanded serve while leading Vandeweghe 9-0 - she just couldn't pull it off and won the point. While some have criticized the Ukrainian for her failures on the Grand Slam stage, her resolve and continually improving game will one day lead her to the very top of the women's game. While some of her opponents were hamming-it-up with the crowd last night, on their cell phones or catching up with one another, Svitolina remained as focused as if she was preparing for a Grand Slam final. Such maturity and determination will certainly serve her well once she does reach that stage of a major.

2) Tennis works just fine in alternative formats

My apologies to all the tennis purists out there, but the action-packed, no-mercy design of Tie Break Tens is appealing and it delivers. Some of the matches were over in a hurry (see Svitolina d. Vandeweghe 10-0 as proof) but most were competitive and entertaining at the same time. This was not a "practice your tweener" type of event. While CoCo had to use some humor with the crowd to deflect from the beating she endured, the competitors all seemed interested in playing their best tennis. Plus watching Serena Williams court-side on a stationary bike while scouting-out her opponents was pretty unique to say the least.

3) The Williams sisters are still the biggest draw in women's tennis

Don't get me wrong - I love the depth that has emerged on the WTA Tour over the past few years. That being said, to see Serena and Venus Williams competing on court at the ages of 36 and 37 respectively is something we should all be so thankful for. They don't owe us this but continue to compete around the world - with six month old daughter in tow in Serena's case - because they love the sport so much. The reaction from Team USA's women's hockey team to meeting with Serena at the end of the evening pretty much summed-up the immense and undiminished star power that she and her sister still clearly possess. 

4) CoCo Vandeweghe is entertaining

Like her or not, Coco was the only player last night trying to work the MSG crowd into a frenzy. At times it seemed like a younger, female version of Jimmy Connors trying to get the fans to liven it up and enjoy the moment. She has a fun-loving personality that comes across when talking in person. When we met prior to the start of play for a one-on-one she said I was lucky that she wasn't yet "hangry" while she postponed her pre-match meal. CoCo is a fiery personality to be sure and time will tell if she is able to harness that in a positive manner that will allow the 26 year old to deliver on her large potential.

5) Retirement is not the end of one's relationship with tennis

Including retired players in a competitive event will always be a risk. In the case of Daniela Hantuchova, things worked out just fine. The mix in styles between her and opponent CoCo Vandeweghe offered some entertaining variety for the crowd. Though she went down in her opening tiebreak, Hantuchova clearly enjoyed being back on a tennis court. The Slovak had an impressive 6-3 lead and could have likely closed it out had it been a tiebreak of the usual variety. She clearly had a game plan and that was to make Vandeweghe work for it. Five points in and we had already witnessed two drop shots from Hantuchova who cleverly used her experience to gain the early advantage. When CoCo yelled out, "Not again!" on the second one, you could tell that the plan was a solid one from the 34 year old who retired from competitive play last year. When I asked Hantuchova if she might follow the comebacks of Bartoli and Serena, she shouted, "No!" faster than I expected. The former World No. 5 is enjoying having a steady home-base to occupy on a regular basis and doesn't miss the hectic pace of life on the tour one bit. She was still very happy to play in the Tie Break Tens format and said future exhibition style matches would likely happen for her.

6) Mingling with other tennis fans is always fun

If you like watching tennis then chances are you also like talking about tennis. Part of the appeal of attending events like Tie Break Tens is catching-up with old tennis acquaintances or making new ones. Seeing Elina Svitolina's No. 1 fan Celeste again Monday night is a good example. I hadn't seen her since the Rogers Cup last summer but with Elina playing "a mere" 7 hour bus ride away from her home in Montreal, I was not one bit surprised she was present at MSG. Decked-out in blue and yellow (of course) and proudly waving her Ukrainian flag alongside her almost-as-enthusiastic mother, it is fans like these who make the sport what it is.

