Serena Ready to Reclaim Title - (I hope So) Thursday, 12 May, 2005 On the July afternoon last summer when the only word on so many lips was – to quote Stephen Sondheim - “Maria, Maria, Maria”, it was Sharapova’s opponent who earned new respect among those who remembered to spare a glance towards the runner-up. Not for Serena Williams a cursory handshake at the net in defeat. Instead she walked around to the other side of the court where Sharapova was still rising from her knees, and generously hugged the young Russian who had taken her Wimbledon crown and ended her 20-match winning streak in SW19. The ceremony that followed must have seemed interminable to Williams, but not once did she allow her smile to falter, nor a single one of the tears that filled her eyes to run down her cheeks. It was a stand-up performance of grace at a horrible time, and those who witnessed it took their collective hat off to her. “I try not to be a bad loser,” she acknowledged afterwards. “Maria was so excited. I know that moment and that feeling. There’s no better feeling than that. I was happy for her, and it’s definitely good to see someone new winning.” But it was to be Williams’ only Slam final of 2004. Australia fell within her eight-month lay-off for left knee surgery following her win at Wimbledon 2003, and quarter-final defeat at Roland Garros saw her drop out of the top ten for the first time in five years. After another quarter-final defeat at Flushing Meadow, 2004 yielded Williams’ lowest year-end finish at seven since 1998. Just past her 23rd birthday, the doomsayers were gathering. Happily for Serena and tennis in general, the doomsayers had a thin time of it in Australia this January. Despite needing treatment in the final she overcame Lindsay Davenport to grab her seventh Slam title. She was well and truly back, looking dangerously as if a return to her best form was a genuine possibility. Progress since has been intriguing rather than straightforward, not least for her semi-final defeat to sister Venus at the Nasdaq-100. The straight sets scoreline belied the exciting quality of the match, and for the first time it seemed the siblings played one another unburdened of any career agenda. Now with Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne returning to top form after injury lay-offs, the stage is set for some class encounters on the stage Serena adores more than any other. “I love winning Wimbledon,” she grins, having raised the Rosewater Dish in 2003 and 2002. “Of course a Williams is going to be Wimbledon champion again, yes. It’s just a matter of time. I can’t wait for Kim and Justine and myself to be back at a hundred per cent. It’s going to be great. It’s been a long way coming back for me but I’ve always considered myself the best and the top. I never considered that I was out of it – ever.” Meanwhile, there is no question of Serena sacrificing her famously varied extra-curricular activities to devote herself exclusively to tennis. She and Venus have signed on the dotted line to star in their own six-part reality television show, focussing as much on their off-court lives as the tennis tour. Serena also took a guest role in the US sitcom ‘All Of Us’, in which she took twin roles as herself and her fictional assistant. And of course she has strong design input into her on-court gear, which always brings a certain fascination. She likens her fame to any of the planet’s biggest pop icons. “I’m not a tennis superstar, I’m just a superstar,” she said after Sharapova’s victory last July, then added: “Just kidding. But I can’t go anywhere without being recognised. I’ve tried lots of different looks and hair colours. It’s a Britney Spears type thing but I take it as a plus because it means I’m doing well.” Besides, for all the talk of acting and fashion, Serena's competitive spirit is exercised best by tennis. She especially remembers one part of Sharapova’s victory speech last year, when the new champion told Serena she was sorry to take the trophy away from her for one year. “For one year,” repeated Serena, with a nod of affirmation. “I like that part. I don’t enjoy losing.” --

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