Serena Williams focused on winning, not her engagement
MELBOURNE — Verbosity hasn’t often been an inclination for Serena Williams and at the start of her 20th season as a tennis superstar she hasn’t developed a penchant for chattiness.
So it came as no surprise that when meeting the international press ahead of the Australian Open on Saturday, she primarily chose cagey over confessions.
At 35, Williams arrives in Melbourne with the chance to win a 23rd career Grand Slam trophy, which would break her shared Open-Era record of 22 Grand Slam titles with Steffi Graf, and place her one Grand Slam title away from equaling Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 titles.
Williams, however, had that looming possible achievement on her list of subjects not-to-be discussed.
“Oh, I’m not talking about that,” she said. “I’m just here to play and to win, obviously, but just to play.”
That led to wonderment as to whether she’d open the door to divulging any details on her recent engagement to Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of the social network Reddit. Williams played it mostly coquettish, but didn’t totally shy away from being the future blushing bride.
Asked about the “exciting news” in her personal life, she countered with a sly smile, “Can you elaborate?” then added, “I’m just kidding.”
“It’s been really great,” said Williams, notably not flaunting an engagement ring. “I’ve said from the beginning I just didn’t want to think about it until after Australia because I was, like, Grand Slams mean a lot to me.
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“I don’t think I’ve had an opportunity to let everything sink in,” she added. “I won’t allow it to sink in because I’m so focused. It was right in the middle of pre-season. Now I’m on the road, already back at work. I don’t want to get too happy because I want to stay focused.”
The pending marriage supposedly on the back-burner with questions such as whether the part-time fashion designer bride-to-be will create her own wedding dress unanswered, it was back to the basics of tennis.
Williams reached the final at the first three Grand Slams last season, winning her 22nd major trophy at Wimbledon, but lost out on the title to current No. 1 Angelique Kerber at the Australian and Garbine Muguruza at the French.
After a semifinal defeat to Karolina Pliskova at the U.S. Open, Williams relinquished her No. 1 status to Kerber and shut down her year, prematurely, to nurse a left knee injury.
“For me, it wasn’t a great season,” Williams said of 2016. “I think for other people it would have been wonderful. It was what it was.”
As it turns out it wasn’t a joyous start to the 2017 season for Williams, who posted 88 unforced errors in a 6-4.6-7, 6-4 second round loss to fellow American Madison Brengle at the Auckland tournament nearly two weeks ago.
Williams’ opportunity to change her luck will commence with a first round meeting against Belinda Bencic on Tuesday. They’ve split their two prior meetings with the Swiss posting the upset in the 2015 Toronto semifinals.
Also at stake for Williams at this Australian Open is a possible return to the top of the ranking charts.
It’s a given that if Kerber journeys to the final, win or lose, she retains the No. 1 status.
The scenarios for Williams to dethrone the German work out to she must reach the final, but if Kerber advances to the round-of-16 Williams must win the trophy.
“I didn’t come here to lose in the first round, or the second round, or at all,” said Williams, sending an obvious message to the other 127 players in the draw.
PHOTOS: SERENA WILLIAMS' GRAND SLAM WINS