7) Serena Williams is going to struggle at the start of her comeback

After all she has been through these past six months it is truly amazing that Serena Williams is ready to compete at the highest level in her sport, but that's just what she is about to do in Indian Wells and Miami. Her physical fitness needs more time to return to what it once was and that is understandable but still needs to be said. While her serve showed moments of its usual brilliance, the foot speed and stamina have a long way to go. In short, I wouldn't place lofty expectations on the greatest tennis player of all-time (male or female) until she has had a few crash-and-burn events to get back into top gear. After that - hey, this is Serena we're talking about - anything can happen and likely will.

8) Marion Bartoli is going to struggle more at the start of her comeback

The 32 year old Frenchwoman has a long way to go before she is going to be competitive again on the WTA Tour. Kudos to her after all of the physical hardships she has endured over the past few years. It is unimaginable what the psychological and physical effects of her dangerous weight fluctuations must have been like to endure. That being said, her movement was quite suspect as she played Serena Williams last night and she seemed winded after a mere four points of play. If she's not ready for a super tiebreak to ten points, how is she going to survive a best-of-three match with women who have been playing day-in, day-out during her nearly five year absence from competition? Great to see the former Wimbledon champion back at it but I hope her expectations are realistic all things being said.

9) Find the right people

No offence to Mardy Fish, but being an MC is perhaps not the best option for his post-tennis career. The soft-spoken American was co-hosting alongside Hannah Storm but never seemed comfortable throughout the evening and lacked the pump-up ability required when speaking in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd.

The most ill-suited performance of the night goes to the chair umpire however who seriously bungled-up the late moments of the Serena vs Zhang semifinal. There was a moment where Serena had to discourage him several times to avoid re-playing a point that her opponent had successfully earned. He seemed very unsure of when playing a let was the right call to make and had Serena re-play a first serve that video review had shown was quite clearly an un-returnable bomb. Things got kind of awkward for a few minutes but Serena was gracious when it was all said and done.

10) Madison Square Garden is a cool place to watch tennis.

 While the upper-bowl was closed and there were sections in the lower-bowl that had multiple empty seats, catching competitive tennis at this NYC landmark is always something special. Last night was immensely more action-packed then when I saw an aging Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi play each other back in 2011 years after both had packed it in. The venue is iconic and all of the players remarked how it meant something special to them to say they have now competed there. Surely we will see competitive tennis at the Garden again sometime in the future. When we do, I'll make a point of being there to enjoy it as I did Monday night.

 

10 of the Greatest Tennis Rivalries in History

Considered to be a quintessentially English game, tennis has long been labelled as the sport of gentry. A match doesn’t become aggressive until it is well underway, and even then the aggression is only taken to the ball with the bat rather than at the opposing player.  

In spite of its calm demeanour, at first glance, tennis isn’t without its competition. There have been many great rivalries throughout the sports history, not just in individual competitions but throughout the seasons.  

Rivalries can be created in several different ways, occasionally they are long standing and come about when players of equal measure meet on the courts. Sometimes they can spawn as a result of conflicting personalities. They can even be put down to style of game play.  

Almost every great tennis rivalry consists of the world’s greatest players rather than those who are lesser known. It only takes one incident, on one occasion for the media to get hold of a story and run with it. Some of the greatest rivalries are built up not only on the courts, but also by incidents that become sensationalised stories. 

In this article we looked at rivalries from players that are still challenging each other today. We also included some of the greatest rivalries in a long line of major players throughout history.

1. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer  

 The first and ongoing rivalry that has to top our greatest list is the one between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. It is possibly due to consistency throughout their game, as well as their almost equal ability overall. Their rivalry is so well known that they have a page on Wikipedia dedicated to it. 

The pair have faced each other on thirty seven separate occasions throughout their time in the professional game. They battle it out every year to finish in consecutive positions in the world rankings. They also face each other in many ATP tour competitions, often seeded one after the other. 

Of their thirty-seven matches Nadal is on top with twenty-three wins to Federer’s fourteen. Federer has more success on hard courts and grass, whilst Nadal is of course better on clay. These results are somewhat predictable as it is no secret that Federer prefers to play on grass and Nadal favours a clay surface. Nadal isn’t nicknamed the clay king for no reason.

