To all my novice tennis fans, who don't follow Women's tennis, they still know a thing or two about Serena Williams. Well who wouldn't? We have been hearing about her for more than a decade now, winning important tournaments, winning 1 Wimbledon after another. But she is much more beyond that.
Serena Williams is like Roger Federer of Women's tennis when Federer was at his peak. Serena has no peer. She rules WTA field. Serena has 18 grand slam singles title, equaling Martina Navaratilova and Chris Evert and is just 4 behind all time record holder Steffi Graf. And the gap between her and rest of the field is much wider than anyone can imagine. Just for example, in olympics 2012, Serena beat Maria Sharapova 6-0 6-1 for the gold medal. That is 12 games to 1 difference between Gold medalist and Silver medalist.
So what makes Serena Williams so good?
Serena is one of the most powerful Women's player, ever. Scratch that, Serena is the most powerful Women's player, ever. Normally for a tennis player, your forehand wing is powerful wing, which is the case for Serena. That wing is like Bazuka. Serena can hit more than 100mph forehand, very few women's players can hit like that. And when on song, she has great consistency. You can see Serena mostly standing at a position making opponent run from side to side without doing anything, and you would thing what is this fatty doing? Why don't she move.
If you thought you could attack her backhand, think again. Its equally good. If you get into backhand to backhand rally with Serena, she would find such acute angles, you would be scrambling the entire time.
50% of a match, you have to serve, Its just a mandatory shot for top players to have strong serve. Serena Williams has the best serve in Women's tennis, period. Ask any professional, you would find the same answer. Serena can hit upto 125 mph regularly in her matches. For other top players, it generally lies from 95 to 115 range. But its not just the speed of the serve, the accuracy of it. Serena can hit slice serves, wide serves, T serve, body serves with varying pace. Which just makes her opponents to guess where and how she would serve. Bottom line, you don't want to be in the position to be returning her serve.
Next best weapon in today's game is return of serve. Especially in Women's game, where serves are more attachable, its a must have weapon just like serves. Serena's return of serve as good as anyone. Her forehand RoS is explosive, putting her opponents on defense immediately. If you are facing Serena, don't give her too many looks on your second serve or you are a toast.
Its not very common in today's game but netgame still counts. Serena and Venus have won multiple doubles grand slams together for a reason. They can attack the net. Unlike her sister Venus who has huge height advantage, Serena's net approaches are not the best. She doesn't have best touch at the net, but she makes it up with power. Her drive vollies are among the best.
Her overhead smashes are simply the best. She never miss an overhead and when she hits it, its generally with anticipation of her opponent and always beyond their capability to return.
When her opponents approaches net, Serena has good enough passing shots to discourage them coming forward. But if you want to beat Serena, you have to come forward.
NOW, THIS IS THE POINT THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOU MOST. Remember I said, "what is this fatty doing? Why don't she move"? Well it turns out IF NEEDED she can move. And she moves damn well. Kim Clijsters took women's game on a whole new level on athleticism. Serena is closest thing to Clijsters you can have. She isn't fat, she is muscular. But even with muscles, she is INCREDIBLY FLEXIBLE. Serena is THE FASTEST player on the tour. She can even slide on hard courts, while defending and turning the point into offense just like that.
And finally, her tennis skills. Serena is incredibly smart tennis player. While everyone takes her as raw powerhouse, she is always thinking and making right choices. You would mostly get bored watching her matches as she bulldoze her opponents with her B games, but when put to the test you see her A game which is far beyond anyone's reach. Serena is mentally toughest athlete you could ever see. She is never out of a match until last point.
Serena is just a supreme athlete, one that comes once every decade. She just don't have any holes in her game. So best strategy to beat her, play your best game and pray to god Serena doesn't play her best, because if she does, there is simply no chance to beat her.