2. Margaret Court and Billie Jean King

A major rivalry in woman’s tennis has been the long standing one between Margaret Court and Billie Jean King. Their conflict in the sport, grew from their first of thirty two matches on the courts, in the 1960’s and through to the following decade. Of their thirty-two matches, Court out played her opponent on twenty two separate occasions.  

Having faced each other in finals, at no less than five grand slam events, the pair were well matched in their abilities. King secured victory over Court, just once, in a grand slam final. This was in the 1968 Australian Open, Women’s Final competition. Just prior to Kings grand slam victory, Court had taken two years out of the game.  

Court and King’s rivalry was well known for two famous matches that took place at Wimbledon.  The first of these two matches was played in 1962, when Billie Jean was eighteen years old, and starring in her second ever women’s singles match at Wimbledon. Seeded first that year, Margret missed out on the chance to progress any further than the opening round, in a shock defeat 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 to Billie Jean. 

The second of the two great Wimbledon matches between the pair, came in 1970. The rivals battled it out in a bid for the title in the final, when it was Courts turn to finish on top. At the time both players were struggling with injuries that had an impact on their game. King played through a knee injury that would later require surgery, Court played on an ankle that had to be injected with pain killers. 

The rivalry still continues today but for different reasons. Openly gay, Billie Jean King has publically expressed that she is hurt by her former rival’s opinions on same sex marriage. Margaret Court’s religion has a huge impact on her views. Despite the fact that her thoughts could affect her legacy in tennis, Court is highly unlikely to deter from them because of her beliefs.  

Although the two of them have differing opinions, both still respect each other because of their history in tennis.

3. Helen Wills and Helen Jacobs 

Helen Wills' rivalry with Helen Jacobs did not match the intensity of Wills' competition with Suzanne Lenglen. However, that said it was the greater of the two owing to its longevity. 

Wills was the better of the pair and only conceded a single match to Jacobs in a grand slam. It is perhaps because of this, among other points, they became such great rivals.  

With paralleled foundations in life, as well as a passion for tennis, the pair were nothing less than a phenomenon in the sport. Both women spent their informative years in Berkeley, both attended the same University and both trained under the same coach, Pop Fuller.  

The pair faced seven grand slam final matches against each other. Jacobs only victory in a grand slam over her rival, came about in the US championships, when her opponent was forced to withdraw from the game citing back injury. The loss wasn’t taken too well by Wills who apparently snapped at Jacobs when she tried to comfort her following her retirement from the match. 

4. Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras 

With completely different personalities and styles Agassi and Sampras made for one of the greatest rivals ever! 

With a gentlemanly appearance and a well to do nature Sampras commanded the courts with his famous serve and volley skills. On the other hand Agassi was both eccentric and occasionally rebellious in his demeanour. His famous blond locks were his signature look, and his return following a serve was his signature move. 

Because they were different in every way the pair were unable to sustain any kind of relationship on or off the courts. However, they did provide audiences with interesting game play when they faced each other. 

They battled it out to sit at number one in the world rankings for a number of years. Before April in 1995 Sampras had laid claim to the top spot for an impressive eighty two weeks. A position that Agassi took from him, and held on to for thirty weeks, before Sampras managed to win it back. The following year, Agassi again took the position from his rival.  

Throughout their careers they played each other on thirty-four separate occasions, with Sampras finishing on top winning twenty of their matches. His victories over Agassi, included four out of five grand slam titles. 

They played each other 34 times, with Sampras winning 20 of them. They met 16 times in tournament finals, and Sampras won four of their five matchups in Grand Slam finals. 

5. Bill Johnston and Bill Tilden 

As with all major sports America has to be credited with delivering astonishing talent, this is absolutely the case, when it comes to the great nation and their history in tennis.  

Bill Tilden and Bill Johnston were the greatest American representatives in the 1920s. The pair helped to establish the game of tennis in its earlier days.  

Over the course of seven years they came up against each other in the US championships. Johnston was able to secure victory in their first final meeting, However, Tilden went on to win the following five. 

In 1925, the match they played in the US Championships final went down in history as one of their greatest matches ever. It was the last time they would play each other in the final of the competition. Tilden beat Johnston in a spectacular display of five sets ending 4-6, 11-9, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. 

Because they shared the same Christian name the pair were fondly nicknamed ‘Little Bill’ and ‘Big Bill’ owing to their contrasting heights. 

The pair didn’t always work against each other. In 1920 – 1926 They worked together to represent the US and contribute to a seven year run as Davis Cup Champions. However they were most famously known for their rivalry against each other rather than their achievements together. 

6. Steffi Graf and Monica Seles

Built on a fate of what might have been, the competition between Steffi Graf and Monica Seles began in the early 1990s. The women were at the height of their fame in tennis, well known for their abilities on the courts as well as for their rankings.  

Steffi Graf had her name at the top of the rankings and had sat there comfortably for three years before her rival came along and took hold of the top spot.   

The women met in the finals of three grand slams from 1992-93. They played each other in the French Open followed by Wimbledon and then in the Australian Open, in which Seles beat Graf. 

A shocking turn of events in ‘93 meant that 19-year-old Seles had to retire from the sport for two years. A deranged fan of Graf’s sought revenge on Seles, who at the time had a firm grip on the number one spot. The fan wanted to see Graf back at the top of her game and took it upon himself to ensure it would happen. 

During a match in Germany, the obsessed fan stabbed Monica Seles in the back. Sadly she was unable to return to the game on top form. Following on from her recovery she only managed to win one further title – the Australian Open in 1996. 

The rivalry could have been so much more if it wasn’t for the fanatic that intervened.  

 7. Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall

In terms of longevity the rivalry between Rod Laver and ken Rosewell is unmatched by any other. Having played each other an astonishing 143 times throughout their careers, in both amateur and professional tennis, the pair have to be mentioned in the greatest ever rivalries list. 

Rod Laver was arguably the better player with 80 wins out of the 143 matches.  

One of their most remarkable matches took place in Dallas during 1972. By his own admission Laver claimed this match was one of the most significant in America. It contributed greatly to the game of tennis in the US as we know it today. Lavers Rival claimed the victory on said occasion in a full five set match that thrilled the audience, 6-4, 0-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6. A record breaking 23 million viewers tuned in their television sets to watch the rivals battle it out in spectacular fashion.   

8. Serena Williams and Venus Williams

We couldn’t exclude the two sisters that took the world of tennis by storm when they turned professional. Serena Williams and Venus Williams have one of the greatest rivalries ever. Combine the determination that each sister readily displays on court with the natural phenomenon of pure sibling rivalry. 

The sisters have faced each other twenty eight times with Serena, the younger of the two, coming out on top 17-11.  

The pair are famed for their world record. In the 2002 French Open, the sisters faced each other in the women’s final, starting a consecutive run with appearances in the following three final grand slam events. This is the only time in history that four consecutive grand slams have featured the same two female players. 

The media has credited them with being two of the greatest female tennis players ever. The fact they are from the same family in the same era is what makes the rivalry so unique.

9. John McEnroe and Björn Borg 

Nicknamed the fire and ice rivalry, John McEnroe and Björn Borg had a relatively short lived conflict that spanned over the course of four years.  

The pair played each other only 14 times, of which, both players won seven matches. Over the course of three years, 1979-81, the sparring players passed the number one spot to each other on seven occasions.  

The rivalry between them sparked the imagination of tennis fans from around the world, their dynamic on the courts was incredible causing. Together they put on a captivating show. In fact if they came up against each other the impending match became highly anticipated. In their day they were both considered to be the world’s greatest tennis players. 

Borg won five Wimbledon titles in his day using formidable techniques. He was known for his abilities, using extreme topspin on his forehand and an accurate two-handed backhand. He was also famed for his laid back attitude. McEnroe, on the other hand, was credited with his serve and volley skills. He was well known for his bad temper, particularly when things were not going his way in a match. He didn’t think twice about his conduct on the courts and there were often fireworks if he began lost out on points and sets. 

The rivalry didn’t last as long as it could have. At the 1981 US Open finals Borg decided it was time for him to retire from grand slam tennis without a reasonable explanation. The Swedish tennis star was just 25 years old, and arguably in his prime. McEnroe, was 22 that year and had won three of his four grand slam titles in finals against Borg. The fiery player went on to win three further titles but didn’t win another after the age of 25. Coincidentally, the same age his rival was when he quit. 