New York times conducted a serve with tennis greats like Jim Courier and Nick Baletellori to grade current women's player and Serena's name shown in every category. Face it, we are in the presnece of greatness.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/25/sports/tennis/us-open-2014-serena-williams-maria-sharapova-and-agnieszka-radwanska-among-best-tennis-strokes.html
Serena Williams is like Roger Federer of Women's tennis when Federer was at his peak. Serena has no peer. She rules WTA field. Serena has 18 grand slam singles title, equaling Martina Navaratilova and Chris Evert and is just 4 behind all time record holder Steffi Graf. And the gap between her and rest of the field is much wider than anyone can imagine. Just for example, in olympics 2012, Serena beat Maria Sharapova 6-0 6-1 for the gold medal. That is 12 games to 1 difference between Gold medalist and Silver medalist.
So what makes Serena Williams so good?
Serena is one of the most powerful Women's player, ever. Scratch that, Serena is the most powerful Women's player, ever. Normally for a tennis player, your forehand wing is powerful wing, which is the case for Serena. That wing is like Bazuka. Serena can hit more than 100mph forehand, very few women's players can hit like that. And when on song, she has great consistency. You can see Serena mostly standing at a position making opponent run from side to side without doing anything, and you would thing what is this fatty doing? Why don't she move.
If you thought you could attack her backhand, think again. Its equally good. If you get into backhand to backhand rally with Serena, she would find such acute angles, you would be scrambling the entire time.
50% of a match, you have to serve, Its just a mandatory shot for top players to have strong serve. Serena Williams has the best serve in Women's tennis, period. Ask any professional, you would find the same answer. Serena can hit upto 125 mph regularly in her matches. For other top players, it generally lies from 95 to 115 range. But its not just the speed of the serve, the accuracy of it. Serena can hit slice serves, wide serves, T serve, body serves with varying pace. Which just makes her opponents to guess where and how she would serve. Bottom line, you don't want to be in the position to be returning her serve.
Next best weapon in today's game is return of serve. Especially in Women's game, where serves are more attachable, its a must have weapon just like serves. Serena's return of serve as good as anyone. Her forehand RoS is explosive, putting her opponents on defense immediately. If you are facing Serena, don't give her too many looks on your second serve or you are a toast.
Its not very common in today's game but netgame still counts. Serena and Venus have won multiple doubles grand slams together for a reason. They can attack the net. Unlike her sister Venus who has huge height advantage, Serena's net approaches are not the best. She doesn't have best touch at the net, but she makes it up with power. Her drive vollies are among the best.
Her overhead smashes are simply the best. She never miss an overhead and when she hits it, its generally with anticipation of her opponent and always beyond their capability to return.
When her opponents approaches net, Serena has good enough passing shots to discourage them coming forward. But if you want to beat Serena, you have to come forward.
NOW, THIS IS THE POINT THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOU MOST. Remember I said, "what is this fatty doing? Why don't she move"? Well it turns out IF NEEDED she can move. And she moves damn well. Kim Clijsters took women's game on a whole new level on athleticism. Serena is closest thing to Clijsters you can have. She isn't fat, she is muscular. But even with muscles, she is INCREDIBLY FLEXIBLE. Serena is THE FASTEST player on the tour. She can even slide on hard courts, while defending and turning the point into offense just like that.
And finally, her tennis skills. Serena is incredibly smart tennis player. While everyone takes her as raw powerhouse, she is always thinking and making right choices. You would mostly get bored watching her matches as she bulldoze her opponents with her B games, but when put to the test you see her A game which is far beyond anyone's reach. Serena is mentally toughest athlete you could ever see. She is never out of a match until last point.
Serena is just a supreme athlete, one that comes once every decade. She just don't have any holes in her game. So best strategy to beat her, play your best game and pray to god Serena doesn't play her best, because if she does, there is simply no chance to beat her.
New York times conducted a serve with tennis greats like Jim Courier and Nick Baletellori to grade current women's player and Serena's name shown in every category. Face it, we are in the presnece of greatness.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/25/sports/tennis/us-open-2014-serena-williams-maria-sharapova-and-agnieszka-radwanska-among-best-tennis-strokes.html