Borgs leaving the game had a lasting effect on McEnroe, who later claimed that the game was never as good as it had been when Borg was his main competition. 

10. Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova 

Arguably the greatest rivalry in tennis ever, was that between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. It was a fierce competition on the courts that turned into a lasting friendship for the pair, both during their days on the courts, and continuing today.  

The talented women played each other, an astonishing, eighty times during their careers that spanned more than a decade. Navratilova held a 43-37 lead over her rival. Evert favoured clay courts and Navratilova found her finest form on grass.  

The number of times that this pair faced each other wasn’t the only phenomenon that led to the great rivalry they shared. Until Navratilova made her debut, Evert was virtually impossible to beat. Her skills in accuracy were second to none at the time. In great contrast it was Navratilova’s serve and her skills in a volley that set her above the rest.   

 

Perhaps you can experience some of these and future tennis rivalries yourself. Whether you’re with family, friends or with colleagues, experiencing these rivalries first hand would certainly be iconic. Click here to find out more about corporate hospitality packages.  

Would French Open Crown Confirm Serena’s Place As The Best Female Star Of The Open Era?

After the disappointment of losing in the final of the year’s first Grand Slam in Australia, US superstar Serena Williams got her French Open title defence off to the perfect start on Tuesday, dropping just two games as she dispatched Magadlena Rybarikova in quick time. And already, the 34-year-old starlet will have her eyes focused on picking up a third title in four years at Roland Garros.

As per Grandslamtournooi.nl, Serena has been considered firm favourite to defend her crown for months. Her positive start, combined with the suspension of nearest rival Maria Sharapova and the early exits of Angelique Kerber, Roberta Vinci and Victoria Azarenka, will only further enhance those feelings that the younger Williams sibling is destined for her fourth career victory in Paris.

A first Grand Slam this year would also see the Michigan-born starlet join Steffi Graf on 22 career titles. Even if she fails at Roland Garros, it seems inevitable that she will overtake the German’s record at some stage while many would back her to even surpass Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24. However, if Serena does register her first Grand Slam of 2016 on June 3^rd, it would be hard to argue against her credentials as the greatest woman to ever pick up a racket.

It’s not simply a case of winning titles; it’s the manner in which she has done it. After all, Serena hasn’t had it easy. The overall standard of women’s tennis in the past 15 years has arguably been higher than any other era, and the World No.1 has had to overcome a number of rivalries to reach, and stay at, the pinnacle.

Serena’s first major challenge, around the turn of the century, was to simply prove that she was the best tennis player in her family. Four consecutive Grand Slam final victories over Venus, starting at the French Open of 2002, cemented her place at the top of the family tree. Aside from her older sister, Williams has also faced competition from the likes of Sharapova, Azarenka, Justine Henin and many others. Whilst she has encountered low moments during her her career, it’s now been the best part of 15 years at the top. That would be an incredible feat in any sport, but in tennis, it’s almost unheard of.

Even Graf only enjoyed a decade of dominance, although she did win one more Grand Slam at Roland Garros almost three years after No.21. However, the German failed to reach a single semi-final in that interluding period. Conversely, Serena has reached at least one final in 15 of the last 16 seasons. For longevity alone, especially at a time where the physical and mental demands are greater than ever, the younger Williams sister stands out on her own.

Her success has worked wonders for the game, particularly due to her authoritative power play on the court. Quite simply, Serena has been the figurehead to lead women’s tennis to the highest place it’s ever been.

There is no doubt that Serena will be regarded as one of the sport’s all-time greats. Not least because her 21 victories have been spread out over all four Grand Slam events. If she does pick up the trophy at Roland Garros, it will complete a career haul of at least four titles at each of the big tournaments, a feat that would see her match Graf.

However, given the her style and achievements for women’s tennis as a whole, it would be hard to argue that Serena doesn’t deserve to be placed on a pedestal of her own. Williams is already amongst tennis royalty. Win at Roland Garros, and she’ll have to be considered the queen.